Wellington’s Newtown Festival was alive with messages of solidarity for garment workers in Fiji last weekend, as people stopped by the UnionAID stall to learn about our work supporting workers’ rights in Asia and the Pacific.
Visitors to the stall wrote heartfelt messages of support on fabric squares, creating a vibrant solidarity wall that will be shared with our partners the Fiji Trades Union Congress (FTUC) and the National Workers Union of Fiji.
The messages highlighted the strong connections between working people in Aotearoa and Fiji.
The stall raised awareness about the challenges faced by garment workers in Fiji’s textile industry, particularly in the Nadi-Lautoka region, where thousands of workers – predominantly women – make clothes for major Australian and New Zealand brands in difficult conditions for low wages.
UnionAID’s project with FTUC and the National Workers Union of Fiji supports these workers to join unions, negotiate for better wages, and improve their working conditions through collective action. The project aims to reach 1,400 workers across the region’s garment factories.
Festival attendees showed their support by making donations and purchasing UnionAID merchandise, including our new mugs featuring artwork by Huriana Kopeke-Te Aho.
The solidarity wall and conversations at Newtown Festival demonstrated the power of working people standing together across borders to support decent work and dignity for all.
Want to support garment workers in Fiji? You can make a donation or become a Solidarity Supporter below.
