Blog

Educating Apparel Industry Professionals

January 26, 2008

The courses include the following:

Apparel Consumers
and Social Responsibility Examines the role of consumers in improving working
conditions, labor standards, and environmental stewardship in apparel factories
worldwide. Factors and groups motivating consumer action are explored, including
the influence of personal characteristics, market opportunities, and activist
and other pressure groups.

Victory at 3 Garment Factories

January 25, 2008

Russell Athletic's factory in Honduras

Between March and September 2007, the Jerzees Choloma and Jerzees de
Honduras apparel assembly companies fired 118 employees who had tried
to form a union.  The largest number of dismissals at Jerzees Choloma
took place between June 7-14, immediately after the union submitted its
membership list to the company.  The dismissals at Jerzees de Honduras
took place between June 10-25, immediately after the workers at that
facility notified the company the union’s formation.

Success for Women Workers in South Africa

January 24, 2008

In 2007, this
research culminated in the publication of a report - Sexual Harassment: Is it Really a Problem on Farms? Report of a fact-finding survey of farm workers conducted in 2006  - which concluded that, when compared to their male counterparts, women farm workers occupy subordinate positions because of their gender, and are more likely than men to be hired as seasonal contract workers. The study found that sexual harassment - ranging from offensive remarks to sexual assault or rape - was widespread, particularly amongst younger women and girls. There are currently no policies being implemented to address these egregious rights abuses.

Women, Labor and Leadership Curriculum Success

January 22, 2008

One participant says,

This project has helped us learn to value ourselves
as women, We have been able to use this information to integrate ourselves in
the leadership structures of our unions…We have acquired knowledge that allows
us to face and solve a diversity of problems in our work, in our families, and
in our unions and organizations.

The next step of this process is to create the space to allow union women to not only use the curriculum to enhance their skills but also to strategize and support each other to truly create a movement for women’s economic rights throughout Central America.

MLK and labor rights -- Support New Era Workers

January 21, 2008

While growing up in the suburbs of Detroit, it is unfortunate that topics of race, class and labor weren't addressed in my predominantly white schools.  I
think the first time I had MLK Day off was in college.  College was
where I received my foundation on progressive ideals.  I'll never
forget marching throughout the city of Kalamazoo while in college for
my first MLK parade.  Then I had the opportunity to learn about the
sanitation workers strike in Memphis as the context to why MLK had
decided to visit Memphis.  If you aren't familiar with this labor
struggle, be sure to watch "At the River I Stand."

Dannon Workers Unionize in OH with International Support

January 21, 2008

More than 300 workers at the Dannon yogurt plant here have become
members of the Bakery, Confectionery, Tobacco Workers and Grain Millers
International Union (BCTGM) following a National Labor Relations Board
(NLRB) election that concluded yesterday.

An overwhelming majority  of workers voted on December 5 and 6 to become members of the BCTGM.

"These
workers are to be commended for standing strong in their efforts to
become unionized," notes BCTGM International President Frank Hurt.
"While this organizing victory was the culmination of efforts on many
different fronts, it all came down to the strength of the workers,"
Hurt adds.

UN Labor Panel Rules in Favor of UE

January 20, 2008

The ILO finding comes in response to a complaint filed in December 2005 by the
United Electrical, Radio & Machine Workers of America (UE) and UE Local 150,
the North Carolina Public Service Union. The UE was joined by the FAT, ZENROREN
(the Progressive Labor Federation in Japan) and the SFPQ and CSQ (public sector
unions in Quebec in serving the governor with the complaint. In February 2006,
UE was also joined in its complaint by Public Services International (PSI), a
worldwide federation of trade unions representing more than 20 million public
sector workers in 160 countries.

Pages

Search form