With so much pain and suffering in the world, it is easy to get sucked into the void.
Into the feelings of despair and hopelessness. And while I am not here to tell you to look away, to discredit this pain or push it down…I want all of us to remember there is always hope. There are always people who care, who are working towards a future where we are all supported, held and looked after.
It is like what Mr. Rogers would say, “Look for the helpers.”
In this case, the helpers come in the form of stateside legislation aimed at the fashion industry! The FABRIC Act, federal bill focused on brand's accountability and the Fashion Workers Act, a New York law that, if passed, would protect creatives and models by holding management companies accountable and creates specific protections for fashion’s creative workforce.
Show Notes:
The FABRIC Act has 5 Pillars:
- Eliminate wage theft in US garment factories by enforcing minimum wage standards
- Combat workplace violations with increased brand accountability
- Increased brand/supply chain transparency
- Reshoring incentivized with tax credits
- Revitalize the industry through a $40 million domestic garment manufacturing grant program
The Fashion Workers Act would require management companies and agencies to do the following:
- Accept responsibility to act in the best interests of their talent
- Pay models and creatives within 45 days of completing a job
- Provide models and creatives with copies of contracts and agreements
- Notify former models and creatives if the management collects royalties from a talent they no longer represent
- Register and deposit a surety bond of $50,000 with the NYS Department of State
- Conduct a reasonable inquiry into health and safety on set
- Discontinue bad practices such as
- Collecting signing fees or deposits from models
- Charging more than the daily fair market rate for accommodation
- Deducting any other fee or expense than the agreed-upon commission
- Renewing the contract without the model or creative’s affirmative consent
- Imposing a commission fee greater than twenty percent of the model or creative’s compensation
- Forbid the management company from taking retaliatory action against any model or creative using the bill to file a complaint
- Forbid the management company or client from engaging in discrimination or harassment of any kind against talent based on race, ethnicity, and other legally permissible categories under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act, as amended
We have to keep advocating for change, for our fellow humans and for each other! We have to continue to believe that changing the industry is possible because it has been done before and we can do it again! “That’s just the way it is,” is no longer an acceptable answer.
More Resources on the Fashion Workers Act:
More Resources on the FABRIC Act:
Music:
Ian Aeillo
Logo:
Meadow Hearn
Creative:
Lauren Bates
