Voice in Supply Chains: Does the Better Work Program Lead to Improvements in Labor Standards Compliance?

Using a six-year study of Better Work Lesotho (BWL), this article examines whether the ILO's Better Work initiative leads to improvements in labor standards compliance. Data include 55 focus group discussions conducted with 426 workers during four waves of data collection between 2011 and 2017. In-depth qualitative research with workers before, during, and after BWL reveals the root causes underlying noncompliance. Findings indicate that improvements across a number of compliance areas are enabled by collective worker voice mechanisms established by BWL at the factory level. Workers also highlight additional positive impacts of these improvements beyond the workplace. The author concludes that worker voice is essential to long-term sustainable improvements in labor standards compliance. This study makes an empirical and a methodological contribution by demonstrating the importance of worker voice in both the implementation of Better Work and its evaluation and impact. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
Copyright of ILR Review is the property of Sage Publications Inc. and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)