$1.58 an hour. $63 a week for full-time work. Not enough to support any person or family in 2023. But that’s a wage paid in the United States to the people who make clothing.
A report released by the U.S. Department of Labor regarding the Southern California garment-sewing contractors and manufacturers found that some workers were paid as little as $1.58 an hour.
The survey also found that 32% of contractors violated the new law (SB62) set on Jan 1, 2022, by paying garment workers piece-rate wages. The department investigated 50 workplaces in Los Angeles and found violations in 80% of cases.
In a press release, Wage and Hour Regional Administrator Ruben Rosalez said, “Despite our efforts to hold Southern California’s garment industry employers accountable, we continue to see people who make clothes sold by some of the nation’s leading retailers working in sweatshops.”
Made in the U.S.A. could be a moniker for fairly made clothing - as these findings highlight, we are far from that. Paying workers per garment leads to wages that are unlivable and illegal.
Still, the passage of anti-wage theft laws like SB62 has brought a spotlight onto the issues and a way for workers to fight back against both manufacturers and brands who participate in these practices. During a press conference about the findings, Garment Worker Center member Santiago Puac said that he has seen the benefits of the law firsthand.
The wages currently paid to make clothing many of us have in our closets are unacceptable. And the fact that it’s happening despite clear rules and regulations should be a sign that oversight is one step, but consistent pressure and amplification of workers' voices is even more necessary than ever.
The FABRIC Act is another step in making sure these regulations are set nationwide, and it’s been endorsed by the workers themselves.