Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka's political and economic crisis and repression of workers’ rights over the last few years has left garment workers, including 300,000 women, facing an uncertain and bleak future. 

90% of workers in the apparel sector are women. In 2022, the STUC’s then-President Pauline Rourke visited Sri Lanka in solidarity to visit workers and hear first-hand about their struggles. 

In 2023, the STUC heard from women workers in Sri Lanka about the conditions they face at our annual Congress.  

We work closely with War on Want on Sri Lanka and the wider garments workers campaign. 

Pauline Rourke (CWU), STUC President 2022/3, on trade union delegation to Sri Lanka