Labor is Not a Commodity

Lying is More Dangerous in Colombia: False Allegations Put Human Rights Defenders at Risk

Charity Ryerson, Program Coordinator, U.S. Labor Education in the Americas Project (USLEAP)

In a Dec 15th article in the Colombian weekly El Espectador, a writer with close ties to Colombia’s infamous 17th Brigade accused several human rights groups of being “secret weapons of the FARC.”  These groups included Justicia y Paz, a well known ecumenical human rights organization, the Collectivo de Abogados, and Peace Brigades International. 

After leveling this accusation, the author, Plinio Apuleyo Mendoza, went on to rewrite the well-known case in which three trade unionists were dragged out in to the street, stripped down to their underwear, and shot by the Colombian armed forces in the state of Arauca in 2004.  In Apuleyo’s version, the trade unionists were actually members of the ELN guerrilla group, and were killed in a daring early morning raid, scheduled to avoid perception by the guerrilla-infiltrated community.  The recent sentences given to the perpetrators of these crimes (40 years for each soldier) were painted as an injustice, orchestrated by several of FARC’s “secret weapons.”

Firestone: Isn’t that a Japanese Company?

Kana Aoki, Intern, International Labor Rights Forum

Before I started my internship at ILRF, I didn’t know about labor violation issues by Firestone. Bridgestone (which owns Firestone) is a Japanese company, and it is one of the oldest companies in Japan.  You will see their name and logo everywhere in Japan.

So, I started wondering why nobody knew about the issue. I used Japanese Google and looked up “child labor & Bridgestone.” Almost nothing came up. I was shocked.

Firestone Workers on Strike!

Tim Newman, Campaigns Assistant, International Labor Rights Forum

Workers on Firestone's rubber plantation in Liberia have been on strike for over a week because of the management's refusal to recognize the union leaders who were chosen in the first free and fair elections to ever take place on the plantation. 

The action has severely curtailed production on the plantation and workers have face abuse from police forces. Many workers, two union leaders and even students supporting the workers have been arrested. The picture to the left was taken of workers who are being held in detention without charges. 

Listen to this interview with Comfort Willie, newly elected Treasurer General of the union and keep reading to learn more.

 

Free Trade Agreement Equals More Trade, Right?

Charity Ryerson, Program Coordinator, U.S. Labor Education in the Americas Project

It seems clear that there is a direct connection between free trade agreements and increased trade between countries. I had not doubted that this was consistently the case until I read an article recently in the Miami Herald called, “Trade Pacts Promise Jobs, But do They Deliver?” In the article, Jane Bussey writes:

And U.S. exports to Paraguay, Argentina, Peru, Colombia, Brazil, Uruguay, and Ecuador have   risen faster over the past four years -- and even over the past 12 months -- than to any country in CAFTA or to Mexico, which joined the North American Free Trade Agreement in 1994.

Of course, U.S. exports to Mexico have risen since the signing of NAFTA, but it is worthwhile to think about the reality that even without signed free trade agreements, U.S. exports have increased at a more dramatic rate to some countries without signed agreements.

Time to cotton on

By Steve Trent, Executive Director, Environmental Justice Foundation
(This piece originally appeared in The Guardian)

The use of children in Asian textile factories to feed the western consumer market has come under renewed scrutiny since last month's exposé of Indian children working in brutal conditions to make clothing for Gap. Indeed India has some work to do: an estimated 100 million child laborers help to fuel the economy, which - though burgeoning - is leaving many of its poor behind.

Yet, in our willingness to expose and debate factory abuse, we have been unwittingly overlooking conditions at the earlier stages of the supply chain. How often have we considered these first stages in the clothing process - the production and harvesting of cotton in the fields - and the army of labor needed to supply Asia's and Europe's thousands of factories with the fiber for subsequent manufacturing? Long before cotton is processed into textile, hundreds of thousands of children are being subjected to arduous, hazardous work in the fields where cottonseeds are produced and plants grown.

Farmworkers and Allies March on Burger King

Liana Foxvog, National Organizer, SweatFree Communities

Now at home in the snow of Western Massachusetts, it's hard to believe that just a few days ago I was enjoying the sun of Miami, marching together with the Coalition of Immokalee Workers.

Farmworkers together with allies from around the country came together to shine a light on Burger King's exploitation of farmworkers and to call on the company to pay a penny more per pound for tomatoes from Immokalee, Florida.  We started with a rally at Goldman Sachs -- a large shareholder in Burger King -- and then marched nine miles with a colorful array of signs and puppets to end with a rally and music at Burger King's headquarters.   At the headquarters, three farmworkers presented their shoes to a Burger King representative with the message: "Before you lie about farmworker poverty again, walk a mile in our shoes."

Immokalee farmers earn only 40 cents per 32-pound bucket of tomatoes they pick.  Burger King: Will you pay a penny more per pound?

Read more and check out photos and news from the march!

Give a Socially Conscious Gift: Made in L.A. DVDs Now Available

Liana Foxvog, National Organizer, SweatFree Communities

Made in L.A. follows the remarkable journey of three Latina immigrants working in Los Angeles garment sweatshops as they embark on a three-year odyssey to win basic labor protections from a trendy clothing retailer.  Compelling, humorous, deeply human, Made in L.A. is a story about immigration, organizing, the power of unity, and the courage it takes to find your voice.  Made in L.A. premiered on PBS' POV series in September and has JUST been released on DVD.

Made in L.A. makes a perfect, inspiring, holiday gift!  A portion of each sale generated by this link will go to SweatFree Communities, so you can support our work directly while sharing Made in L.A.  Give DVDs to family and friends, or donate them to an organization in your community.*

Click here to purchase the DVD.

*Note that this is the home and community version of  Made in L.A.  The producers tell us that the institutional version, for use in schools, universities and libraries, will be released very soon. 

What Would Jesus Buy?

Tim Newman, Campaigns Assistant, International Labor Rights Forum

The new documentary What Would Jesus Buy? follows a street theater activist group as they go on a cross-country mission to save Christmas from the Shopocalypse: the end of mankind from consumerism, over-consumption and the fires of eternal debt!  Reverend Billy and the Church of Stop Shopping Gospel Choir use retail interventions, corporate exorcisms, and some good old-fashioned preaching to spread the word about the impacts of consumerism on the environment and labor rights from Wal-Mart to the Mall of America to Disneyland and beyond!

For folks in the DC area, you can see the film this weekend at the Dupont Circle cinema.  Rev. Billy himself will be in attendance for a question and answer session after the screening on Saturday night at 7:15PM!  For readers outside of the DC area, you an check out a list of other screenings here.  Keep reading for more information.

Peru FTA: Call your Senator NOW!

Tim Newman, Campaigns Assistant, International Labor Rights Forum

The Senate is expected to vote TODAY on the Peru Free Trade Agreement (FTA).  For more information about the Peru FTA, check out this previous post.

Most importantly, make sure to call your Senator NOW to tell them to vote against the Peru FTA.  We need a new trade model that respects the rights of all workers.

For sample scripts and instructions, check out UNITE HERE, Global Trade Watch, the American Friends Service Committee and/or the Citizens Trade Campaign.