Multinational shipping giant, Maersk, is being urged to step in to ensure that a satisfactory outcome is reached in collective bargaining negotiations between Indian port drivers and a contractor.

The welcome acceleration in the ratification of International Labour Organisation (ILO) maritime conventions since the start of the year should encourage maritime unions around the world to push their own countries to ratify the three recent conventions.

By Bjorn Claeson, Director of SweatFree Communities

How many more workers will have to pay with their lives to absorb the terrible cost of apparel companies’ low-road, bottom-price business model?

Close to 10 p.m. on Thursday, February 26, 2010, twenty-one workers died when the Garib & Garib Sweater Factory in Gazipur, Bangladesh, caught fire for the second time in six months. Local news media reported thick black smoke caused by burning acrylic yarn spreading throughout the building.  Lasting nearly two hours, the fire consumed the oxygen in the air, suffocating the workers.  The smoke could not get out because the building was poorly ventilated.  Workers could not escape because exits were locked.  Fire fighters had to cut the window grills to get in, hampering rescue efforts.  The factory’s own fire-fighting equipment, they report, was "virtually useless."

Swedish news media quoted a surviving worker, Abdul Momin, who lost an aunt in the fire:

Everyone who worked on the top floor died, because the exits were locked.  All of them were women.  They were trapped and they suffocated.

Garib & Garib makes sweaters for major apparel brands and retailers, including Swedish H&M, Canadian Mark’s Work Wearhouse, and Italian Terranova.  These retailers assure consumers their brands are safe-to-buy, pointing to codes of conduct for factory suppliers, factory auditing, and ethical sourcing programs.

Mark’s Work Wearhouse explains that they conduct “social compliance audits, mainly with our partner Bureau Veritas (BV), based on BV's audit standards, which follow the International Labour Organizations (ILO) base standards.”

H&M boasts: “Since 2005 H&M has been an accredited company in the Fair Labor Association (FLA). … Our participation in the FLA is a way of demonstrating to our stakeholders how well our follow-up work in the factories is working. … We also use the results from the FLA’s audits as a benchmark in order to ensure the quality of our internal monitoring program.”

Yet, one may wonder if fires have now become part of apparel companies’ business equation for Bangladesh.  In the aftermath of Thursday’s fire, The Daily Star published this (incomplete) list of recent garment factory fires in Bangladesh:

• 62 killed at KTS Garments, Chittagong 2006
• 32 killed at Saraka Garments, Dhaka 1990
• 24 killed at Shanghai Apparels, Dhaka 1997
• 23 killed at Macro Sweater, Dhaka 2000
• 23 killed at Chowdhury Knitwear, Narsingdi 2004
• 23 killed at Shan Knitting, Narayanganj 2005
• 22 killed at Lusaka Garments, Dhaka 1996
• 20 killed at Jahanara Fashion, Narayanganj 1997
• 12 killed at Globe Knitting, Dhaka 2000

The Daily Star reminds its readers that just six months ago a fire broke out at the very same factory, Garib & Garib, killing a fire fighter.  “Locals and firefighters said the owners do not seem to have learned much from the fire in the same building six months back,” the paper reports.  Nor have the apparel brands.  All their factory audits seemingly could not prevent another tragedy.

Factory fires in Bangladesh are the predictable outcome of the lethal “low-price-at-any-cost” business model that ignites a race to the bottom in which Bangladesh is one of the victors, claiming “ground zero” in working conditions.  More than 4,000 factories and two millions workers in Bangladesh now toil at ground zero at a terrible cost to human lives.

In the aftermath of the fire, the apparel brands and others will investigate and discussion will focus on faulty equipment, lack of training and fire-drills, and perhaps there will be concerns raised about locked exits and poor ventilation.  But there are bigger questions that must not be missed:

• Why do factory audits fail to prevent fires?  Why are the fires so common?
• Why do we allow workers in Bangladesh to subsidize the cost of clothing we buy?  How much do they pay—in poor working and living conditions—for every item of cheap clothing we buy?
• Why does the garment sector in Bangladesh continue to grow despite the fires and despite the abusive working conditions that nobody—not even the brands themselves—deny?
• Why were workers still in the factory at 10 p.m.? Why were they locked in?

Until we ask such questions—and get honest answers—garment factories will continue to burn and workers will die. Garib & Garib reportedly will be open for business again as soon as this Tuesday, just five days after the fire, the list of dead workers now just a hazy blur, a temporary interruption and an acceptable cost of business.  According to a company director, the factory is “fully compliant.”

By Michelle Petrotta, Program Officer, International Labor Rights Forum

As the world celebrates the 100th International Women's Day, the United Nations Commission on Women is in New York, reviewing progress of the implementation of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action that was agreed upon in 1995.  Fifteen years after the international communities committed to take all necessary measures to eliminate all forms of discrimination against women and the girl child, women are still not free from discrimination and sexual harassment in the workplace.

Women often make up between 70-90 percent of the total work force in export processing zones in developing countries throughout Asia, Latin America, and Sub-Saharan Africa. While increased access to employment has provided new economic opportunities for women, the work they perform remains precarious as they are systematically denied rights to regular pay, working hours, equal pay for equal work, safe and non-hazardous work environments, and permanent contracts where their right to organize in labor unions is respected. Sexual harassment in the workplace is especially atrocious and widespread form of discrimination against women that completely impedes their economic empowerment and autonomy. Forced pregnancy tests as a pre-condition for employment are another form of discrimination that reduce a woman's ability to demand a living wage and break out of poverty. Women working in the garments, agricultural, and light manufacturing industries face overwhelming barriers as they attempt to earn a living wage to support themselves and their families.

For years, ILRF's Rights for Working Women campaign has worked to end the abuses women face in the workplace.  For example, our Fairness in Flowers campaign focuses on eliminating sexual harassment, forced pregnancy tests, poor occupational health conditions and violations of trade union rights in the production of cut flowers in Ecuador and Colombia.  You can learn more about the abuses women face in this industry by reading this report by ILRF and USLEAP.  You can find out how to support women workers in the flower industry by reading our Fairness in Flowers Campaign Toolkit.  ILRF also has a long history of working with grassroots organizations to document and fight sexual harassment against women in the workplace globally.  You can view some of our reports on sexual harassment from Mexico to Kenya to Thailand online here.

Another sector of the economy that includes a large number of exploited women workers is domestic work.  Conditions in this sector are often highly abusive and dangerous and many countries exempt domestic workers from labor rights protections.  This year, the International Labor Organization (ILO) is making decent work for domestic workers a major focus.  The international labor movement, including major international labor confederations like the IUF, are contributing feedback to the process of drafting a potential international convention to protect domestic workers.  A new report by the International Trade Union Confederation examines the issue of how inequality in child care and household work affects women's role in the labor market.

One of the tools that can be used to reverse discrimination against women in the workplace -- including in the US -- is ILO Convention 111 which specifically addresses discrimination issues.  You can find out more about Convention 111 and how it connects to rights for women on the blog here.

It's often most powerful to hear the voices of working women themselves.  You can read stories from working women globally about their struggles on ILRF's website here.

On this International Women's Day, and everyday, we reiterate our support to women workers as they dare to stand up for their rights, and are an inspiration for women and men everywhere who organize against workplace discrimination.

By Michelle Petrotta, Program Officer, International Labor Rights Forum As the world celebrates the 100th International Women's Day, the United Nations Commission on Women is in New York, reviewing progress of the implementation of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for... Labor Rights

A new concession introduced in the UK will help end the exploitation of migrant workers from outside the European Economic Area (EEA) who are employed on fishing vessels in UK waters.

Transport trade unionists will put the spotlight on organising women workers and raising awareness of gender issues as part of international women’s day on 8 March.

The top legal body of the International Labour Organization (ILO) has ruled that judgements by the European Court of Justice (ECJ) in 2006 were contrary to the most fundamental ILO standard - convention 87 on freedom of association.

Joint working to see a port worker in India reinstated has led to a closer working relationship between two ITF-affiliated unions.

Maggie Smith, Sweatfree DC Coordinator, International Labor Rights Forum Join the ILRF Sweatfree DC campaign, SEIU Local 32BJ, and others in supporting responsible contracting with strong labor standards in the District NOW! This is your money, have your voice be... Labor Rights

Maggie Smith, Sweatfree DC Coordinator, International Labor Rights Forum

Join the ILRF Sweatfree DC campaign, SEIU Local 32BJ, and others in supporting responsible contracting with strong labor standards in the District NOW! 

This is your money, have your voice be heard!  On MARCH 23 at 10:30am a public hearing will be held to discuss procurement reform in DC.  This is our chance to make the case for labor standards and enforcement in all contracts with DC.  We must tell DC government that we DO NOT WANT OUR TAX DOLLARS SUPPORTING COMPANIES THAT VIOLATE NATIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL LABOR STANDARDS!  Show your support by attending the hearing or testifying on behalf of responsible contracting (written testimony, in lieu of spoken, is also encouraged)!

SIGN UP TO ATTEND THE HEARING AT www.unionvoice.org/laborrights/events/SweatfreeDC_Hearing/details.tcl.

The International Labor Rights Forum launched the Sweatfree DC Campaign on Tax Day 2009.  The campaign is calling on Mayor Fenty and our local elected officials to join the Sweatfree Purchasing Consortium and pass a strong sweatfree purchasing policy to end tax dollar support for sweatshops.  A sweatfree purchasing policy would stipulate that apparel purchased by the district could not be produced using substandard labor practices, such as sweatshop labor.  The Consortium would help to enforce the policy and monitor factories here in the U.S. and abroad.

Last year, DC city government began efforts to reform the current system used to purchase goods and services for the District, known more formally as the system of contracting and procurement.  Every year the city spends millions, sometimes billions, of dollars (primarily tax payer dollars) to purchase, or procure, the goods and services needed to keep the city up and running.   Early this year, Councilmember Mary Cheh introduced the “Omnibus Procurement Reform Amendment Act of 2010” and shortly after the administration introduced its own bill known as the “Procurement Reform Act of 2010”.  Both bills focus on improving efficiency and oversight in the Districts contracting system. 

However, NEITHER OF THE PROPOSED BILLS ADDRESSES THE ISSUE OF RESPONSIBLE CONTRACTING with regards to labor standards.  Under the current as well as the proposed systems, a contractor’s or vendor’s labor record is not considered when deciding whether to purchase their goods or services.  This means that, as a DC resident, YOUR TAXES ARE BEING USED TO SUPPORT VENDORS AND CONTRACTORS WITH KNOWN AND DOCUMENTED PAST LABOR VIOLATIONS.  Neither violations that occur outside the district nor those that occur within it are taken into consideration.  In this time of economic uncertainty we must ensure that the thousands of contracted employees that allow our city to function smoothly and those that make the goods we use every day can work with dignity and security.  We must level the playing field, so that those businesses that play by the rules can compete with the larger companies that are competing in the race to the bottom.

DC spends nearly $6 million each year on apparel and footwear alone, such as police uniforms and other gear.  Because DC doesn’t have specific requirements on upholding strong labor standards, there is little information available on what is going on in the factories producing products for DC.  We have learned that some of the largest contractors are buying from Blauer and other companies known for having sweatshops.  Some of these factories fail to pay workers even a minimum wage and lie to inspectors who come to audit the factory.

Another painful example of the District’s failure to choose more responsible contractors is the case of the contract held by Hawk One Security for DC Public Schools.  Hawk One abruptly ended its services to the District in October of 2009 when the company suddenly went bankrupt and closed its doors.  This left close to 1000 Hawk One employees out of work and left the DC school system and other government buildings with no security personnel.  In addition to loosing their jobs, the former Hawk One employees were not paid for their last weeks of work and did not receive money owed to them for sick leave and vacation.  HAWK ONE EMPLOYEES HAVE STILL NOT BEEN COMPENSATED FOR THOSE LAST WEEKS OF WORK, many employees are owed thousands of dollars in compensation.  Just as we do not want our tax dollars supporting sweatshop labor, we do not want our money going to irresponsible service contractors who do not have DC workers’ interests at heart.

The Sweatfree DC campaign is working to encourage Mary Cheh, DC Council member and Chair of the Government Operations and Environment Committee, to accept an amendment that would move DC to adopt a sweatfree policy and join the SweatFree Purchasing Consortium.  SEIU Local 32BJ is working to add an amendment to the proposed procurement reform legislation that would protect service contract employees by requiring that contracted labor be bonded.  This essentially would serve as an insurance policy for workers so that if a company cannot make payroll, workers will still get paid.  It would also require that a system be put in place to take into consideration a company’s past labor records before a contract is awarded. 

We applaud DC government for beginning the process of procurement reform, but it is imperative that we make this reform complete, and that workers’ rights are considered before millions of tax payer dollars are signed away to irresponsible companies!

For more information on Sweatfree DC and to endorse the campaign visit ILRF’s Sweatfree DC website: http://laborrights.org/sweatfree-dc

By Bjorn Claeson, Director of SweatFree Communities How many more workers will have to pay with their lives to absorb the terrible cost of apparel companies’ low-road, bottom-price business model? Close to 10 p.m. on Thursday, February 26, 2010, twenty-one... Labor Rights

The ITF has today called on its affiliates to prepare for lawful solidarity action over the Costa Rican government’s apparently deliberate destruction of a legitimate port workers’ union.

Cabin crew members at a UK airline have voted overwhelmingly in favour of strike action in a dispute over company impositions, changes to working practices and reductions in crew numbers.

Dingxiaozi Ding, Intern, International Labor Rights Forum
 
On the very first day of my internship at ILRF, I attended this discussion panel on labor movements in Egypt. Being Chinese, I didn’t know much of what was going on in Egypt so this event provided an opportunity for me to learn from the experts.  It was co-organized by the Solidarity Center and Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. Dr. Joel Beinin as the speaker discussed the main findings of the Solidarity Center report The Struggle for Workers for Workers Rights in Egypt (The report is available online). He was joined by Kamal Abbas, who is an Egyptian labor rights activist, and Sarah Leah Whitson, the director Human Rights Watch’s Middle East and North Africa divisions.

This event was a useful way to learn about some key issues that are related to Egypt but that also connect to some other broader issues that all workers face. 

Dr. Joel Beinin analyzed the current situation of labor rights movements in Egypt, and highlighted its roots and the implication on Egyptian society and future labor rights activities. Since 2004, Egypt has witnessed a dramatic increase in labor protests, close to 1600 incidences.

It resulted from the combined effects of authoritarian control and the liberalization policy. Despite its republic appearance, Egypt is an authoritarian state. The government exerts very restrictive control over civil society. Even though Egypt ratified core ILO conventions decades ago as listed in the following table, words have not been transformed into action. For instance, the government continues to suppress workers’ rights such as freedom of association and the right to organize and collective bargain. All NGOs are required to register with the Ministry of Social Solidarity. Permission from the Ministry of the Interior is required for any public meetings, and rarely given. Security forces routinely suppressed demonstrations and strikes. Egyptian Trade Union Federation (ETUF) is the only legal national trade union in Egypt. But it is very closely linked to the government, and can be seen as the arm of the state, rather than an independent trade union that speaks for workers. According to Egyptian law, all local trade unions must be recognized and affiliated with ETUF.

Ratification of core ILO Conventions by Egypt

Freedom of Association and Collective Bargaining   

• C87    Ratified on  11/06/1957
• C98    Ratified on 07/03/1954

Abolition of Child Labor   

• C138    Ratified on 01/23/1996
• C182    Ratified on 05/06/2002

Elimination of Discrimination in Respect of Employment and Occupation   

• C100    Ratified on 07/26/1960
• C111    Ratified on 05/10/1960

Since 1970s when the Egyptian government started its liberalization program, Egypt has experienced rapid economic growth. However, the prosperity has not been equally shared by the whole society, but has deepened the gap between the rich and the poor tremendously. Following the instruction of IMF and the World Bank, Egyptian government reduced government expenditure on health, education, pension and unemployment benefits, which steadily impoverished Egyptian people. In order to attract foreign investment, the government did not loosen its control over civil society, and advertised Egypt as a country with cheap labor and a weak trade union.

Last year was truly a turning point when the Egypt’s first independent union-- Real Estate Tax Authority Union (RETA) --was established. This success represents the shifting concern of workers from merely economic terms to political realms. It also sent a positive signal to the society that pouring out into the street and demanding labor rights is an effective way.

The panel reminds me of the experience in Asia. Countries like China, Vietnam, India and Thailand, almost every country that went from a socialist economy to a liberal market economy had similar experiences. Workers are always the ones that suffered most from the pain of economic liberalization. Please allow me ask a stupid question: is liberalization the only way to prosperity? Is it possible to liberalize and develop economy on the one hand, and avoid the pains workers suffered on the other hand?

Dingxiaozi Ding, Intern, International Labor Rights Forum On the very first day of my internship at ILRF, I attended this discussion panel on labor movements in Egypt. Being Chinese, I didn’t know much of what was going on in Egypt... Labor Rights

Dockers in the Arab world region have expressed solidarity with port drivers in India who are fighting for their right to organise.

A new union video has condemned global delivery firm Deutsche Post DHL for betraying its hallmark value of respect for workers.

Tim Newman, Campaigns Director, International Labor Rights Forum Earlier this week, Godiva achieved a major marketing coup. Oprah Winfrey, the so-called Queen of All Media, re-designed the set of her popular show for the day using thousands of Godiva chocolate... Labor Rights

Tim Newman, Campaigns Director, International Labor Rights Forum

Earlier this week, Godiva achieved a major marketing coup.  Oprah Winfrey, the so-called Queen of All Media, re-designed the set of her popular show for the day using thousands of Godiva chocolate bars.  You can check out photographs of the set online here.  There's no doubt that Godiva must have dropped quite a bit of cash to get this level of brand exposure -- and to construct the set itself.

Unfortunately, the farmers and workers who harvest the cocoa that is the primary ingredient in Godiva products -- and likely in Oprah's special set -- do not share in the luxury promoted by Godiva.  As readers of this blog are well aware, abusive child labor, forced labor and trafficking are widespread in the cocoa industry.  Recently, the Free2Work.org gave Godiva a D- rating in terms of the company's efforts to address forced and child labor in its supply chain.  That makes Godiva one of the lowest rated of major chocolate companies.  

Other chocolate companies have gone much farther in ensuring transparency in their cocoa sourcing and supporting better conditions for cocoa farmers.  For example, Divine Chocolate is Fair Trade certified and is even co-owned by the democratic cooperative in Ghana that produces its cocoa, Kuapa Kokoo.  Equal Exchange sources cocoa beans from Fair Trade cooperatives in Latin America and its operations in the US are run by a worker-owned cooperative.  More and more big companies like Green & Black's and Ben & Jerry's are also making stronger commitments to support labor rights standards and fair prices for their cocoa suppliers.

In the past, Oprah has done a number of excellent shows exposing child labor abuses.  For example, years ago she featured a groundbreaking documentary about child labor globally called Stolen Childhoods on her show.  Oprah can continue to be a leader in protecting children's rights.  Hopefully in the future, she will conduct more due diligence on the child and forced labor policies of the companies promoted on the show and she could also explore the ongoing labor abuses in the cocoa industry -- as well as the inspiring stories of cocoa farmers like Kuapa Kokoo who are spreading positive change in the industry -- on a future show.