Muusja Mailing List: Letter writing sweat shops / Gildan Company RCTA

[muusja (muusja]

G L O B A L I Z A T I O N

Montreal-based Gildan Activewear is a major manufacturer of tee-shirts,
and a major operator of sweatshops. The company has viciously fought union
organizing at its own factories in Honduras, and in those of its
sub-contractors. In October and November the company fires some 39 workers
involved or suspected of union activities from its El Progreso factory. 
This followed many other anti-union firings in 2002 and earlier this year. 

The Canadian-based Maquila Solidarity Network (one of the best
anti-sweatshop groups in North America), in association with unions in
Honduras, is conducting a long-term campaign to force Gildan to respect
workers' rights. They are currently asking for a deluge of letters to
Gildan.

Part of their request and a sample letter are copied below. Please send a
letter today - adapt their sample in your own words if possible. A fax on
letterhead is best. If that is not possible, please send either a
hard-copy letter or an email. Thank you. 

Larry Weiss
Resource Center of the Americas
3019 Minnehaha Ave
Minneapolis, MN 55406
612-276-0788 x 19
lweiss [at] americas.org
http://www.americas.org


REQUESTED ACTION:

Please write Gildan today. Demand that the company immediately offer to
reinstate all workers who were fired on or around November 4, 2003, plus
workers who were previously fired for union activity or for expressing
their views about the company in November 2002 and March, April and July
of 2003. 

Letters can be sent by fax to: 514-734-8379, or by e-mail to:
slemay [at] gildan.com

SAMPLE LETTER (Please write your own, and send a copy to Maquila
Solidarity Network - contact info below): 


Stephane Lemay
Vice-President, General Counsel & Corporate Secretary
Gildan Activewear
725 Montee de Liesee
Montreal, Quebec H4T 1P5
CANADA

Dear Mr. Lemay,

I am writing in response to disturbing reports from labour and civil
society organizations in Honduras and in Canada that Gildan management
personnel at your El Progreso factory in that country have once again
fired a group of workers who were suspected of being involved in a union
organizing effort. 

According to reports from the Independent Federation of Honduran Workers
(FITH)  and the Honduran Independent Monitoring Team (EMIH), two leaders
of a union organizing effort were fired on October 20, 2003 and an
additional 37 workers who were suspected of supporting the organizing
effort were fired on or around November 4, 2003. 

Reports also indicate that your Honduran management may have a policy of
firing entire work teams if one or more members of a team are suspected of
organizing a union, and that workers are being encouraged to report on
team members that speak in favour of unions. I also understand that one of
the workers fired was six months pregnant. Under the Honduran Labour Code,
employers are not permitted to fire a pregnant worker unless they have
received special authorization from the Ministry of Labour. 

I urge your company to offer to reinstate the 39 workers fired in October
and November 2003, plus the approximately 60 workers fired in November
2002 and March, April and July 2003. I would also urge your company to
agree to cooperate with an independent investigation of labour practices
and working conditions at the El Progreso factory. Such an investigation
could be carried out by the Fair Labor Association (FLA) or by an audit
team acceptable to Gildan, the FITH, EMIH and MSN. 

I expect a prompt reply to my letter, describing the actions your company
is taking to ensure that Gildan workers' rights are respected.

Yours truly,