From: sweatwatch (sweatwatch@igc.org)
Date: Fri Aug 23 2002 - 13:44:13 EDT
No-Sweat Update August 21, 2002
In this update you will find:
1. NATIONAL DAY OF ACTION TARGETTING LEVI'S AUGUST, 28TH
2. WHY LEVIS? WHY NOW? SAIPAN LAWSUIT UPDATE
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1. NATIONAL DAY OF ACTION TARGETTING LEVIS AUGUST, 28TH
Join Global Exchange, Sweatshop Watch, and the Asian Law Caucus in a
NATIONAL DAY OF ACTION TARGETTING LEVIS AUGUST, 28TH.
Just a couple of days before Labor Day, we want to send a couple
messages to
Levi's all across the nationS
SETTLE THE SAIPAN LAWSUIT! SLAVERY IS UNAMERICAN!
SUPPORT WORKERS AT HOME AND ABROAD!
In San Francisco, the home of Levi Strauss and Co., we will be
gathering at
the LEVI'S ORIGINAL SPIN SHOP
300 POST ST (at the corner of Post and Stockton in Union Square)
at 12 noon for an action.
Arrive around 11:30am as we will be preparing for a skit!
Bring your old Levi's, signs, banners, friends and coworkers!!
For more information call Jocelyn Boreta at (415) 575-5536.
***Some ideas of what you can do for the National Day of Action are:
-organize a call in day to the Levis Headquarters or to a local store
that
sells Levis with your organization
-organize a letter writing day to Levis with your organization
-organize a leafletting event at a local store that sells Levis
(Global Exchange has a flyer available for your use. If you would
like us
to send you a copy either printed or electronically, please contact
us.)
-organize an action/demonstration at a local store that sells Levis
(GX has a template on "How to Organize a Demonstration" for your use.)
To find out where Levis are sold near you, check out:
http://www.us.levi.com/fal02a/levi/storefinder/l_storefinder.jsp
Start planning your action or leafletting event NOW! Register your
action
with GX at leila@globalexchange.org or by calling 415-575-5536.
For help/advice on organizing for the National Day of Action, please
contact
Jocelyn Boreta at Global Exchange at 415-575-5536
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2) WHY LEVIS? WHY NOW? /SAIPAN LAWSUIT UPDATE
Levi Strauss is one of few companies who refuse to settle the Saipan
lawsuit(see below for info on Saipan lawsuit). Levišs 14 year
presence in
Saipan and its refusal to settle the lawsuit sends a strong message of
corporate greed to workers, consumers, and concerned citizens
worldwide.
Instead of upholding their historic claims of social responsibility,
Levis
is jumping on the corporate bandwagon, closing its U.S. factories and
moving
manufacturing abroad to countries such as Mexico and China--- where
wages
are shockingly low, labor and environmental standards are non-
existent, and
unionization is punishable by imprisonment and even death.
Over the past 5 years, Levis has moved 26 U.S. sewing and finishing
plants
abroad, laying off over 3,300 American workers, a majority of whom are
non-English speaking women unable to find new work easily. In June,
Levis
closed its historic hometown San Francisco factory on Valencia
Street, three
Texas factories, one Tennessee factory, and one Georgia factory,
leaving
only two factories as their last in the U.S.
Although Levis gave the workers notice of the plans to shut down the
plants;
negotiated with the UFCW and UNITE, in good faith, to come up with a
good
severance package; has provided trainings for the workers in their
transition; and has provided funding for community assistance where
they
have shut down plants, the fact of the matter is that thousands of
(mostly)
immigrant workers are out of jobs. Jobs that some have had for 20,
30 and
40 years. These were union jobs with benefits, that are now going to
be
sweatshop jobs for young women and men in Mexico and China.
As one of the nationšs most iconic brands, Levis needs to reject the
model
of economic development that sacrifices the rights of workers of the
world
in the name of corporate gain. As one of the only companies refusing
to
settle the Saipan lawsuit, Levis needs to accept the terms which will
provide its employees of 14 years on the island the human rights they
deserve.
***Background Information on the Saipan Lawsuit***
In the Pacific Ocean, on a chain of fourteen islands known as the U.S.
Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, a $1 billion garment
industry
has been booming since the 1980s. Thousands of garment workers live
and
toil in deplorable conditions, working up to 12 hours a day, seven
days a
week, and earning $3.05 an hour or less, often without overtime pay.
The
workers are forced to sign contracts that bind them to recruitment
fees from
$2,000 to $10,000 and that wave basic human rights such as the
freedom to
join unions, attend religious services, quit, or marry. Trapped in a
state
of indentured servitude, these workers sew "Made in the U.S.A."
labels on
clothing marketed by Levi Strauss, The Gap, Abercrombie, The Limited,
J.C.
Penney, Talbots, Target, Lane Bryant and many other major retailers.
In response to the sweatshop abuses in Saipan, on January 13, 1999,
Global
Exchange, Sweatshop Watch, Asian Law Caucus, UNITE, and thousands of
workers
filed lawsuits against the 26 major retailers doing business in
Saipan. On
August 9, 1999, three years ago this Friday, Nordstrom, Gymboree,
Cutter and
Buck and J. Crew were the first of these targeted companies to settle,
agreeing to terms that include, independent monitoring of Saipan
factories,
adoption of a Saipan code of conduct, and payback to workers who were
cheated out of their wages. Since then, 15 other companies have
agreed to
settle the lawsuit, bringing the total to 19.
If you would like more information on the Saipan lawsuit, please see
http://www.globalexchange.org/economy/corporations/saipan/update031102
.html
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