Levi’s Under Fire After Supplier Laid Off Hundreds Of Workers

Levi’s, a global brand known for advocating for “what’s right,” is facing scrutiny after an independent labor monitoring group reported that the company continued working with a Turkish factory that dismissed around 400 employees last year for joining a union and striking over pay and working conditions, Scott McLean and Umut Sevdi Tangor reported for CNN.

Levi’s claims it asked the Turkish company to reinstate the workers.

Turkey is a crucial link in the global apparel supply chain, exporting around $30 billion worth of apparel and textiles last year, according to the Istanbul Exporters’ Association (IEA).

Levi’s claims it asked the Turkish company to reinstate the workers.

The factory in question, Ozak Tekstil’s facility in Sanliurfa, exclusively produces jeans for Levi’s and also manufactures clothing for brands like Zara, Hugo Boss, Guess, Mango, and Ralph Lauren, according to a report by the Worker Rights Consortium (WRC).

Workers at Ozak Tekstil reportedly work up to 16 hours a day and receive less pay than legally mandated. After joining the union Birtek-Sen, 400 workers were dismissed in December 2023.