WASHINGTON, DC: The International Labor Rights Forum (ILRF) filed a petition against the Philippines under the Generalized System of Preferences (GSP) program on Friday, June 22. The complaint submitted to the Office of the United States Trade Representative alleges that the Government of the Republic of the Philippines (GRP) systematically denies workers the rights of freedom of association, the right to organize
Concerns raised about safety of key witness in Drummond trial
The International Labor Rights Fund (ILRF) welcomes the announcement that law enforcement officials in Colombia will investigate the murder of three trade union leaders working at a coal mine owned by US-based Drummond after allegations that company officials paid right-wing paramilitaries to conduct the assassinations.
Says US-Colombia Free Trade Agreement will not protect rights of women workers
Beatriz Fuentes, a 29-year-old mother of two with nine years of work experience in Colombian rose plantations, is in the US for Valentine’s Day to share with consumers her first hand account of the issues facing women workers.
PHILIPPINES GOVERNMENT MAINTAINS BLACKLIST OF HUMAN RIGHTS SUPPORTERS
Washington, DC: Brian Campbell, Staff Attorney for the International Labor Rights Fund (ILRF) was detained at an airport in Manila on December 6, 2006 and denied access to the country because of his support for Filipino human rights activists.
A human rights lawyer from New Zealand was able to get into the country to take part in protest actions at the ASEAN Summit in Cebu starting Sunday, ANC's The World Tonight reported Thursday.
“I would rather be called a terrorist than be cowed into silence,” said Jane Kelsey of the Action Research and Education Network who flew into Cebu to add her voice to the anti-ASEAN protests.
Kelsey feels the summit is focusing too much on broad economic and political issues and neglecting the plight of laborers and small workers.
Wife Claims Food & Beverage Giant Retaliated for Husband’s Exposure of Company’s Use of Expired Milk in Popular Drink
LABOR WATCHDOG GROUP MAY ASK MAJOR USERS OF DEER PARK BRAND NOT TO RENEW CONTRACTS
Nestle, the world’s largest food and beverage company, has been sued for complicity in the murder of a Colombian trade union leader by paramilitary forces with which the company has had a long-standing relationship.
We, the undersigned individuals and organizations, join our voices in a call for an end to the wave of extrajudicial killings in the Philippines. Over the past five years, a stark increase in politically-motivated violence has claimed the lives of pro-democracy activists, human rights defenders, political opposition figures, lawyers, teachers, peasants, students, union leaders, and religious leaders.
New Jersey Governor Jon Corzine has announced that he will participate in a path-breaking governors’ initiative to end sweatshop exploitation in apparel and other industries. Proposed by Governor John Baldacci of Maine, the Governors’ Coalition for Sweatfree Procurement and Workers’ Rights will use state government procurement as a catalyst to level the playing field for ethical businesses and advance justice for sweatshop workers.
Mother's Day is the second biggest day for cut flower sales in the US, but this heightened demand by US consumers puts extra pressure on the Colombian and Ecuadorian workers, most of whom are women, who are already subjected to harsh working conditions by their employers.
The International Labor Rights Fund’s (ILRF) Fairness in Flowers Campaign has found that women flower workers in these countries suffer from discrimination, sexual harassment, and health problems caused by the many toxic pesticides used on the plantations.
A report released today, “White Gold - The True Cost of Cotton” reveals the extent of environmental damage and human rights abuses caused by the cotton industry of Central Asia, mainly to supply European demand. The Environmental Justice Foundation (EJF) is calling on governments, retailers, buyers and consumers to refuse to buy cotton sold by Uzbekistan produced by forced labour at devastating environmental cost.