Former workers of the Croatian garment factory Orljava are filing a complaint against their German buyer, OLYMP, to the German National Contact Point for the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD).
The complaint alleges that OLYMP failed to act in accordance with the OECD Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises by failing to conduct appropriate risk-based due diligence and failing to meaningfully engage with relevant stakeholders in relation to its decision to stop working with Orljava.
Workers' Demands:
The workers are demanding that OLYMP:
Ensure indemnification to the 172 workers that lost their jobs at the time of Orljava's closure for damage caused by delayed payment and high inflation
Mitigate the harm caused to workers, which could include supporting them in finding alternative employment and/or consulting with them about resuming production for the brand in Požega, where the Orljava factory was based.
Background:
Orljava was a state-owned garment factory in Croatia that had been operating for decades. OLYMP was its main customer. In 2021, Orljava became insolvent and was declared bankrupt. All 172 workers lost their jobs.
