Labor is Not a Commodity

Time to Strike and Time for Change: The Labor Protests in Egypt and Beyond

Dingxiaozi Ding, Intern, International Labor Rights Forum
 
On the very first day of my internship at ILRF, I attended this discussion panel on labor movements in Egypt. Being Chinese, I didn’t know much of what was going on in Egypt so this event provided an opportunity for me to learn from the experts.  It was co-organized by the Solidarity Center and Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. Dr. Joel Beinin as the speaker discussed the main findings of the Solidarity Center report The Struggle for Workers for Workers Rights in Egypt (The report is available online). He was joined by Kamal Abbas, who is an Egyptian labor rights activist, and Sarah Leah Whitson, the director Human Rights Watch’s Middle East and North Africa divisions.

This event was a useful way to learn about some key issues that are related to Egypt but that also connect to some other broader issues that all workers face. 

Dr. Joel Beinin analyzed the current situation of labor rights movements in Egypt, and highlighted its roots and the implication on Egyptian society and future labor rights activities. Since 2004, Egypt has witnessed a dramatic increase in labor protests, close to 1600 incidences.

Oprah's Godiva Love Fest

Tim Newman, Campaigns Director, International Labor Rights Forum

Earlier this week, Godiva achieved a major marketing coup.  Oprah Winfrey, the so-called Queen of All Media, re-designed the set of her popular show for the day using thousands of Godiva chocolate bars.  You can check out photographs of the set online here.  There's no doubt that Godiva must have dropped quite a bit of cash to get this level of brand exposure -- and to construct the set itself.

Unfortunately, the farmers and workers who harvest the cocoa that is the primary ingredient in Godiva products -- and likely in Oprah's special set -- do not share in the luxury promoted by Godiva.  As readers of this blog are well aware, abusive child labor, forced labor and trafficking are widespread in the cocoa industry.  Recently, the Free2Work.org gave Godiva a D- rating in terms of the company's efforts to address forced and child labor in its supply chain.  That makes Godiva one of the lowest rated of major chocolate companies.  

Demand that Your Tax Dollars Don't Support Sweatshops (and learn a thing while doing it!)

Maggie Smith, Intern, International Labor Rights Forum

Right now, in your country’s capitol Washington, DC, community members are fighting for the rights of workers around the world.  On tax day 2009 the Sweatfree DC campaign was launched.  Its goal: to make Washington, D.C. a sweatfree city.  What is a sweatfree city?  Well I’m glad you asked.

Those of you who are common readers of Labor is the Not a Commodity probably already know what sweatfree means as well as the different campaigns that aim to create a sweatfree world.  However for those of you who don’t visit us very often, I’ll give a crash course in what sweatfree means and how many of us aim to achieve it. 

First though before I go any further I want to remind you to do three things:

• Endorse Sweatfree DC!
  
• Send a letter to Mayor Fenty urging him to support a Sweatfree Policy! 
• Join our Sweatfree DC facebook group so we can keep you up to date on the campaign
  

The “sweat” part of sweatfree refers to sweatshops.  According to the U.S. General Accounting Office a sweatshop is “an employer that violates more than one federal or state labor law governing minimum wage and overtime, child labor, industrial homework, occupational safety and health, worker's compensation, or industry regulation” (Sweatfree Toolkit: “Answers to Common Questions”)  More generally though, the International Labor Rights Forum defines sweatshops as workplaces where basic worker rights are not respected.  However, these definitions fail to convey the tortuous nature of sweatshops which, for millions around the world, is a daily reality. 

Backlash Against Chevron helps to Raise Awareness about the Dangers of “Free Trade Development Models” and Corporate Accountability

By Maggie Smith, Intern, International Labor Rights Forum

For many in the United States the jury is still out on whether free trade is a problem given the increasing concerns of the negative consequences.  The concepts of corporate accountability and protection for those who live, and often die, by the hands of corporations are beginning to gain traction, even within the U.S. Congress.

The case of Chevron Corporation in the Ecuadorean Amazon is a prime example. 

30,000 indigenous people living in the Ecuadorean rainforest have succesfully taken Chevron to court which, unto itself is an unprecedented victory, however having a guilty verdict levied against Chevron is not a sure thing.   As a Politico article explains, Chevron has gone to great lengths, launching massive public relation and media campaigns to try to portray and defend their side of the story.  Along with the PR and media efforts, it has launched a massive lobbying campaign which aims to prevent a ruling on the case.  One tactic it has employed on Capitol Hill is lobbying to have U.S. Trade policy, specifically the U.S. Generalized System of Preferences changed in regards to Ecuador.  The current system gives Ecuador preferential treatment for its oil exports under the 1991 Andean Trade Preference Act.  Chevron’s goal is essentially to compel the government of Ecuador to kill the case under pain of losing these preferences. 

A Dark Cloud Overshadowing the Legitimate Union Struggle in Colombia

By Diana Carolina Vega Higuera, Bogotá Regional Intern, US Labor Education in the Americas Project

Bogotá, Colombia- Colombians have a negative perception of trade unionism. Many even believe in the existence of collaboration between unions and guerrillas.

This perception could be attributed to simple ignorance about the serious human rights crisis in the country, labor rights and their violations. However, media also plays a key role in the construction of public opinion through the transmission of government statements and certain events.

For example, persecution and violence besiege unions, attempting to silence them. But, in this context, the media does not describe reality, so that worsens the situation because this does not help to dissolve the enormous dark cloud hanging over it: the impunity that currently marks the union activity in Colombia.

How to Truly Appreciate Your Valentine’s Day Flowers

By Lupita Aguila, Program Coordinator, US Labor Education in the Americas Project (USLEAP)

This February 14th, while the majority of my girlfriends will be out with their significant others, my good friend Judit and I will be having dinner for two at a hip and trendy restaurant located in downtown Chicago.  A few days ago, Judit wrote me a nice Facebook comment that said, "I just want to know if you prefer roses or chocolates…?"

Millions of U.S. consumers will be asking themselves that very same question in the next few days.  Luckily for Judit, she has a friend who can tell her a thing or two about the labor rights violations and exploitation of workers on the flower plantations of Colombia and in the cocoa industry of West Africa. 

If your sweetheart is unfortunately allergic to chocolate like I am (what a drag) or she or he simply prefers flowers, here are a few things you should keep in mind as you are preparing to buy your loved one a special bouquet this Valentine’s Day:

Is your Valentine's Day chocolate bitter or sweet?

Tim Newman, Campaigns Director, International Labor Rights Forum

All across the US, people will be spending millions of dollars this week on chocolate for their sweethearts for Valentine's Day.  But as readers of this blog know, child labor, forced labor and trafficking continue in the cocoa industry in West Africa.  Keep reading to find out the latest resources, updates and information you need to show your love for that someone special AND workers around the world!

Chocolate Company Ratings

We get a lot of inquiries about specific chocolate companies and their policies on child labor.  Now there is one website where you can go to find out how your favorite chocolate companies rate on their policies related to forced and child labor.  Check out the ratings on Free2Work.org, ILRF's collaborative website with the Not For Sale Campaign, online here.

Take Action!

ILRF has launched a new e-mail campaign focused on Hershey -- click here to send your e-mail!

Hershey is one of the largest chocolate companies in the US, but it has not agreed to institute any certification programs to ensure that abuses like child labor, forced labor and trafficking do not occur in the production of the cocoa it uses.

Here in the US, Hershey has been shifting production away from unionized facilities.  Recently, a worker died at a Hershey supplier in Pennsylvania.  Hershey's suppliers often do not have the same level of safety standards and the workforce is often temporary workers who do not have the same safety training, benefits and union protection that help to keep workers safe and their rights protected. Read this excellent recent American Prospect article for more information.

While the company recently announced it would be increasing its spending on advertising this year by 30%, we have to wonder if Hershey has a heart for its workers.  Given all of these labor problems, please join us the Valentine's Day in asking Hershey a simple question: How does Hershey monitor its global supply chain to ensure that worker rights are protected?  Click here to send your e-mail.

Justice Denied to Karnation Factory Workers in the Philippines: Will Fred's and Other Buyers Take Action

By Supriya Prasad, Intern, International Labor Rights Forum

In the above video, an union worker’s wife claims that a factory manager said to her, “You are ruined and starving!  I would rather spend my money paying the judge and policemen than on you.”  This demonstrates the struggles factory workers in the Philippines face – complicity between the government and factory management has denied these workers their right to fair pay.

Workers at Karnation Industries wanted to see a change and were fed up with being paid less than half of the legally mandated minimum wage.  Therefore the workers decided it was time to send a strong message to the factory management.  Workers went on strike in hopes for justice.  However the strike ended in the arrest of 20 workers.

Responding to Bridgestone/Firestone

Tim Newman, Campaigns Director, International Labor Rights Forum

After ILRF and our campaign partners launched a new e-mail campaign targeting Bridgestone/Firestone for its abuses of worker rights on its rubber plantation in Liberia, the company sent an e-mail response to the activists who participated in the campaign.

Our recent e-mail campaign focused specifically on one issue: the system under which workers must carry two heavy buckets of raw latex weighing 75 pounds each on both ends of a stick on their back for miles – day after day.  Unfortunately, Firestone did little to respond to this specific abuse of workers in their response to our e-mail campaign. 

In one part of Firestone's response, the company stated, "The work Firestone's agricultural employees do is typical of the work that goes on in the fields and farms across Africa and the rest of the world." This type of work system is not typical of other rubber plantations globally where workers often do have access to trucks, wagons or other means of transporting heavy loads.  It is unacceptable that the world's largest tire company refuses to provide some kind of transportation on wheels to ease the burden on workers.  Additionally, even if this were typical work, Firestone should set a higher standard for working conditions that respects the human rights of workers and does not cause them injury.  If Firestone were serious about "ensur[ing] employees have safe working conditions and use proven, safe methods to tap rubber trees and collect the latex" as they say they are then they would not make workers carry latex in this manner.