GATWU has over the past years built internal skills to design and undertake surveys on issues pertaining to employment conditions in the garment sector. The union believes that a firm research base is essential to furthering its objective of broad-basing freedom of association and right to collective bargaining. GATWU has in the context also collaborated with research organisations that work on labour issues.
A particular focus of research has been determination of expenditure pattern and fair wage in the garment sector. GATWU undertook a survey of workers in the garment sector on this issue in February 2012; and followed this with another survey in March-April 2013. It proposes to come out with an annual survey on wages and expenditure in the sector.