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Alta Gracia: Proof that Decent Working Conditions ARE Possible

October 28, 2010

According to John Kline, one of the most important aspects of the Alta Gracia factory is that it represents a successful alternative to the current sweatshop model. Knights Apparel has proved it is possible to pay its workers a living wage and it has also proved that this is only possible if the company is willing to commit to paying its workers this wage.  In the Dominican Republic it has been determined that a living wage is equivalent to 340% of the legal minimum wage.

Halloween Actions to Stop Child Labor in Chocolate

October 28, 2010
  1. Hershey should agree to take immediate action to eliminate forced and child labor;
  2. Commitment to sourcing 100% Fair Trade Certified cocoa beans by 2012 for at least one of its top five selling bars;
  3. Commitment to making at least one more top five selling bar 100% Fair Trade Certified every two years;
  4. Commitment that most of Hershey’s chocolate will be Fair Trade Certified by 2022.

Cancer cases in Korea underscore grim working conditions for women at Samsung

October 27, 2010

The higher incidence of lymphoma and leukemia cases in females, as opposed to males, seems to attest to the fact that traditional gender roles play an important factor in the recruitment practices of these companies. As the Ms article points out, at Samsung “men tend to work as engineers and managers while women generally work as line operators -where they are prone to higher chemical exposure.”

The former Samsung clean room workers and their families have recently filed a lawsuit against Korea Worker's Compensation and Welfare Service who refused to pay compensation after conducting an investigation which failed to find sufficient evidence that the cancers were work-related.

Banksy Exposes Child Labor, Sweatshops on The Simpsons

October 14, 2010

Dangerous working conditions, long hours, child labor, violations of the rights of women workers and many other abuses characterize many work places around the world. For example, as I was watching workers in The Simpsons clip stuffing toys with cotton, I could not help but think of the situation facing child workers in Uzbekistan. Right now, the government of Uzbekistan is selling its cotton to international traders even as it continues to remove children from schools across the country and force them to pick cotton.

GSP+ Concession Removed from Sri Lanka Negatively Impacts Garment Industry

October 11, 2010

Additionally, Sri Lankan labor union leaders have lodged complaints that factory owners are violating internationally recognized labor rights standards.  Because of this, in 2008 the AFL-CIO filed a petition  with the U.S. government citing these violations as a reason to revoke Sri Lanka’s GSP concession.  On December 30, 2009 an updated petition was resubmitted and on June 29, 2010 the United States accepted the petition to review workers rights in Sri Lanka.  A hearing took place at the end of September 2010 to discuss the issues raised by the AFL-CIO.
   

Threats to Honduran Labor Laws and Leaders Continue

October 6, 2010

•    In early September, four peasants were murdered in the Aguan region as a result of their attempts to secure plots for landless peasants to build homes.
•    On September 15, Honduran Independence Day, police attacked opposition radio station Radio Uno in San Pedro Sula, tear gassing the office and brutally beating community leader Ernesto Bardales. Police and military personnel also tear gassed and beat some of the 50,000 peaceful marchers speaking out against the Lobo regime, including a group of high school drum corps members, and attacked musicians and audience members participating in a “What Independence?” concert minutes after it began.

Jobs Through Procurement Act Introduced in Congress

October 5, 2010

Rep. Hare got his first job in 1969 cutting linings for men’s suits at a factory in Rock Island, IL, and Rep. Michaud was a mill worker for 29 years. Now, Hare chairs the International Workers’ Rights Caucus and Michaud chairs the House Trade Working Group. Both have a strong record of voting for workers’ rights, families, and a responsible domestic economy. 

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