"The call crowns European trade unions' long-standing efforts to bring MSD into the European debate. The ETUC and TUTB mounted a European campaign in 1997 to put the prevention of MSD at the top of the European workplace health and safety policy agenda and contribute to the actions of its affiliated national trade unions and European industry federations. The report written by Jeremy Hague and his colleagues on the Clothing Industry comes as the latest addition to the array of publications produced by the TUTB to support this European wide campaign.
An industry-based survey was felt the best way to get insights into specific MSD problems, current scientific knowledge and solutions. The clothing industry offers an object lesson in repetitive work and MSD risk factors with pay systems traditionally linked to work pace. The industry has been forced into wholesale restructuring in recent decades by fierce global market competition. The resulting intensification of work has led to worse working conditions and a higher incidence of MSD.
This report offers a comprehensive review of existing scientific knowledge related to MSD in the textile and clothing industry. It also examines organizational changes in the sector, considering established and emerging health and safety issues. At the same time, it presents practical examples of how trade union mobilization and participatory approaches have addressed MSD problems in different workplaces across Europe. "

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