Catherwood LibraryILR School

Levi’s is under scrutiny following a Worker Rights Consortium (WRC) report that revealed the dismissal of approximately 400 workers by its Turkish supplier, Ozak Tekstil, after they unionized and went on strike over wages and working conditions. Despite Levi’s supplier code of conduct, which emphasizes the respect for workers' rights to unionize and strike, Ozak Tekstil fired the employees, citing "quality control errors" and insufficient legal authorization for the strike. Reports also highlighted harsh working conditions and alleged managerial abuse at the factory. Although Levi’s urged Ozak Tekstil to reinstate the workers, most did not return, and Levi’s continued its business relationship with the factory, raising concerns about the brand’s true commitment to labor standards. The dismissed workers also face blacklisting in Turkey’s job market, further complicating their precarious situation.