Pakistani workers of an Italian sub-contractor mandated by the Swiss luxury goods group Richemont fight back against inhumane working conditions. Shortly afterwards, they lose their jobs – and union activists who back them end up in court…

A total of around 70 staff were employed in the factory, which also houses a sub-contractor called Eurotaglio – that, according to the Sudd Cobas union, is largely incorporated into Z Production and seems to belong to the same owner. Most of the workers came from Pakistan, Afghanistan and China. According to workers and the union, they only produced leather goods for Montblanc. ..

… Public Eye was able to see official documents relating to the “Pelletteria Serena” case (see below), obtained by Italian RAI journalist Cecilia Bacci. Those documents indicate that the Chloé brand, which also belongs to Richemont, pays around €200 to €300 to make a luxury bag that costs €1500 or more in the shops. ..

… he boss of Z Production announced – along with a large part of the workforce – that they no longer had any work for them. ..

Richemont justified this in a statement to Public Eye and the network Clean Clothes Campaign (CCC) by saying that Z Production had repeatedly failed to comply with Richemont's Code of Conduct for Suppliers…