Publications

2006 Annual Survey of Violations of Trade Union Rights

Publication Date: 

January 1, 2006

115 trade unionists were murdered for defending workers’ rights in 2005, while more than 1,600 were subjected to violent assaults and some 9,000 arrested, according to the ICFTU’s Annual Survey of Trade Union Rights violations, published today. Nearly 10,000 workers were sacked for their trade union involvement, and almost 1,700 detained.

Latin America remained the most perilous region for trade union activity, with Colombia once again topping the list for killings, intimidation and death threats.

USAS’ Response to Wal-Mart’s Announcement to Toughen Standards in Supplier Factories

Publication Date: 

October 15, 2005

United Students Against Sweatshops’ Response to Wal-Mart’s Announcement to Toughen Standards in Supplier Factories

Wal-Mart has received a considerable amount of press since its announcement yesterday to toughen its standards with regards to overseas suppliers. Unfortunately, Wal-Mart CEO Lee Scott appears to have made no reference to concrete measures the company will take in order to improve labor standards and uphold worker rights.

Wal-Mart Sweatshops Litigation Demands

Publication Date: 

September 13, 2005

On September 13, 2005, workers at Wal-Mart suppliers in China, Bangladesh, Indonesia, Swaziland, and Nicaragua filed a class action lawsuit in Los Angeles on behalf of themselves and others similarly situated seeking to end Wal-Mart’s reign over a sweatshop gulag that condemns workers around the world to provide forced and uncompensated labor. These workers can barely survive on what wages they do receive, while Wal-Mart grew to become the world’s largest retailer and continues to post record profits.

Petition to Remove Guatemala from the List of Beneficiary Developing Countries Under the Generalized System of Preferences (2005)

Publication Date: 

June 15, 2005
A second petition filed by WOLA and USLEAP, updating and incorporating their 2004 petition to which the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) had not yet responded, urging the USTR to review the government of Guatemala's failure to enforce its labor laws. This second petition again presents an argument that Guatemala should not remain a beneficiary of preferential trade treatment due to the labor abuses cited therein.

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