Gap investigates child labour claims
Clothing company Gap, Inc. is said to be very upset after a ten-year-old boy was filmed making a girl’s blouse line for the company in India after work was subcontracted to a third party.
The boy told the Observer, which was responsible for the revelation, that his family had sold him to the owners of the factory and that he had not been paid for his work to date. There have also been allegations that children were beaten by bosses at the site.
Gap describes the findings as “completely unacceptable” and is to destroy the clothing produced at the unit. The group claims it was totally unaware this was taking place, having withdrawn permission from 23 factories in 2006 which did not meet its guidelines.
The company’s Code of Vendor Conduct states that factories should only employ workers who meet the applicable minimum legal age requirement or are at least 14 years of age, whichever is greater.
