AMERICAN LABOUR:

TELL 'THE GAP' TO STOP BUYING FROM ANTI-UNION SOURCE:

The following is an appeal from the United Students Against Sweatshops.

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Tell the Gap: Don't Harbor Worker Abuses!:
Don't let Gap Inc. support worker and retiree abuses! Oak Harbor Freight Lines workers in Oregon, Washington and Idaho were forced to strike on Sept. 22 in protest of the freight company's violations of U.S. labor laws, as well as hostile efforts by the company to intimidate workers. A day later, Oak Harbor took the outrageous step of cutting off health care benefits to its workers and retirees. Instead of negotiating with striking workers in good faith, Oak Harbor has imported teams of professional strikebreakers to coerce and scare loyal long-time employees. Oak Harbor's biggest freight customer, Gap Inc., has supported the move to replace striking workers and cut off health care benefits to retirees. REI, Urban Outfitters, and other companies have elected to suspend their relationship with Oak Harbor until the company finds a just and lasting resolution to the ongoing labor dispute. Several organizations, including, Sweatfree Communities, the International Textile, Garment and Leather Workers' Federation, the International Transport Workers' Federation, Students & Scholars Against Corporate Misbehavior, and the International Labor Rights Forum have called on Gap Inc. to suspend its relationship with Oak Harbor. Unfortunately, the Gap continues to ignore workers' rights abuses and use Oak Harbor to transport merchandise. Tell the Gap to stop harboring worker abuses! Tell me more

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Please go to THIS LINK to send the following letter to 'The Gap' management. If you find that the recipient is blocking your email copy and paste the letter into your own email and send it that way.

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THE LETTER:

I am writing to express my deep concern regarding one of the companies in GAP's supply chain that transports merchandise: Oak Harbor Freight Lines of Auburn, Washington.

On Monday September 22, 2008 Oak Harbor Freight Lines workers in Oregon, Washington and Idaho were forced to strike in protest of Oak Harbor's violations of America's labor laws, as well as hostile efforts by company representatives to intimidate workers.




Rather than correcting these violations by negotiating with its employees in good faith, Oak Harbor's owners have hired a notorious strike breaking consulting firm, imported teams of professional strikebreakers and attempted to permanently replace workers in an effort to coerce and scare loyal long-time employees. In the last week striking employees have been bumped and hit by vehicles driven by strikebreakers and management, assaulted with flying objects, and verbally abused by company officials.




Even more troubling, Oak Harbor Freight Lines elected to cut off health care benefits to its employees and retirees on Tuesday, September 23, 2008. If Oak Harbor is permitted to abandon its moral obligation to its employees, many Oak Harbor retirees with serious preexisting medical conditions will be left to fend for themselves and their spouses.




Several socially responsible companies, including Recreational Equipment, Inc. (REI) and Urban Outfitters, have already elected to suspend their relationship with Oak Harbor until the company finds a just and lasting resolution to the ongoing labor dispute. Unfortunately, according to reports from workers, the GAP is continuing to use Oak Harbor to transport merchandise.




Considering these troubling facts, we urgently request that the GAP join with other socially responsible companies by letting Oak Harbor know that it should resolve its labor dispute and treat its employees fairly.