Noosa News
‘Hidden’ garment workers in Australia are vulnerable to exploitation while sewing from home
In her garage among spools of candy-coloured thread, Ghet Ky sits, focused, at her sewing machine.
Key points:
- At the height of the pandemic, at least one worker was asked to sew masks for 80 cents each
- Ethical Clothing Australia says people who sew from home are entitled to fair wages
- The group is encouraging the “hidden” workforce to ring up from November 25 to 27 to learn about their rights
She’s a garment worker who sews from home — also known as an “outworker” — and her garage has been her workplace for the past 25 years since she migrated from Vietnam.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, one of her employers asked her to make face masks, offering to pay her 80 cents per mask.
When she did the maths, it came to about $7 per hour, or…
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