-Caveat Lector- ---------- Forwarded message -------> > ------------------------------------------------------------------------- > > On Tue, 10 Aug 1999, Campaign for Labor Rights wrote: > > > Labor Alerts: a free service of Campaign for Labor Rights > > To subscribe or unsubscribe, write to <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>. > > Web site: <www.summersault.com/~agj/clr> > > Phone: (541) 344-5410 Fax: (541) 431-0523 > > Membership/newsletter: Send $35.00 to Campaign for Labor Rights, 1247 "E" > > Street SE, Washington, DC 20003. Sample newsletter available on request. > > > > SAIPAN: FOUR COMPANIES SETTLE > > posted August 10, 1999 > > > > [The following press statement was released on August 9 by Global Exchange: > > (415) 255-7296, <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>. Note by Campaign for Labor > > Rights: The agreement announced by Global Exchange provides for Verite to > > monitor four companies' operations on Saipan. Monitoring by organizations > > such as Verite is a hotly debated issue in the anti-sweatshop movement. The > > settlement with these four companies regarding their production on Saipan > > will provide a new case study of the usefulness of this model of monitoring.] > > > > Retailers Agree to Settlement with Independent Monitoring System of Factory > > Conditions > > > > Focus Now Turns to GAP, JC Penney, Sears and Other Companies Still Making > > "Made in the USA" Garments in Saipan Sweatshops > > > > In four settlements announced today, Nordstrom, Cutter & Buck, J. Crew and > > Gymboree became the first retailers to settle claims in a federal class > > action lawsuit contesting sweatshop conditions in garment factories on the > > Pacific Island of Saipan, in the US Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana > > Islands. A related California state court case in San Francisco will also be > > settled. > > > > The groundbreaking settlement represents the first time a group of U.S. > > retailers has agreed to create a joint independent monitoring system of its > > contractors. The monitoring will insure compliance with US labor laws and > > international treaties established to protect human rights. The settlement > > also prohibits the use of "recruitment fees" in Saipan factories making > > apparel for U.S. retailers, the subject of sharp criticism in the past. > > > > "This settlement is a human rights victory for the workers - mostly young > > women - who make the clothes we wear," said Medea Benjamin, Director of > > Global Exchange's Corporate Accountability Campaign. Global Exchange, a San > > Francisco-based human rights organization, has helped lead the fight against > > sweatshops and is one of the plaintiffs in two related lawsuits filed in > > California State courts against the retailers. "The spotlight is now on the > > Gap, Tommy Hilfiger, Wal-Mart and others that insist on business as usual. > > Where's their conscience? These companies should take immediate steps to > > ensure that human rights abuses in Saipan factories are halted now." > > > > The settlement establishes a $1.25 million fund that will finance the > > independent monitoring program, provide partial damages to the workers, and > > create a public education campaign aimed at broadening consumer awareness of > > the continuing sweatshop problem. The settlement also establishes detailed > > and strict employment standards for the Saipan-based contractors with whom > > the settling companies do business such as Global Manufacturing Inc., Diovra > > Saipan, Ltd., Concord Garment Manufacturing Corp., Jin Apparel, Inc., among > > others. The new standards include the payment of overtime, providing safe > > food and drinking water, and guaranteeing employees basic civil rights. > > > > An Amherst, Massachusetts-based non-profit firm, Verite, will monitor > > compliance with the standards outlined in the settlement, including > > establishing an "ombudsman" on Saipan. The settlement gives Verite > > far-reaching powers to oversee the conduct of contractors working for > > Nordstrom, Cutter & Buck, J. Crew and Gymboree. This oversight will include > > surveillance, announced and unannounced visits to facilities and > > investigations of worker complaints. Verite is also empowered to remedy > > violations of these standards by, among other things, forcing the payment of > > back wages and terminating contracts where a pattern and practice of such > > violations exists. > > > > "Reaching this settlement required both courage and leadership on the part > > of these companies," said Lora Jo Foo, president of the Oakland-based > > Sweatshop Watch. "Today these retailers send a clear signal to every garment > > manufacturer in Saipan: 'Clean up your act or you won't work for U.S. > > retailers.'" > > > > -- DECLARATION & DISCLAIMER ========== CTRL is a discussion and informational exchange list. Proselyzting propagandic screeds are not allowed. Substance�not soapboxing! These are sordid matters and 'conspiracy theory', with its many half-truths, misdirections and outright frauds is used politically by different groups with major and minor effects spread throughout the spectrum of time and thought. That being said, CTRL gives no endorsement to the validity of posts, and always suggests to readers; be wary of what you read. CTRL gives no credeence to Holocaust denial and nazi's need not apply. Let us please be civil and as always, Caveat Lector. ======================================================================== Archives Available at: http://home.ease.lsoft.com/archives/CTRL.html http:[EMAIL PROTECTED]/ ======================================================================== To subscribe to Conspiracy Theory Research List[CTRL] send email: SUBSCRIBE CTRL [to:] [EMAIL PROTECTED] To UNsubscribe to Conspiracy Theory Research List[CTRL] send email: SIGNOFF CTRL [to:] [EMAIL PROTECTED] Om
