Haitian clothing workers demand higher wages

Haiti: workers find first increase ridiculous

The Haitian minimum wage was also increased recently, after protests in its capital Port-au-Prince. The minimum wage was lifted from 200 Haitian gourde (3.65 euro) to 225 gourde (3.73 euro). Haïti 17, the labour union for the textile sector, finds the increase "ridiculously low" and demands a 500 gourde (8.29 euro) minimum wage per day. The labour union believes that amount would enable workers to fulfil their basic needs.

The Haitian textile industry makes up 90 % of the country’s export, bringing in 440 million euro per year. 31,000 people work in the sector. Manufacturers fear they will not be able to compete with other countries if the wage costs keep rising. According to the industry, wages are already 4 times higher than in Bangladesh.