Georgetown: Don't let them put their dirty Hanes on you
Thursday, March 13, two workers from the TOS Dominicana factory in the Dominican Republic came to Georgetown. Manuel Pujols and Julio Castillo discussed the fight for better conditions and wages they have been waging at the TOS factory. Workers have experienced intimidation, verbal abuse, forced and unpaid overtime, while Hanes management refuses to address the problems in the factory. Take Action: Write to Hanes!
[This piece was submitted as an Op-Ed to The Hoya]
Manuel and Julio conversed with students for more than an hour, describing 12 hour work days, machinery able to sever hands and fingers in a second, pay the equivalent of $68 every 8 days—not even enough to buy food for a family of four. Manuel shared how he “would come home after working twelve hour days, operating six sewing machines at the same time—all with the capability of ripping my hands or fingers off in a matter of seconds—and soak my hands and feet and knees and rub Vicks vapor rub all over them because they were damaged by constantly standing on the hard floor…The management can improve the machinery but they refuse…they don’t care about our health.”
After describing the drastic differences betweens Hanes’ public image and the actuality of life as a Hanes employee, Manuel asked: “If Hanes respects the rights of workers and has a code of conduct with Universities, why do they not want to improve worker’s conditions? People should be able to work and have dignity in their work.”
When first hired, Julio described the contract they were offered as “very good”--covering money for educational expenses, scholarships, health insurance, and advancement opportunities. But just six months later, managers told the employees none of these promises were going to be fulfilled. Most of the workers who complained were fired, but despite blatant illegal acts against the worker’s right to organize, over 50% of the workforce remained outraged by the injustice and demanded the right to organize a union. Still the company refused to recognize their right and tried to intimidate and bribe the leaders of the union.
Although Hanes’ “Global Business Practices” statement declares that the company will “respect the right of employees to exercise their lawful right of free association”. Moreover, the document states that “employees have the right to work in an environment that is free from intimidation, harassment and abuse”. As we heard from the TOS workers about abuses ranging from physical harm to violations of their legal right to freedom of association (form a union), we can see that Hanes has failed to live up to their promises. Instead of hiding behind this empty rhetoric, the company needs to take its own advice, which means “being accountable and taking responsibility for actions and consequences”.
When companies like Hanes fail to live up to their promises, we as consumers ust take action alongside workers like Manuel and Julio. Students at universities around the country have taken action in the past and continue to take action against unfair and many times illegal working conditions. There are numerous ways to combat factory exploitation. One successful strategy easily available to every student, is to target celebrities and other representatives of apparel companies and members of corporate board of directors in order to publicly hold the companies accountable. For example, students have confronted Kevin Bacon, who has been a public spokesman in advertising for Hanes, dropping banners calling him out for complicity in exploitation. Embarrassed, he told them he would ‘look into the problem’. Students have also targeted Jessica Matthews, as she is both the President of the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace and a board member of Hanes. As a leader in the “peace movement”, she has failed to recognize sweatshops a peace issue, as she continues endorses Hanes regardless of their exploitative practices.
As students, we not only have consumer leverage as target age-bracket for sales, but we have leverage as tuition paying students at a university which holds a contract with Hanes. The global supply and demand chain can seem so abstract and irrelevant to our lives, but when we hear stories from folks like Manuel and Julio, how can we not become impassioned to act? Standing in solidarity is quite possible, even if you aren’t an ‘activist’. Write a letter to let Hanes know that consumers are aware of unfair working conditions and will not tolerate these business practices. Please, use your power and call or write a letter to a Hanes executive officer or board member today!
Vice President Joia Johnson
Hanesbrands Inc.
1000 East Hanes Mill Road
Winston Salem, NC 27105
Business.Practices@Hanesbrands.com
Website: www.HBIResourceLine.com
888-303-7525
President Jessica Matthews (Hanesbrands Boardmember)
Carnegie Endowment for International Peace
1779 Massachusetts Ave. NW
Washington, DC 20036
For More information on the TOS or the campaign:
* Report on TOS Dominicana by the Worker Rights Consortium, Georgetown's independent factory monitoring organization
* Factsheet on TOS Dominicana from International Labor Rights Forum
SOLIDARITY WITH CD APPAREL'S WORKERS IN HAITI FOR DAMAGE ON SAR
WE, THE EMPLOYEES OF CD APPAREL IN HAITI AT SONAPI INDUSTRIAL PARC # 31 LET SHOW TO ALL OVER IN THE WORLD : THE LOGO, CARTON , MOON WORKS FOR THE COMPANY SARALEE/ HANESBRANDS [HBI] AFTER 4 YEARS OF EXCELLENT JOB FOR THEM . THEY REFUSE TO REPAIR US AS THE COMPANY HAS BEEN ALREADY DOING IT FOR ANY PLANT THAT SHE CLOSES IN ANY COUNTRY.SINCE MAI 4 2007 , FRANTZ PILORGE USED THE WORKERS VERY BADLY WITHOUT MONEY AND SAYS TO HANES THAT HE GET PAID FULL COMPENSATION HE LIES ! HE LIES ! HE LIES ! IT'S FOR SO THAT WE INVITE THE RESPONSIBLES OF HUMAN RIGHTS TO COME IN HAITI TO DO THE LIGHT ON THIS CRISIS !!! AS PILORGE SAYS THAT HE IS WILLING TO FORGE THE RESPONSIBLES OF HANES TO DAMAGE THE WORKERS BECAUSE THE WAY FROM HANES TO CLOSE CD APPAREL [HG] HAS BEEN BRUTAL AND ILLEGAL BUT THEY REFUSE TO DO IT AS RICHARD NOLL AND GERALD EVANS GET DONE IT FOR EACH PLANT CLOSED IN ANY COUNTRY . FOR THAT PILORGE FRANTZ PUSH THE WORKERS TO FIGHT HANES UNTIL THE VICTORY CAUSE THE ACT OF HANES IS A DISCRIMATION AND CRIMINAL !!! GOD BLESSES THE WORKERS IN THE WORLD ! ... WE KEEP SINCE 4 MAI 2007 : 6 CONTENERS OF FINISHED GOOD, LOGO OF HANES, 2 CONTENERS CARTONS, 480.000 PIECES T- SHIRTS, MACHINES WITHOUT FORGETING MOON WORK LOTS IN DEVIATION FOR SARALEE !!! YOU HAVE TO KNOW THAT FRANTZ PILORGE LET US UNDERSTAND WHAT ALL OF YOU ARE MERCHANT CRIMINAL MAKING DISCRIMINATION AGAINST HAITI'S WORKERS SO, HE GET WILLING TO DEMAND YOU PAYING THE WORKERS BUT YOU REFUSE .BY THIS ACT HE CONSIDERS THAT IS VERY ABUSING AGAINST THE RIGHT AND PROTECTION OF THE WORKERS CAUSE THEY'RE EXPLOITING THE POOR HAITIANS WORKERS !!! DO NOT FORGET THE BRANDS AND STYLE OF T-SHIRTS THAT WE KEEP[BY HAITIAN LAW] FOR HANES [HBI] ARE : PRINTABLES, CASUAL WEAR, 5250, 5280, SM80, 5170. UNTIL WE GET DAMAGE AND REPAIRS ON HANESBRANDS !!! GOD BLESSES THE WORKERS IN THE WORLD !
DON'T LET THEM GET THEIR SARALEE/ HANESBRANDS ON YOU !!!
L'objectif de nos démarches envers vous consiste à vous informer d'une situation critique que nous vivions en Haiti , nous les ouvriers victimes de la CD APPAREL S.A depuis le quatre Mai 2007 c'est que : FRANTZ PILORGE [propriétaire de la Cd Apparel] de complicité avec le secteur privé Haiti , la bourgeoisie haitienne et les dirigeants de Hanes [HBI] font tout pour maintenir les ouvriers dans la discrimination et la misère après la fermeture brutale et illegale de l'entreprise par Hanes sans préavis, refusent de nous dédomager et reparer . De plus FRANTZ PILORGE a fait savoir aux ouvriers que Hanes ne veut pas payer les ouvriers par motif de discrimination raciale et la question de couleur, et parcequ'ils sont des noirs haitiens de plus, dit-il, qu'à chaque fermeture d'un plant , les responsables de Hanes se font toujours le devoir de dédomager les employés selon l'exigence de la legislation sociale internationale du travail et le code of conduct de Hanesbrands donc si après quatre années d'excellence et de travail accompli que les ouvriers ont fournis à cette compagnie americaine si encore elle ne veut pas reparer les ouvriers de Cd Apparel S.A en Haiti il considère que c'est un crime contre l'humanité et une violation flagrante de la protection et du droit des travailleurs car dit-il : Cd Apparel s.a dont le propriétaire principal Frantz Pilorge est une entreprise ayant un contrat direct avec la compagnie internationale "Saralee / Hanesbrands [HBI] et que l'organisation " Wrap Apparel" a justifiée legale et formelle par le numero de certification 5382 ; à ce point de vue juridique : La legislation sociale internationale et le Code of conduct en matière du travail font obligation à la compagnie directrice de dédomager les employés une fois resilié leur contrat c'est dans cette optique que nous tenons d'exiger justice et réparation de la part de Hanes pour prix des quatre années de performance et d'excellence réalisées pour elle tout en stipulant que Cd Apparel s.a reste et demeure l'entreprise la plus productive de de Hanesbrands en matière d'efficience ...C'est pourqoi avoue-t-il que Hanes l'a fait pour ST-Domingue, Porto-Rico, Mexique ,Canada et les Plants aux Etats-Unis ; à cette fin il conclut que tous les defenseurs des droits humains et les responsables des organizations syndicales doivent interpeler leur conscience pour faire pression sur les decideurs de Hanes de payer ces malheureux ouvriers outre d'empêcher ce crime odieux !!! Pour plus d'informations , nous vous invitons à cliquer sur ces liens . Notre adresse domicile est à sonapi ,parc industiel # 31 .en voici l'adresse de notre avocat : 509/34297129, 509/37548022 ...Vive lutte des travailleurs !!!
SOLIDARITY WITH CD APPAREL'S WORKERS IN HAITI FOR DAMAGE ON SAR
WE, THE EMPLOYEES OF CD APPAREL IN HAITI AT SONAPI INDUSTRIAL PARC # 31 LET SHOW TO ALL OVER IN THE WORLD : THE LOGO, CARTON , MOON WORKS FOR THE COMPANY SARALEE/ HANESBRANDS [HBI] AFTER 4 YEARS OF EXCELLENT JOB FOR THEM . THEY REFUSE TO REPAIR US AS THE COMPANY HAS BEEN ALREADY DOING IT FOR ANY PLANT THAT SHE CLOSES IN ANY COUNTRY.SINCE MAI 4 2007 , FRANTZ PILORGE USED THE WORKERS VERY BADLY WITHOUT MONEY AND SAYS TO HANES THAT HE GET PAID FULL COMPENSATION HE LIES ! HE LIES ! HE LIES ! IT'S FOR SO THAT WE INVITE THE RESPONSIBLES OF HUMAN RIGHTS TO COME IN HAITI TO DO THE LIGHT ON THIS CRISIS !!! AS PILORGE SAYS THAT HE IS WILLING TO FORGE THE RESPONSIBLES OF HANES TO DAMAGE THE WORKERS BECAUSE THE WAY FROM HANES TO CLOSE CD APPAREL [HG] HAS BEEN BRUTAL AND ILLEGAL BUT THEY REFUSE TO DO IT AS RICHARD NOLL AND GERALD EVANS GET DONE IT FOR EACH PLANT CLOSED IN ANY COUNTRY . FOR THAT PILORGE FRANTZ PUSH THE WORKERS TO FIGHT HANES UNTIL THE VICTORY CAUSE THE ACT OF HANES IS A DISCRIMATION AND CRIMINAL !!! GOD BLESSES THE WORKERS IN THE WORLD ! ... WE KEEP SINCE 4 MAI 2007 : 6 CONTENERS OF FINISHED GOOD, LOGO OF HANES, 2 CONTENERS CARTONS, 480.000 PIECES T- SHIRTS, MACHINES WITHOUT FORGETING MOON WORK LOTS IN DEVIATION FOR SARALEE !!! YOU HAVE TO KNOW THAT FRANTZ PILORGE LET US UNDERSTAND WHAT ALL OF YOU ARE MERCHANT CRIMINAL MAKING DISCRIMINATION AGAINST HAITI'S WORKERS SO, HE GET WILLING TO DEMAND YOU PAYING THE WORKERS BUT YOU REFUSE .BY THIS ACT HE CONSIDERS THAT IS VERY ABUSING AGAINST THE RIGHT AND PROTECTION OF THE WORKERS CAUSE THEY'RE EXPLOITING THE POOR HAITIANS WORKERS !!! DO NOT FORGET THE BRANDS AND STYLE OF T-SHIRTS THAT WE KEEP[BY HAITIAN LAW] FOR HANES [HBI] ARE : PRINTABLES, CASUAL WEAR, 5250, 5280, SM80, 5170. UNTIL WE GET DAMAGE AND REPAIRS ON HANESBRANDS !!! GOD BLESSES THE WORKERS IN THE WORLD !
SOLIDARITY WITH CD APPAREL'S WORKERS IN HAITI FOR DAMAGE ON SAR
The objective of our walkout towards consists of you it's to inform you of a position criticizes that we lived in Haiti, we the workers victims of the CD APPAREL S.A since May 4, 2007 this is that: FRANTZ PILORGE [owner of the cd apparel] of complicity with the private sector Haiti, the middle class haitian and the leaders of hanes [HBI] do all to maintain the workers in discrimination and the misery after the brutal closing and illegal of the plant CD APPAREL by Hanes without previous notice, refuse of us damage and repair. Of more FRANTZ PILORGE informed the workers than Hanes does not want to pay the workers by motive of racial discrimination and the color question, and course the workers are black haitian of more, he says, that to every closing of a plant, the persons in charge of Hanes do themselves always the duty of damage and pay charge to all of employees according to the requirement of the social international legislation of the work and the CODE OF CONDUCT from Hanes Therefore, PILORGE says if Hanes does not want repair the workers of cd apparel in Haiti this is a crime against humanity and a flagrant violation of the right of the workers. For more of informations, we invite yourself to click on these links. We are at sonapi, parc industial # 31. in here the address of our lawyer/ attorney : 509/34297129; 509/37548022; 22133089.We already get informed all People in the World by that means: The Trade Union Organisation , the ResponsiBles of Human Right ,the Social Group and the Lawer's Men, if the Leaders of Saralee / Hanesbrands [Hbi] could take an other way different than the only one to damage the poor Haitian Workers to take note against them and sentence that nasty action against the protection and the Right of the Workers in the World . In sum Pilorge and Reginald Baker note for example Hanes pays charges and damage the employees of D.R, Puerto Rico; Mexico; Canada and the U.S.A Plant for what according to him Hanes refuse to dame the workers of CD APPAREL S.A [HG] for this : The responsibles of human right and the lawer’s men must demand to the responsibles of Hanes to pay the workers after 4 years of excellent works for the company Hanes !!! HE TERMINATES BY TELLING THAT THE LEADERS OF HANESBRANDS EXPLOIT THE POORS HAITIANS WORKERS [SAYS FRANTZ PILORGE ]
sample letter to Hanes
for a sample letter you can quickly copy & paste, see: http://www.unionvoice.org/studentsagainstsweat/notice-description.tcl?ne...
SOLIDARITY WITH CD APPAREL'S WORKERS IN HAITI FOR DAMAGE ON SAR
NOTE : FRANTZ PILORGE AND REGINALD BAKER ARE OWNER OF CD APPAREL S.A IN HAITI OF MORE, CONTRACTORS OF SARALEE/ HANESBRANDS [HBI] THEREFORE, THE HAVE GOT A DIRECT CONTRACT WITH THIS AMARICAN COMPANY [HANESBRANDS] THAT MEANS : SO WHEN AN INTERNATIONAL COMPANY GET DIRECT CONTRACT WITH AN OWNER IN ANY COUNTRY THE INTERNATIONAL SOCIAL LEGISLATION AND THE CODE OF CONDUCT ABOUT WORK MAKE OBLIGATION TO THE DIRECTION OF THE COMPANY AFTER THE CLOSING OF ANY PLANT TO DAMAGE AND REPAIR THE EMPLOYEES .IT'S FOR THAT THE WORKERS OF CD APPAREL S.A [PLANT NAME, HG] IN HAITI INVITE THE PRINCIPAL OF TRADE UNION ORGANISATION, THE RESPONSIBLES OF PROTECTION AND HUMAN RIGHTS, THE LAWER'S MEN AND THE LEADERS OF SARALEE/ HANESBRANDS [HBI] TO COME INTO HAITI AT SONAPI INDUSTRIAL PARK OF TOUSSAINT LOUVERTURE AVENUE BUILDING # 31 TO MEET WITH THE WORKERS SO THAT THIS CRISIS COULD BE UNLOCK . DO NOT FORGET THAT THE LEADERS OF HANES GET DAMAGED THE EMPLOYEES OF DOMINICAN REPUBLIC, PUERTO- RICO, MEXICO, CANADA AND U.S.A ETC... FOR WHAT NOT THE HAITIAN'S EMPLOYEES AT CD APPAREL S.A . BY THIS FACT IF HANES CONTINUE REFUSING TO DAMAGE THE WORKERS EVERY BODY CAN CONSIDERS THIS ACTION LIKE BEING OF EXPLOITATION, CRIMINAL, ABUSING, RACE DISCRIMINATION , INJUSTICE OR BECAUSE OF THE WORKERS ARE THE BLACK PEOPLE . TO NOT THAT CD APPAREL S.A [HG] IS CERTIFIED BY WRAP ORGANISATION AS A PLANT OR ENTERPRISE IN HAITI LEGITIMATE AND LEGAL TO BE WORKING FOR SARALEE/ HANESBRANDS [HBI] AND THEN THE CERTIFICATION NUMBER FOR CD APPAREL S.A IS 5382 . TO REMIND THAT CD APPAREL S.A HAS BEEN AND STILL LIVES THE NUMBER ONE FROM ALL OF PLANT PRODUCING BETTER AND GIVING THE BEST EFFICIENCY ABOUT PRODUCTION AND QUALITY IT'S FOR SO THIS PLANT IN HAITI CONSIDERED TOWARDS THEIR EYES LIKE BEEING THE BEST IN THE CARIBBEAN . ALL PEOPLE CAN VERIFY THIS INFORMATION IN THE YEARBOOK OF SARALEE / HANESBRANDS . IF IT'S SO ACCORDING TO THE LEADERS OF HANESBRANDS [HBI] THEY HAVE TO FIXE THEIR POSITION SO THAT THE RESPONSIBLES OF HUMAN RIGHTS, THE TRADE UNION ORGANISATION AND THE LAWER'S MEN COULD TAKE ACTION ON THIS BAD SITUATION AGAINST THE POOR HAITIAN WORKERS. GOD BLESSES THE WORKERS IN THE WORLD!!!