Since I’m currently pursuing a Masters in Public Administration, policy-making seemed like a good place to start this Fashion Revolution series on ways in which we can drive change in the fashion industry. I started the MPA program at NYU Wagner in the fall of 2017 and have been pleasantly surprised by the school’s attention on human rights issues along the supply chain. From learning about the start of the labor rights movement and the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire in 1911 to reading case studies about the Rana Plaza disaster in 2013, even though they are 100 years apart, the root causes and issues seem to be the same. Exploitative and forced labor of garment workers in lower Manhattan has merely moved into communities further and further away, where laws and regulations do not protect them.
Advocacy and disruption go hand in hand with radical shifts and policy change. This was true with the beginning of the labor movement during the era of the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire, and it is still true now with the rise of the widespread and quickly growing #MeToo movement. How can we take lessons learned from these cases and apply it to improving labor standards along the global supply chain? Admittedly, the process of international policy change has different layers and intricacies from a local state legislature, but the methods of building a movement, laying the groundwork and telling your story remain the same.
Last week, the NYU Wagner Women’s Caucus held a policy formation workshop that centered around the partnership between Assemblywoman Nily Rozic and Founding Director of the Model Alliance, Sara Ziff and their efforts to pass a bill protecting models against sexual harassment. Due to the way in which models are hired as independent contractors, they have few legal protections and no human resources department to turn to when they are harassed on the job. The workshop served as a tool for students to understand how advocacy and policy-making work together to build new laws to shift industries.
In a quote from a New York Times article on their partnership, Ms. Ziff explains that “There has been a sense that simply speaking out is enough” and goes on to assert that “It’s an important first step, but it does not solve the problem. If there aren’t basic legal protections in place, then real change does not occur.” This sentiment was echoed in the NYU event and underscored the importance of taking action and partnering with organizations and people who can drive change through altering the legal structure and governance. As the #MeToo movement has gained traction, many have wondered what about the next steps and how the movement could result in an actual change in behavior. For Ms. Rozic and Ms. Ziff, the answer is through policy-making and establishing laws to protect workers from a harmful and toxic workplace.
The case of the Model Alliance’s partnership with Ms. Rozic is a great framework for looking at how to move the fashion industry forward towards a more sustainable future. Now that the Fashion Revolution movement has raised awareness, and educated consumers on the reality of the garment industry, it is time to find opportunities to impact change from a policy standpoint.
During the workshop last week, Ms. Rozic recommended four steps towards introducing new legislation.
1) Find your allies – who will be the sponsor to shepherd the bill through the process?
2) Build a coalition – who will back you up and lobby legislatures?
3) Get committee members to sign on – who will join in to support you once you have the bill together?
4) Push it on the agenda so you can vote for it.
In addition to these steps, the role of media and communications is crucial to galvanizing support and getting the bill on the agenda. The timely breaking of the Weinstein scandal allowed for their work addressing sexual harassment in the modeling industry to come to the forefront. Just like how the Rana Plaza disaster brought labor rights issues in the garment industry to the forefront. In order to take advantage of these unexpected situations, I think it’s important to have a two-tiered approach. Firstly, have an arsenal of policies backed by research and key influencers ready to mobilize when these situations arise. Second, building relationships with media partners and those who will champion your story when the timing is right is crucial.
This workshop challenged me to think about solving fashion’s sustainable and ethical problems through policy-making, especially in countries and regions where the government is receptive to protecting workers rights and where there is a coalition of supporters to engage governments, factories, and brands in supporting their cause. We saw an outcry from the apparel industry after the Rana Plaza disaster that resulted in the Alliance for Bangladesh Worker Safety, the Accord on Fire and Safety in Bangladesh and the Bangladeshi government’s National Initiative. Five years later there are some improvements, but a lot of work is left to be done. These initiatives brought the industry in the right direction but we need to continue to fight for better laws and regulations to protect garment workers. Hopefully, it will not be another factory collapse to shake the industry into acting again, but an advocacy and awareness campaign ready to take action that can continue to move these efforts forward.