But the Polish example does not prove this at all. In fact it is partly due to the increase in wages that Poland performs better. Still all the factors mentioned above are used by the sourcing companies and employers to increase pressure on seamstresses. There were no trade unions in any of the factories visited. The public labour inspectorate theoretically has some power to act but in reality cannot do much.
Some inspectors even complain that they themselves and their families are threatened by employers.
First, the former state-owned factories. In the garment sector the majority of the state-owned companies are either privatized or closed. At the factory visited in Sofia the machinery is rented from and is situated on the premises of a formerly state-owned factory which has filed for bankruptcy. This textile and garment factory is extremely run down. For example, dates of the last inspection of the fire extinguishers were not readable.