In the News

‘Concerned’ gov’t to respond to USTR review of labor rights

INQUIRER.net
07/14/2008

By Veronica Uy

MANILA, Philippines -- A “concerned” government is preparing an inter-departmental response to the country’s remaining “under scrutiny” by the United States Trade Representative (USTR) for possible violations of international labor standards, Labor Secretary Marianito Roque.

The response, Roque said, will be done on the international stage because the entire Philippine government, including the judiciary, is put to task by the USTR review, which could also jeopardize the country's preferential trade status with the US.

劳动法诊所西安实验

经济观察网
07/14/2008

张延龙

7月2日，两位当事人固执地要向刘陆训律师表达谢意——请吃一顿午饭。对于月收入只有几百元的两位打工者来说，这已是奢侈的感谢方式。

作为劳动法诊所的专职律师，刘陆训已多次拒绝过类似的“宴请”。设在西北政法大学的劳动法诊所是一家完全公益性质的“诊所”，有40多位劳动法专家、法律专业师生和专职律师。这些专业人士为前来咨询或者委托代理案件的人提供免费的劳动纠纷 “解决方案”。

劳动争议案件数量持续大幅上升，是当前中国劳动关系领域面临的最大问题。有关统计显示，2006年全国劳动争议案件数量是1987年的80倍。《劳动合同法》、《劳动争议调解仲裁法》等相关法律的实施，就是试图解决这个矛盾。但一个现实性的问题是，作为弱势的劳动者对相关劳动法律不了解，而律师却不愿意接这样的官司，因为收益太低。

劳动法诊所是国际劳工权益基金会（ILRF）资助的一个项目，该项目负责人谢德成是西北政法大学劳动法与社会保障法研究中心主任，也是《劳动合同法》课题组专家。

谢德成认为，现在也有一些具有公益心的律师致力于弱势群体维权，但大都属个人行为，劳动者民间法律援助长期机制一直未有较好的建立。

诊所

Best practice for chocolate industry urgent, voices child labour watchdog

ConfectionaryNews.com
07/10/2008

By Lindsey Partos

Herculean efforts are required by the global chocolate industry to ensure that sourced cocoa supplies are not linked to exploited or trafficked child labour, underlines labour watchdog International Labor Rights Forum.

Claiming the industry has failed to provide consumers with "a reasonable assurance" as to the origins of their chocolate, ILRF has articulated a clutch of basic principles that reflect current demand from consumers.

Report: Maryland spends $8M a year on sweatshops

The Gazette (Maryland)
07/09/2008

Excerpt from article:

 
A coalition of human rights, religious and labor groups is calling on Gov. Martin O’Malley to stop spending $8 million a year on companies that hire sweatshops overseas. The demand follows a report Tuesday from SweatFree Maryland and SweatFree Communities, charging Maryland with letting ‘‘nearly $8 million each year” in contracts to four companies that use the overseas factories to produce uniforms and shoes for state workers and emergency personnel.

Plight of African child slaves forced into mines - for our mobile phones

Glasgow Sunday Mail
07/06/2008

By Charles Lavery

Their bodies caked in dirt from the river beds they are forced to work in, African children are enslaved in lethal mines to power our love affair with the mobile phone.

The child miners of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) risk death to dig for a highly dangerous ore used in mobiles, laptops and games consoles.

The massive demand for coltan - short for columbite-tantalite - has fuelled a desperate and bloody battle to seize the river beds where it can be mined.

Report Links Illinois to Overseas ‘Sweatshops’

Chicago Public Radio WBEZ 91.5 FM
07/01/2008

Excerpt from article:

A labor-and religious-backed group called SweatFree Communities interviewed workers in nine countries, including China and Honduras. They say factory conditions range from physical abuse to forced overtime. Illinois buys uniforms from at least three companies linked to the factories.

Victoria Kaplan of SweatFree Communities says Illinois ought to join with Pennsylvania, Maine and New York. They’re organizing to clean up the industry...


 

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