In the News

Panel condemns Wal-Mart's employee care

The Chronicle (Durham, NC)
04/17/2007

One-stop shops like Wal-Mart and Target might seem like the best options for college students strapped for cash-but for employees, the low prices offered by such stores might come at a high cost.

Speakers from the Wal-Mart Food and Agricultural Workers Tour talked to students Monday night about the poor working conditions of farms and plants that make products for the superstore.

Several students said the presentation helped them appreciate the work that goes into the products they use every day...  

Foreign Workers Sue U.S. Companies

USA Today
04/02/2007

By Alan Gomez

Labor leaders overseas are turning increasingly to an obscure 18th-century law that could for the first time make U.S. companies liable at home for the violent and sometimes murderous actions of their employees around the world.

Several lawsuits alleging violation of the Alien Tort Statute are awaiting trial in federal courts, filed with the help of unions and activist groups in the USA.

One against Geo W. Drummond Ltd. of Alabama alleges the contracting company's subsidiary in Colombia paid death squads to kill labor leaders.

'Fair Labor' Certification Program to Spotlight Socially Responsible Business Practices

Progressive Grocer
03/26/2007

EMERYVILLE, Calif. - A coalition of organizations and industry players have launched a new certification program recognizing socially responsible business practices by agricultural businesses.

The group includes Scientific Certification Systems (SCS), a sustainability standards developer and certifier in sectors such as food, forestry, fisheries, and cut flowers; Numi Organic Tea, the International Labor Rights Fund, and NSF International, an independent nonprofit developer of standards and certifications for food, water, and consumer goods... 

Oscuridad en la Mina (Darkness in the Mine)

Semana (Colombia)
03/24/2007

*Scroll Down for English*

Después de Chiquita, la empresa de carbón Drummond enfrenta en Estados Unidos cargos por nexos con el paramilitarismo. ¿Cuál es la verdad?

"La gente empezó a decirnos que había carros de la Drummond andando con gente armada. Un día les dije a los soldados: 'vamos a hacerle una emboscada a esta gente', y nos paramos a lado y lado del camino. Venía un carro y le salimos. Se bajó un señor y me dijo: 'yo soy el coronel Rodríguez, de seguridad de la empresa'. Entonces le dije: 'mi coronel, ¿cómo está?

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