From: Melissa Schweisguth (melissa@globalexchange.org)
Date: Thu Jan 31 2002 - 14:54:24 EST
Hello,
The Fair Trade Cocoa Day if Action at See's Candies is just 2 weeks away!!
There is still time to get involved and we would love! to have you on board.
We are still looking for organizers in several key cities with See's stores.
You can also get involved if you don't have a local See's!
Please read the action alert below and e-mail melissa@globalexchange.org if
you are interested! We're making it easy for you- we'll send all the
materials (Valentines, petitions, flyers, background information), will help
with outreach via our listserv and member list, and will also be doing a lot
of media work. All you need to to is collect Valentines, and get a few
people to go to your local See's on Feb 14th to collect some more
signatures, hand out flyers, and hand in the Valentines to the manager.
Preceding the action alert, you will find a clarification about the day of
action. We've been made aware of some confusion and want to be sure we're
all straight.
Thanks! Please don't hesitate to e-mail me to get involved today!!!
** ** ** ** ** **
Hello!
This message is sent to clarify a previous posting regarding Global
Exchange's Fair Trade Cocoa Day of Action, which will be targeted towards
See's Candies. Global Exchange not ever called this Day of Action a
boycott. Unfortunately, as often happens in the open world of internet
listservs, someone who reposted the message added the word "boycott" and
that version has been spread around the web. We want this to be a day for
educating Seešs customers and get them to urge Seešs to do the right thing
and support Fair Trade. There have been questions about why we are targeting
See's, given that many other corporations seem to follow the same standards
and practices. We chose See's because they are a major company with an
internet business and stores in 12 states, have not been public about the
slavery issue, and because Valentine's Day is a big holiday for them. We are
aware that See's, through the World Cocoa Foundation, of which they are a
member. has signed a Protocol to end child slave labor in the cocoa industry
(see http://www.candyusa.org). However, we feel the Day of Action is
warranted and important because the Protocol to end child slave labor
includes no provisions to insure that adult workers are given fair working
conditions and wages, which is the only way to guarantee that child slavery
doesn't resurface or continue in secret. Feel free to contact me directly
if you'd like more information.
Melissa Schweisguth
Fair Trade Coordinator, Global Exchange
melissa@globalexchange.org
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Nationwide Day of Action to Stop Slavery and Exploitation in the Cocoa
Industry! Tell See's Candies to stop child slavery and support Fair Trade!
What's Happening?
* 43% of the worldšs cocoa comes from the Ivory Coast, a country where CHILD
SLAVE LABOR still exists on cocoa plantations!! Cocoa workers who are
actually paid get wages that leave them at the edge of poverty and
starvation.
How can This Be?
* The world market price of cocoa has fallen so low- currently at 40 cents
per pound- that cocoa plantation owners have been forced to use child slaves
or pay their workers poverty wages.
* Though many companies in the US chocolate industry have drafted a plan to
work towards ending child slavery, the plan includes no provisions to insure
that adult workers are given fair working conditions and wages, which is the
only way to guarantee that child slavery doesn't resurface or continue in
secret.
* Not a single company in the $13 billion US Chocolate industry sells
Fair Trade Certified Chocolate, meaning that cocoa workers will be left
with poverty wages even after child slavery is eradicated.
Outraged? Join us for a Day of Action on February 14th
On February 14th, activists across the USA will gather at Seešs candies to
deliver hundreds of special Valentines asking Seešs to ŗHAVE A HEART"- to
take immediate steps to end child slavery and commit to purchasing at least
5% of their cocoa as Fair Trade Certified. Wešll start collecting
signatures for the Valentines and making special signs and props before the
Day of Action. On the Day of Action, we will go to Seešs to collect more
signatures, hand out flyers, and deliver the Valentines, using FUN and
ENTHUSIASTIC signs, props, chants! Residents of the San Francisco Bay Area
and Los Angeles will be gathering at the See's corporate headquarters! If
you do not live near a Seešs store, you can still participate by collecting
Valentines and spreading the word about the cocoa industry in your local
area.
Interested? Contact melissa@globalexchange.org! We will send you the
Valentines, flyers, and background information.
To see a list of See's stores, go to
http://www.sees.com/seeshtm/shopframes.htm.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
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This archive was generated by hypermail 2.1.4 : Mon Oct 28 2002 - 02:52:32 EST