INTERNATIONAL LABOUR-HONDURAS:

VICTORY AT JERZEES DE HONDURAS:

The following is from the Maquila Solidarity Network, an international labour rights organization. It's standing proof that solidarity, online and otherwise, can and indeed does work.

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Historic Victory: Jerzees de Honduras workers win break-through agreement:

On November 14 an unprecedented agreement was struck between Russell Athletic and the union representing unjustly laid off workers at its former Jerzees de Honduras (JDH) factory.
Russell has agreed to open a new facility in the Choloma area, re-hire and provide substantial economic assistance to the 1,200 former JDH workers, institute a joint union-management training program on freedom of association and commit to a position of neutrality with respect to unionization, which will open the door for union representation at all of Fruit of the Loom's Honduran facilities (Russell Athletic is owned by Fruit of the Loom).

"This agreement represents one of the most significant advances for fundamental workplace rights in the twenty-year history of apparel industry codes of conduct," said Scott Nova of the Worker Rights Consortium (WRC), which conducted independent investigations into violations of freedom of association at JDH. "It is hard to overstate the significance of this breakthrough."

"For Honduran workers this agreement represents real hope, especially in the midst of an unemployment crisis in our country," said Evangelina Argueta, Coordinator of the Honduran General Workers' Confederation (CGT) in Choloma, which spearheaded the fight for the former JDH workers. "The fired workers haven't had income to support their families. Now they can be assured that they will have a job - this is the most valuable thing to come out of the agreement."

Russell Athletic was under serious pressure to repair the damage caused by its decision to close the JDH factory last January, which was widely condemned as an attempt to destroy a newly formed union (see last issue of the Update for details).

At the urging of students, unions and labour rights organizations, including United Students Against Sweatshops and MSN, over 100 universities in Canada and the US that have adopted ethical purchasing policies either withdrew their licensing agreements with the company or threatened to do so unless it took action to remedy the violations. Retailers and other Russell consumers were also approached.

"This is the first time we know of where a factory that was shut down to eliminate a union was later re-opened after a worker-activist campaign. This is also the first company-wide neutrality agreement in the history of the Central America apparel export industry – and it has been entered into by the largest private employer in Honduras, the largest exporter of t-shirts to the US market in the world. This is a breakthrough of enormous significance for the right to organize – and worker rights in general – in one of the harshest labor rights environments in the world,” said Rod Palmquist, USAS International Campaign Coordinator.

Talks between the union and the company finally began after Russell Athletic's membership in the Fair Labor Association (FLA) was put on "Special Review" status last June. An FLA investigation carried out in response to a complaint filed by the CGT, the Clean Clothes Campaign and MSN confirmed the WRC's finding that the presence of the union was a significant factor in the FLA member company's decision to close the JDH factory.

The FLA told the company it had to negotiate remediation with the factory union (SITRAJERZEESH) and the CGT, and engage with MSN and the WRC.

Fruit of the Loom is the largest private sector employer in Honduras, owning eight factories that employ over 10,000 workers, making the impact of this agreement extremely significant.
"The partnership being created between a large private employer and an independent union federation is unprecedented in the history of the apparel sector in Honduras and in Central America," said Nova.

Implementation of the agreement will be monitored by a joint union-management committee, with an agreement to enter into binding arbitration in the case of disputes over implementation or interpretation.

"We feel that the company acted in good faith during the negotiations, and this has to be recognized," said Argueta. "Relations between workers, the union and the company have been strengthened, and this will be reflected when the new factory is opened."

"All the support we received from groups like the WRC, MSN and from all of the university students was fundamental and we are very grateful," said Argueta. "The support of international organizations is very important."
• Read the Joint Public Statement on the agreement by the union and the company (November 17, 2009)
• Read more on the Jerzees de Honduras Campaign.

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The Maquila Solidarity Network is a great source of international labour news. Molly highly recommends that her readers sign up to get their news and participate in their campaigns. Here's the blurb about their latest newsletter, with lots more on the evolving situation in Honduras.

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Maquila Solidarity Update 14.3 (December 2009):
The December 2009 edition of MSN's newsletter, Maquila Solidarity Update, is now available on MSN's website. In this edition MSN examines how the coup in Honduras has given life to a popular movement, the historic agreement for Jerzees de Honduras workers, the launch of the innovative Asia Floor Wage Campaign, Mexico's policy of busting independent unions while letting fraudulent unions multiply and other stories.
» Download Maquila Solidarity Update 14.3

INTERNATIONAL LABOUR-HONDURAS:

RUSSELL ATHLETIC PLACED ON 'PROBATION':

Well,well, well, it seems like it's gonna end up as 'Honduras Week' here at Molly's Blog. I plan to publish more info later about the coup d'etat whose purpose is to keep "Honduras just as happy as she has been in the past". Just as a little reminder of just how glorious a job the Honduran ruling class has made of its country I submit the following personal memory. I've only met one Honduran in my life. That individual was grateful beyond measure that the wife and I escorted her back to her room at the (admittedly sleazy-sleazy enough to earn that sobriquet from a Russian) hotel that we were both staying at in Prague. Yeah, there was indeed a detox centre on the top two floors, but "threatening"- hardly. The reason for her paranoia ? Honduras has the highest murder rate in the world, at 154.02 per 100,00 population (in Winnipeg terms this would mean 1001 murders per year, a number that we here in what is often the murder capital of Canada would be astonished at). Christ Almighty !!!! If there was no other reason to change the social setup in the uunfortunate country of Honduras this would be an overwhelming one. The ousted President of Honduras was making some very minor moves to correct this and many other problems. How happy Honduras has been in the past !!!!! Not so bad if you can hire ten goons with automatic rifles for bodyguards I guess.

This social disintegration is built upon a foundation of vicious exploitation. The following is from the Maquila Solidarity Network, and its subject is a matter that Molly has touched upon before on this blog, the workers of Jerzees de Honduras. The exploitation of the Honduran working class is the social and economic basis upon which the horrible danger of everyday life in that country is built. This is so gross that even a corporate creation such as the 'Fair Labor Association' has seen fit to censure one of its members- see below. Quite frankly this takes a lot.

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Russell Athletic placed under Special Review over labour rights concerns:
On June 25th 2009, the Fair Labor Association (FLA) put its member company Russell Athletic on Special Review for 90 days. The FLA's Special Review process requires the company to perform specific actions to address violations of workers' freedom of association related to the closure of the Jerzees de Honduras (JDH) factory. This is only the second time in the FLA's history that a member company has been placed on Special Review. If Russell fails to complete the required steps in 90 days their FLA membership may be revoked.

Russell Athletic has been under fire for months for failing to remedy damage done to the JDH workers, the workers CGT union, and their right to freedom of association when they closed the JDH factory earlier this year. While Russell Athletic insists that their only motivation for the closure was economic, two independent investigations have concluded that anti-union bias was in fact a significant factor in the decision to close the JDH factory.

In February, the FLA Board asked Russell to undertake an initial series of steps, only some of which have been addressed by the company. Recently, new violations of freedom of association - including the establishment of "collective pacts" (akin to company unions) in the company's remaining Honduran facilities - have been detailed in a new report issued by the Worker Rights Consortium (WRC).

The FLA cited Russell Athletic's "failure to engage in good faith negotiations with the CGT union on issues like compensation for terminated employees, a meaningful first-hire policy and reasonable access for unions to company factories." The FLA further noted that "the existence of 'collective pacts,' no matter their motivation, has the effect of undermining efforts by independent unions to organize workers. These circumstances have led to a high level of distrust among workers and other stakeholders of Russell's commitment to freedom of association."

In order to have the Special Review lifted, Russell Athletic must, amongst other things, engage in good faith negotiations with the CGT union regarding further compensation and benefits for all JDH workers, an effective first-hire policy, and reasonable access of union organizers to employees. The company must also negotiate measures with CGT to ensure the removal of any obstacles to freedom of association, including those posed by collective pacts (pactos colectivos), without depriving workers of existing benefits.

Russell is also being asked to engage with relevant stakeholders including FLA member universities, the WRC, the Clean Clothes Campaign and MSN.
Read the FLA Board's full Resolution and related documents
Read the WRC's latest reports on Russell Athletic and freedom of association in Honduras
Background on the JDH struggle
How you can help

INTERNATIONAL LABOUR-HONDURAS:
CANDIES AND SWEATSHOPS:
Tomorrow will be Valentine's Day, not exactly Molly's favourite holiday of the year, but any old port in a storm as they say. Yet some people will not be getting expressions of affection tomorrow ie the workers at Jerzees De Honduras. Molly has mentioned this case before at this blog. What is interesting is that there is a connection between the traditional Valentine's Day chocolates and the heartless actions of Russell Athletic towards their workers in Honduras. Read the following from the United Students Against Sweatshops, and see what you can do to help these workers.
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This Valentine's Day Ask See's Candies: "Is Your Owner Sweet on Sweatshops?":
Valentine's Day is a day to let others know you care for them -- a day for sending cards, flowers and chocolates. So why is the owner of one of America's leading candy companies acting like he's sweet on sweatshops? "He Loves Me, He Loves Me Not" Warren Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway Corporation is the parent company of both See's Candies and Russell Athletic, a major manufacturer of collegiate logo apparel. See's respects the right of the workers in its candy factories in the U.S. to join a union. But Russell has shut down an entire garment factory in Honduras -- placing the livelihood of nearly 2,000 families at risk -- just because workers dared to claim this same basic right. TAKE ACTION today to ask See's Candies why Berkshire Hathaway seems to think garment workers in Honduras don't deserve be treated with the same dignity and respect as its other employees. Russell Athletic is linked to some of the most egregious violations of workers rights in Central America in recent years. Last year, Russell fired huge numbers of workers in its plants in Choloma, Honduras -- nearly 150 workers in all -- in retaliation for their joining a union. In response to pressure from USAS and other worker rights organizations, the company agreed to give those workers their jobs back, offer them back pay, and to recognize a union at its Jerzees de Honduras plant. In October, Russell, claiming a lack of orders, announced that it would close the plant -- which it did at the end of last month. Two outside investigations have found that anti-union retaliation played a significant role in Russell's decision. Now nearly 2000 workers are out of work, and union leaders face death threats related to the closure. Outrage over Russell's violation of workers' rights in Honduras is growing. Major universities across the country -- Columbia, Duke, Georgetown, Miami, Minnesota and Wisconsin -- have taken steps to end their licensing relationships with the company. Berkshire Hathaway has failed to respond to the Honduran workers' appeal that it intervene in the case. Ask See's to tell Berkshire Hathaway that justice requires reversal of Russell's decision to close Jerzees de Honduras.
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THE LETTER:
Please go to THIS LINK to send the following letter to management at See's Candies.
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Send a letter to the following decision maker(s):
Mr. Brad Kinstler
Below is the sample letter:
Subject: Is See's Candies Sweet on Sweatshops?
Dear [decision maker name automatically inserted here],
Brad Kinstler, CEO
See's Candies, Inc.
210 El Camino Real
South San Francisco, CA 94080
Dear Mr. Kinstler,
I am sending you this message to express my concern about violations of international labor rights at See's fellow Berkshire Hathaway company, Russell Corporation, at its garment factories in Honduras. Last year, Russell illegally fired 145 workers at two of these plants in blatant retaliation for their attempt to form a union. Now, Russell has closed that plant even though two outside investigations found that the closure decision, like the previous firings, was in retaliation for workers having formed a union.




We know that this is not how See's treats its unionized workers here in the U.S., and that you would not willingly allow your company to be associated with such violations of workers' rights. Major universities and their students agree: Columbia, Duke, Georgetown, Miami, Minnesota and Wisconsin have all acted to discontinue licensing relationships with Russell over the company's actions in Honduras. Please let Berkshire Hathaway know that See's disapproves of Russell's conduct and ask Berkshire to intervene to end these violations of workers rights.
Sincerely,
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Not to rain on anybody's parade, but there is more bad news about Valentine's Day. Here, from a posting last year on the Global Exchange site is the lowdown on that old valentine's favourite-chocolates.
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Valentine's Day chocolates - product of slave labour?
expatica.com
February 14, 2008
Those innocuous and delicious-looking chocolates given to loved ones all over the world on Valentine's Day are, more often than not, the result of incredible human suffering.





They are lethal luxuries. Those innocuous and delicious-looking chocolates given to loved ones all over the world on Valentine's Day are, more often than not, the result of incredible human suffering. Their main ingredient, cocoa, is often produced by child slaves in Africa.





"It is absolutely certain that the box of chocolates you got for Valentine's was produced by slave labour if it does not have a fair trade label," Steve Chalke of Stop the Traffik, an anti-trafficking NGO, told Deutsche Presse-Agentur dpa on the sidelines of a United Nations forum on human trafficking in Vienna.





When people think of human trafficking, they primarily think about the sex trade. But they forget that trafficking is a factor permeating all trades - be it sex, agriculture, domestic services, manufacture of fabrics - or chocolate.





"Chocolate is a prime example - it is cheap, and it is something many people buy - it makes the otherwise overwhelming statistics more personal," Chalke said.





According to UN estimates, at least 2.5 million people are exploited by forced labour at any point in time, a majority of them children.





In Ivory Coast, which produces 43 percent of the world's cocoa, about 12,000 boys from countries like Mali or Togo work as slaves on cocoa farms, the UN said. Activists put the number as high as 200,000.





"Even if it were ten, it would be ten too many," Chalke said of the modern-day slaves who are often as young as nine years of age.





The parents of those children are duped by the traffickers into believing their boys would receive an honest job, regular pay and an education, none of which ever happens.





Child slaves on the farm face appalling working conditions with 12 to 14 hours of severe manual labour, cutting down cocoa pods using big knives or machetes, thereby risking severe injuries which can often maim them permanently, Global Exchange, a fair trade organisation said. Some are also killed and many are beaten or abused.





"With every bar of chocolate you eat there is blood on your teeth," Chalke warned.





Many problems were linked to the insufficient revenues cocoa farmers receive, even in days of ever-rising prices for raw cocoa on the global markets, making it difficult for the family-owned farms to meet their needs.





But what is the answer? Dump those nougat hearts and forswear chocolate forever?





"No", activists say. "Buy fair."





By buying fairly traded chocolate, consumers can exert pressure on the chocolate industry, as well as ensure better pay for the farmers.





The heat is on for the chocolate industry, that back in the year 2000 promised to "eradicate" the problem of forced labour, to clean up its act. "They have done nothing. They say it is too difficult to monitor," Chalke said. "But if it were their children, they would have done it overnight."





Governments are also slowly waking up to the problem, with the United States a leading force on the issue.





Companies must clean up their supply chains, Mark Lagon, head of the US State Department's office on human trafficking said, with consumer pressure leading the way.





"If consumers can change the behaviour of the fishing industry towards dolphin-friendly tuna fishing, it is more than equally legitimate if it was child labour," Lagon said.





Tax incentives for fairly traded chocolates, far from an exotic niche product with large chains today producing their own fair trade brands, could be another way forward, activists suggested.
Slave-free chocolate can make the only pang of guilt associated with your next choc the question of what it will do to your waistline.
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THE CANADIAN CONNECTION:
Well, this is turning into something of a Valentine's Day special here at Molly's Blog. For those of you with an interest in the history of how this holiday came to be see our archives for February 2008. meanwhile here from the Canadian Labour Congress website is a story about what Canadian labour is doing this Valentine's Day to remind Canadian politicians that women's issues deserve more than platitudes.
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Will send "lip service" Valentine chocolates to all MPs:
OTTAWA - Barbara Byers, Executive Vice-president of the Canadian Labour Congress, says that the Conservative government is paying lip service to improving the lives of women even as it refuses to support pay equity, child care and economic measures that support women's equality.





"Valentine's Day is coming up but the women of Canada aren't seeing much love from their federal Parliament these days," says Barbara Byers. "We're tired of having nothing but lip service paid to our issues."





So the Canadian Labour Congress is sending each Member of Parliament a gift of chocolate lips with an accompanying note - "women are tired of lip service".





Byers says that MPs should be warned that women across the country are organizing to challenge the federal government's failure to support issues of women's equality.





The Canadian Labour Congress, the national voice of the labour movement, represents 3.2 million Canadian workers. The CLC brings together Canada's national and international unions along with the provincial and territorial federations of labour and 130 district labour councils. Web site: www.canadianlabour.ca
Contacts:
Dennis Gruending, Communications, 613-526-7431 and 613-878-6040
Jeff Atkinson, Communications, 613-526-7425

INTERNATIONAL LABOUR-HONDURAS:

SOLIDARITY WITH THE 'JERZEES DE HONDURAS' WORKERS:

The following appeal directed to the Russell Athletic company is from the United Students Against Sweatshops.

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Russell: Stop Threats of Violence Against Honduran Workers!:
Worker activists in Honduras are about to lose their jobs and are being threatened with violence! In 2007, workers at a garment factory called Jerzees de Honduras, won a hard-fought struggle for union representation - an unprecedented victory in an industry where workers' rights are rarely respected.

Unfortunately, Russell Athletic has moved to destroy the union at Jerzees de Honduras by announcing that they are closing their factory. Just recently, human rights groups have received credible reports of union leaders being threatened with violence, which workers believe is directly related to the closure of the factory. Russell has been asked, at a bare minimum, to delay the closure of Jerzees de Honduras until mechanisms are in place to ensure the safety of of union members and leaders - yet Russell to date, has not been willing to do something as simple as this! The closure of Jerzees de Honduras is a direct result of the predatory business practices of Russell, and such behavior cannot be tolerated. Tell Russell Athletic that they must, by whatever means necessary, ensure that threats against workers immediately stop, that the factory be reopened at full capacity, and its union members remain employed! YOUR ONLINE ACTION IS URGENTLY NEEDED - ALL IT TAKES IS A FEW CLICKS...

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THE LETTER:

Please go to THIS LINK to send the following letter.

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Send a letter to the following decision maker(s): Russell Athletic
Below is the sample letter:
Subject: Stop Threats of Violence Against Union Leaders & Keep Jerzees de Honduras Open!
Dear [decision maker name automatically inserted here],
I am writing today to express my outrage over the planned closure of the Jerzees de Honduras factory in Honduras, and recent reports of violence against union activists. As I am sure you are well aware, the workers of Jerzees de Honduras, with support of students and universities in the United States, recently won a hard-fought struggle for union recognition. Jerzees de Honduras had become one of the few unionized factories in Russell's supply chain, and workers began to negotiate what would have been a historic collective bargaining agreement.

Unfortunately, due to a lack of commitment by Russell Athletic, these gains were never able to materialize. As a direct result of your company's refusal to make a real commitment to a factory where labor rights are actually respected, the workers of Jerzees de Honduras are about to lose their jobs. In addition to devastating the workers and their families, this act of cutting and running on the part of Russell will hav e a terrible effect on the municipality of Choloma as a whole. The Jerzees de Honduras factory is one of the primary sources of employment in Choloma, and the loss of these jobs will be felt by every member of the community.

By cutting and running from one of the only factories in your entire supply chain in which the right to freedom of association is respected and upheld, you have shown not just a lack of commitment to the basic principles that are supposedly protected by your company's code of conduct, but also a complete disregard for the lives of the workers off of whose labor you profit. Given that this is not a unique case and that your company has a history of cutting and running from factories where workers attempt to exercise their rights, I am left to wonder what your stated concern for workers' rights really means.

If your company is to exhibit a real commitment to ensuring that your goods are produced under dignified working conditions, and if the se standards are to be more than just a public relations ploy, then it is imperative that you reopen Jerzees de Honduras at full capacity as soon as possible, and ensure that the union workers remain employed. Additionally, I am absolutely appalled to hear of credible threats against the lives of union activists connected to the closure of Jerzees de Honduras. Russell Athletic must do everything within its power to ensure that these threats of violence cease immediately, or your company will be seen by me, and the rest of the international community, as a corporation that blatantly disregards both the safety of workers and their rights to freedom of association in your supply chain.
Sincerely,

cc:Berkshire Hathaway CEO Warren E. Buffett

FLA CEO Auret van Heerdan

FLA Executive Director Jorge Perez-Lopez

FLA President and CEO Auret van Heerden

NGO & University Representatives to the FLA Board of Directors

INTERNATIONAL LABOUR-HONDURAS:


SOLIDARITY WITH HONDURAN 'JERZEES DE HONDURAS' WORKERS:




The workers at the 'Jerzees de Honduras' factory are one of the few who have managed to organize unions. Now the management intends to "cut and run", closing the factory rather than dealing fairly with their workers. The United Students Against Sweatshops are calling for online solidarity to pressure the company to reverse their decision. Here is the story.

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Keep Jerzees de Honduras Open!:
Don't let Russell Athletic cut and run from Jerzees de Honduras! This collegiate factory, which is one of the only unionized garment facilities in Honduras and is directly owned by Russell, is a concrete testament to the power of student and worker solidarity. In 2007, with strong support from students and other anti-sweatshop activists, the workers won their hard-fought struggle for union representation, an unprecedented victory. Unfortunately, Russell Athletic has moved to destroy the union at Jerzees de Honduras by announcing just six days ago on October 8th that they are closing the factory. And this happened right when Russell was in the middle of negotiations with the workers over their first contract. Because of this, the workers' gains at Jerzees de Honduras have been put in jeopardy. This closure is a direct result of the business practices of Russell, and such behavior will not be tolerated! Tell Russell Athletic that they must, by whatever means necessary, ensure that the factory be reopened and its union workers remain employed! Tell me more
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THE LETTER:

Please go to THIS LINK to send the following letter to management at Jerzees de Honduras:

To: Russell Athletic CEO John Ward

Rus sell Athletic Matt Murphy

cc: Fruit of the Loom (Russell parent company) John Holland

I am writing today to express my outrage over the recent closure of the Jerzees de Honduras factory in Honduras. As I am sure you are well aware, the workers of Jerzees, with support of students and universities in the United States and Canada, recently won a struggle for union recognition. With this, Jerzees became one of the few unionized factories in Honduras, and workers began to negotiate what would have been a historic collective bargaining agreement.



Unfortunately, due to a lack of commitment by Russell Athletic, these gains were never able to materialize. As a direct result of your company's refusal to make a real commitment to a factory where the rights of workers are respected, the workers of Jerzees de Honduras are about to lose their jobs. In addition to devastating the workers and their families, this act of cutting and running on the part of Russell will have a terrible effect on the municipality of Choloma as a whole. The Jerzees de Honduras factory is one of the primary sources of employment in Choloma, and the loss of these jobs will be felt by every member of the community.



By cutting and running from one of the only factories in your entire supply chain in which the right to freedom of association is actually respected, you have shown not just a lack of commitment to the basic principles that are supposedly protected by your code of conduct, but also a complete disregard for the lives of the workers off of whose labor you profit. Given that this is not a unique case and that your company has a history of cutting and running from factories where workers attempt to exercise their rights, I am left to wonder what your stated concern for workers' rights really means.



If your company is to exhibit a real commitment to ensuring that your goods are produced in dignified working conditions, and if these standards are to be more than just a public relations ploy, then it is imperative that you immediately reopen Jerzees de Honduras at full capacity, and ensure the union workers remain employed. Anything less will be seen by me, and the rest of the international community, as a blatant disregard for freedom of association and the rights of workers throughout your supply chain.