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  Labour issues: General - Jan.-Feb. 2002  

See also other materials on "Labour issues: General"

Jan.-Feb. 2002:

CLB [China Labour Bulletin] Analysis of the New Trade Union Law [China]:...The new law contains a number of changes, some positive, some a step backwards. (China Labour Bulletin, 28 Feb. 2002)

Colombian Oilworkers' Leader Kidnapped (ICEM - International Federation of Chemical, Energy, Mine and General Workers' Unions, 28 Feb. 2002)

ILO probes forced labour in Myanmar [Burma]: The International Labour Organisation has sent a mission to Myanmar to check whether the government is respecting its demand to stop forced labour. (Vanguard [Nigeria], 28 Feb. 2002)

Workers Sue Employers for Uncompensated Layoff [China]: The People's Daily (27 February, 2002) reported that 37 workers at a mining firm in Anhui Province filed litigation against their company for its decision to lay them off without compensation. (China Labour Bulletin [Source: People's Daily], 27 Feb. 2002)

SA employers urged to help manage Aids: South African employers should actively manage HIV-Aids in the workplace to reduce the effect of the pandemic on business and society, Old Mutual's deputy managing director Peter Moyo said yesterday. (South African Press Association, in Dispatch [South Africa], 27 Feb. 2002)

ILO Tackles Social Consequences of Globalization: The International Labour Organization (ILO) today launched a top-level commission comprising Presidents, politicians, academics, social experts and a Nobel Economics laureate which, for the first time, will address the social dimension of globalization. (International Labour Organization, 27 Feb. 2002)

{···français} La fin des années antisyndicales [France]: Après PSA il y a quatre ans, de nouvelles entreprises ont discrètement conclu, ces dernières semaines, des accords d'indemnisation en faveur des délégués victimes de discrimination...Officiellement, aucune entreprise ne reconnaîtra avoir pratiqué la discrimination syndicale à l'égard de militants, élus ou délégués du personnel, dont la progression de salaires et de carrière a été entravée en raison de leurs engagements. La réalité est tout autre. (Michel Delberghe, Le Monde, 27 février 2002)

Maid agency probed after slavery claims [South Africa]: Cape Town police have arrested an Athlone domestic services agent who they believe hit one of her own domestic workers...Police are now investigating allegations that young women from rural areas have been lured to the city with promises of well-paid jobs, but are then placed in households where they claimed they were abused and worked like slaves. (Johan Schronen, Independent [South Africa], 27 Feb. 2002)

Trade unions and the WTO - Where now?...The outcome of the Doha WTO Ministerial Meeting as far as workers’ rights are concerned was not just a disappointment; it was a major setback for trade unions and others trying to give globalisation a social dimension. (ITGLWF - International Textile, Garment and Leather Workers’ Federation, 26 Feb. 2002)

Brylane employees speak out against intimidation and discrimination [Indiana, USA]: Tuesday night, Brylane warehouse employees and a crowd of more than 100 of their supporters gathered at the Indianapolis Urban League to expose what they describe as a management campaign of fear and intimidation aimed at dissuading them from joining UNITE! (the Union of Needletrades Industrial and Textile Employees). [Brylane is a subsidiary of French conglomerate P.P.R. - Pinault-Printemps-Redoute] (UNITE! - Union of Needletrades Industrial and Textile Employees, 26 Feb. 2002)

Starbucks Offers Fairtrade Certified Coffee in the UK: Agreement with Fairtrade Foundation to Roll Out Coffee in All Stores by Summer (Starbucks, 26 Feb. 2002)

Forced labor investigators hindered in Myanmar [Burma]:...The Monday move followed criticism of the junta by ILO officials meeting in neighboring Thailand, who said Myanmar was doing too little to curb use of forced labor. (CNN, 26 Feb. 2002)

Global union declares war on exploitation [Guatemala]: The Brussels-based International Textile, Garment and Leather Workers’ Federation (ITGLWF) has lodged a complaint with the OECD, accusing the Korean-owned Choi Shin plants in Guatemala of serious breaches of the OECD Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises. (ITGLWF - International Textile, Garment and Leather Workers’ Federation, 25 Feb. 2002)

Tampa Farmworker protest to begin in Tampa [USA]:...The group is picketing Taco Bell, because it buys most of its tomatoes from Immokalee and has refused to sit down with workers to hear their concerns. (Timothy O'Hara, Herald Tribune [Florida], 25 Feb. 2002)

MYANMAR: ILO Team Optimistic About Permanent Office - As an International Labor Organization team ends a week of what it called "candid dialogue" with Myanmar's military rulers on the issue of forced labor, ILO labor standards chief Kari Tapiola today said he is "optimistic" the country will "in the long run" allow a permanent ILO office in the capital, Yangon...Discussions with the ILO team have focused on the permanent office, the appointment of an ombudsman and inquiries into murders of forced labor whistle-blowers. (UN Wire, 25 Feb. 2002)

{···français} Calpers adresse un signal fort aux pays "non socialement corrects": La décision de Calpers, le plus grand fonds de pension américain, annoncée jeudi 21 février, de cesser d'investir dans quatre pays de l'Asie du Sud-Est (Thaïlande, Indonésie, Malaisie et Philippines) a jeté un froid sur les marchés. (Le Monde, 25 février 2002)

Women workers urged to unionize: Indonesian women employed in the transport and tourism field should form their own union to put an end to widespread gender discrimination in the workplace, an activist said. (Jakarta Post, 25 Feb. 2002) 

Ship of Shame docks in Melbourne: ITF [International Transport Workers' Federation] invites MPs and media on board to witness first hand shameful crew exploitation - They've been cheated $300,000 in wages, fed on fish heads, intimidated and stood-over. But when three complained they were sacked. They are the crew of the ageing Greek owned, Cypriot flag of convenience vessel ANL Progress (Maritime Union of Australia, 25 Feb. 2002)

Be concerned over Calpers’ move, gov’t urged [Malaysia]: The DAP today called on the government to seriously address the concerns of poor transparency, labour standards and human rights in the country which prompted one of the largest pension funds in the United States to withdraw its investment from Malaysia. (Susan Loone, Malaysiakini.com, 24 Feb. 2002)

Protesters demand Starbucks pay fair prices for beans:...Starbucks sells Fair Trade coffee in bulk, but does not brew it on a regular basis. (Associated Press, 23 Feb. 2002)

EEOC issues fiscal 2001 enforcement data [USA] - Statistics Show Age Bias and Disability Discrimination Charges on the Rise (U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, 22 Feb. 2002)

Twenty years of encouraging responsibility: BUSINESS IN THE COMMUNITY [UK]: With 700 large members, the charity appears a great success. But it is using its anniversary to reflect on how to get companies to take social issues more seriously...BITC has spent the past decade arguing that throwing cash at community groups means little if a company treats its employees unfairly, pollutes the environment or fails to understand its ethnic minority customers (Alison Maitland, Financial Times, 22 Feb. 2002)

M'sia [Malaysia] says Calpers investment cut shows 'lack of insight': Malaysia today suggested that the decision by the United States' largest pension fund to withdraw from several Southeast Asian nations showed a lack of insight into the region's potential.  The California Public Employees' Retirement System (Calpers) said it would withdraw from Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines and Thailand, citing factors such as poor transparency, labor standards and human rights...Calpers said Thursday its withdrawal of public investment was linked more to financial risk than social conscience. "Some people are referring to these as social issues, but we believe that these are closely linked to the risk for an investor so in fact our decision was linked to financial performance," Calpers spokesman Brad Pacheco said. (Malaysiakini.com, 22 Feb. 2002)

Calpers’ pull-out will not affect investors’ sentiment: economists [Malaysia]: According to AWSJ [Asian Wall Street Journal], Calpers uses a complicated system that ranks 27 emerging markets on “country factors” such as political stability and “market factors” such as market regulations in making its investment decisions. Malaysia was reportedly ranked 24th out of 27 on the country factors. Malaysia’s problems were said to be political stability, transparency and labour practices. (Kevin Tan, Malaysiakini.com, 22 Feb. 2002)

Anti-union violence in Warsaw Marriott Hotel: On February 14 Andrzej Jakubiak, chair of the Enterprise Commission of ICFTU affiliate NSZZ “Solidarnosc” at the Marriott hotel in Warsaw, Poland, was brutally attacked and beaten by hotel security personnel. (International Confederation of Free Trade Unions, 22 Feb. 2002)

SFF, unionist in clash [Namibia]: A trade union leader was yesterday allegedly harassed by members of the Police Special Field Force (SFF) outside the Safari Hotel in Windhoek for his role in a protest by hotel workers. (Conrad Angula, The Namibian, 21 Feb. 2002)

Industrial Unrest in China: A Labor Movement in the Making? [section entitled "Illegal Working Conditions and Management Methods" refers to "sexist pay rates" that award male workers more than female workers, workers earning less than the legal minimum, and "humiliating and antisocial behavior from management"] (Tim Pringle, Foreign Policy In Focus, 20 Feb. 2002)

CHIQUITA - Sustainable development - Chiquita, which produces a quarter of Latin American bananas, has spent eight years working to ensure all its banana farms in Latin America meet labour and environmental standards that are independently verified by an international non-governmental organization (Ethical Performance magazine, autumn 2001)

Making Globalisation Work: Speech by Mike Moore (WTO) to Global Unions Taskforce on trade, investment and international labour standards (Mike Moore, Director-General, WTO, 20 Feb. 2002)

Mdladlana out to get bad employers [South Africa]: Membathisi Mdladlana, the labour minister, yesterday had a blunt message for employers: stop mistreating workers...Mdladlana said his department would launch a "national inspection blitz" in April, focusing on the security, construction and farm sectors, which were among the worst offenders when it came to poor working conditions and employing child labour. This follows his crackdown on clothing firms late last year (Lynda Loxton, Business Report [South Africa], 20 Feb. 2002)

Migrants Fight for Wage Arrears before New Year [China] (China Labour Bulletin [Source: China news agencies], 19 Feb. 2002)

Pitting Labor Against INS Laws: Supreme Court case on immigrants' effort to unionize -...After years of hearings and legal argument, the federal government ruled that the firing of Castro - whose real name is Samuel Perez - was an illegal union-busting tactic by his employer and that he should be reinstated with back pay despite his illegal status in this country. (Thomas Maier, Newsday [New York], 19 Feb. 2002)

Home Care workers tick off a pay win and back sweatshop workers [Australia]: More than 4000 NSW Home Care workers have won a groundbreaking agreement that all uniforms carry the No Sweat Shop label promoted by the Fair Wear campaign. (Australian Liquor, Hospitality and Miscellaneous Workers Union, 19 Feb. 2002)

Labour abuse worries centre [South Africa]: Masonwabisane Women's Support Centre in Butterworth has expressed concern about the increased incidence of labour abuse in the area...Solwandle said small businesses and factory owners did not adhere to the labour laws. She said her organisation had managed to settle about 24 cases involving non-payment of domestic, contractor and general workers who were mostly women, with their employers. (Madoda Dyonana, Dispatch [South Africa], 19 Feb. 2002)

2nd Largest Sporting Goods Chain Helps Unchain Burma Workers: Gart Sports Company Enacts Strong Policy Against Burma Goods - The Gart Sports Company, which ranks second only to the Sports Authority in U.S. retail of sporting goods and apparel, announced in a letter to the Free Burma Coalition that it will enact a firm policy against importing, stocking, or retailing products from Burma, the Southeast Asian nation reviled for widespread forced labor practices. (Free Burma Coalition, 18 Feb. 2002)

Labor Group Condemns Brutality [Indonesia]: A workers’ rights group [Indonesian National Front for Labor Struggle, led by respected unionist and former political prisoner Dita Indah Sari] has accused factory managers in several cities of using the notorious Pemuda Pancasila thugs-for-hire group to intimidate and attack laborers involved in trade union movements...Dita said workers at PT Maja Agung Latexindo [manufactures surgical and other sterile latex gloves, owned by US-based Shamrock Manufacturing Company] face constant intimidation from the local Pemuda Pancasila branch. (Laksamana.Net [Indonesia], 18 Feb. 2002) 

Thorny Issue: Flower Firms Accused of Exploiting Workers [Kenya] - Participants at a human-rights conference in Nairobi last week heard harrowing descriptions of how employers in Kenya's booming flower industry neglect and abuse their workers as they seek to maximise profits [including reports of "starvation wages", arbitrary dismissal for such offences as leaving the greenhouses even when it becomes unbearably hot, sexual harassment of women workers, inability to form or join unions, failure to provide proper safety equipment to protect against chemicals (resulting in illnesses)] (Cathy Majtenyi, East African [Nairobi], 18 Feb. 2002)

Sweatshop items sold in military stores [USA]: U.S. military exchange stores do a worse job of sweatshop monitoring than private retailers, according to a new report from the U.S. General Accounting Office. (Doris Hajewski, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 14 Feb. 2002)

Hoffa Tells Coke: Protect Your Workers - Teamsters President Urges Coke CEO to Resolve Global Human Rights Issues - James P. Hoffa, Teamsters General President, on Tuesday told Douglas N. Daft, Coca-Cola Company Chief Executive Officer, to protect workers who produce, bottle and distribute Coca-Cola products – including those in Guatemala where eight union leaders were assassinated in the late 1970s. Hoffa’s letter to Daft was prompted by problems between union workers in Guatemala and the bottling company PANAMCO, which also bottles Coke products in Colombia, where union workers have been tortured, kidnapped and murdered. (CokeWatch.org - Campaign for Justice at Coca Cola, 14 Feb. 2002)

Valentines a thorny issue for Kenya flower workers:...The Kenya Human Rights Commission, a non-governmental organisation, paints a decidedly unromantic picture, accusing farmers of paying a pittance, exposing their workers to toxins and damaging the environment in their hunger for profit...Farm owners deny the allegations (Matthew Green, Reuters, 14 Feb. 2002)

Wage cuts for bank employees 55 and over is unlawful [Japan]: The Sendai High Court on February 12 ordered Michinoku Bank in Aomori City in northern Japan to pay 71 million yen to its six former employees, saying that the bank's rule to cut wages for employees aged 55 and over is unlawful. (Japan Press Service, 13-19 Feb. 2002)

WORKERS: Labor Brings Witnesses to Tell of a Harsher Side to Growth - Sofía Sazo, a longtime garment worker from Guatemala, came to New York this week to tell a tale about the world economic order that the corporate chiefs attending the World Economic Forum probably do not want to hear [abusive labour practices at blouse factory that makes clothes for Gap and Polo] (Steven Greenhouse, New York Times, 1 Feb. 2002)

Companies 'face rising risks over human rights': Multinational companies face a growing risk of being associated with human rights violations, according to research published in London yesterday by Amnesty International and the Prince of Wales International Business Leaders Forum. The research examines the operations of 129 leading companies in 34 countries where human rights abuses including torture, forced child labour and denial of freedom of expression occur. (Alison Maitland, Financial Times, 13 Feb. 2002)

French factory blast prompts new laws: Four months after a deadly explosion at a chemicals factory in Toulouse, the French cabinet is examining a package of new laws aimed at reducing the risk of industrial accidents. (BBC News, 13 Feb. 2002)

Guatemala: Women and Girls Face Job Discrimination - U.S. Companies Contract With Abusive "Maquilas" - Women in Guatemala's largest female-dominated labor sectors face persistent sex discrimination and abuse, Human Rights Watch charged in a report released today. (Human Rights Watch, 12 Feb. 2002)

Haiti: Unions take on liqueur maker: Workers seek pay raises and better working conditions from the maker of a luxury liqueur...Workers who harvest and process oranges used to make Cointreau, a luxury cognac-based liqueur, have been involved in a long and sometimes violent struggle for union rights, better pay and improved conditions. (Charles Arthur, LatinAmerica Press, 12 Feb. 2002)

Miners to be filmed giving urine samples [Australia]: Workers at a Queensland mine [Mount Isa Mines] will be filmed while they provide urine samples as part of a new drug-testing policy...The Australian Manufacturing Workers Union condemned the practice, saying it was an unnecessary invasion of privacy. (The Age [Australia], 12 Feb. 2002)

HIV/AIDS: Salvadoran Law Legalizes Testing For Job Applicants A new law in El Salvador permits HIV testing of job applicants by prospective employers, sparking controversy among health and labor advocates, Knight Ridder reported yesterday. Experts say the law is unprecedented and stands in opposition to international labor standards. (UN Wire, 11 Feb. 2002)

U.S. group says "toys made in misery in China": A labour rights group has accused major U.S. companies of selling toys made in China by badly paid workers who it says are exposed to dangerous toxins, but an industry association denied the charge. About 100 people organised by the National Labor Committee for Human Rights demonstrated outside the annual Toy Industry Association convention in New York, accusing Hasbro, Mattel/Fisher-Price, Toys 'R' Us and Wal-Mart of violating China's labour laws and international standards. (Grant McCool, Reuters, 11 Feb. 2002)

Consumers force chocolate industry to takes steps to stop slave production: Are those steps enough? What consumers ought to know and can do [refers to Ghana and Cote d'Ivoire; Hershey's, Nestle, M&M/Mars, La Siembra, Just Us] (Paul Pellizzari, Straight Goods [Canada], 10 Feb. 2002)

Seeking Nondiscrimination in the Workplace: Shareholders of Emerson voted Tuesday February 5th on whether the electrical equipment manufacturer should amend its employment opportunity policy to bar discrimination based on sexual orientation. (Pride Foundation, 7 Feb. 2002)

Carrying the torch for repression at Salt Lake City: the International Confederation of Free Trade Unions has called upon the International Olympics Committee (IOC) to investigate official Olympic Games clothing supplier, ‘Marker,’ for reportedly producing the official uniforms of the 2002 Winter Olympics Torchbearers in Burma (International Confederation of Free Trade Unions, 7 Feb. 2002)

Dita Sari Spurns Reebok Award [Indonesia]: Prominent women’s labor rights activist Dita Indah Sari has rejected a $50,000 human rights award from sporting apparel giant Reebok in protest against the meager salaries the company pays its Indonesian factory workers [includes text of Dita Sari’s Statement on Reebok Human Rights Award] (Laksamana.Net [Indonesia], 6 Feb. 2002)

Malaysia says it will whip illegal immigrants: Malaysia said on Tuesday it will whip illegal immigrants and their employers to deal with the growing problem of foreign aliens, and has also introduced a "hire Indonesians last" policy (Jalil Hamid, Reuters, 6 Feb. 2002)

ICFTU report condemns deplorable conditions for workers in Malawi [refers to restrictions on the trade union rights of plantation workers and workers in export processing zones, and problems with anti-union discrimination and child labour] (International Confederation of Free Trade Unions, 6 Feb. 2002)

Blast rips through Polish coal mine: At least 10 miners have been killed in an accident at a coal mine in Poland. (BBC News, 6 Feb. 2002)

Viewpoint: The Global Economy Must Market Democratic Values (Leo W. Gerard, President of United Steelworkers, in Labor Notes [USA],  Feb. 2002)

Chinese 'slave ship' in Angola: Workers on a ship anchored in the port of Luanda have complained of slave-like working conditions on board the Chinese-owned vessel (Justin Pearce, BBC News, 5 Feb. 2002)

U.N. Panel Wants Globalization to Work for Workers: The United Nations labor arm [International Labor Organization] will soon set up a commission to explore how globalization can better serve the needs of employees as well as their bosses, its director said on Tuesday. (Reuters, 5 Feb. 2002)

Action has to follow ‘Davos in New York’ say unions: "We need a rights-based approach to globalisation and are we going to find the funds to alleviate poverty and kick-start the global economy?" said Mr Ryder [new acting General Secretary of the International Confederation of Free Trade Unions] (Global Unions, 5 Feb. 2002)

Global Witness: Labor Presents Its Case to WEF [World Economic Forum] (Tom Robbins, Village Voice [New York], 5 Feb. 2002)

Swiss prize goes to female metal worker: Lathe operator fought hard against pay discrimination [Switzerland] (IMF-International Metalworkers' Federation, 5 Feb. 2002)

Sweatshop Blues: Garment Workers Face Down Cops in Slave-Labor Uniforms [New York City] (Andrew Friedman, Village Voice [New York], 5 Feb. 2002)

Platform collapses killing seven, injuring many: An unauthorised concrete structure at an electronics factory [Delta Electronics, a Thai-Taiwanese joint venture] in Thailand falls on a production line. (IMF-International Metalworkers' Federation, 4 Feb. 2002)

University approves policy requiring manufacturers to protect workers: The University of Virginia has approved a policy that would require companies licensed to make merchandise that carry the school logo to abide by rules that would protect their workers. (Associated Press, 3 Feb. 2002)

W.E.F's [World Economic Forum's] Global Health Initiative: Business as usual while workers die of aids - Activists demand corporations provide AIDS drugs for their workers in poor countries (Health GAP Coalition, 2 Feb. 2002)

WORKERS: Labor Brings Witnesses to Tell of a Harsher Side to Growth - Sofía Sazo, a longtime garment worker from Guatemala, came to New York this week to tell a tale about the world economic order that the corporate chiefs attending the World Economic Forum probably do not want to hear [abusive labour practices at blouse factory that makes clothes for Gap and Polo] (Steven Greenhouse, New York Times, 1 Feb. 2002)

Toys of Misery: Shuihe Electronics Factory, China [report on abusive working conditions at this factory producing for Mattel, MGA Entertainment, Sega, Epoch, Manley, Wal-Mart] (National Labor Committee, Feb. 2002)

From Factories to the Fields Anti-Sweatshop Movement Spreads to Farm Workers [USA]:...U.S. farm workers lack the legal protections to organize and engage in collective bargaining. They also are exempt from the federal minimum wage law. (Simon Billenness, Trillium Asset Management, in Investing for a Better World, Feb. 2002)

China To Allow Foreign Firms Entry In Work Safety Consultation: China has recently allowed foreign consulting companies to provide legal services related to occupational health and safety for domestic enterprises (Oana-Xinhua, 31 Jan. 2002)

High number of work-related deaths for first part of year [New Zealand]: Occupational Safety and Health says it's concerned about the rising number of work-related deaths toll (New Zealand Herald, 31 Jan. 2002)

Industrial Unrest in China - A Labour Movement in the Making? (Tim Pringle, China Labour Bulletin, 30 Jan. 2002)

TUC and CCA launch campaign to crack down on deaths at work [UK]: The TUC is joining with the Campaign for Corporate Accountability (CCA) to launch a new campaign to improve workplace safety standards by getting tougher on law enforcement and corporate accountability (TUC, 30 Jan. 2002)

Ten countries targeted for basic rights abuses by labour group: Presenting its views at the EU Human Rights Contact Group in Brussels, the ICFTU, the world’s largest labour body, targeted ten countries for serious human and trade union rights violations [Burma, Belarus, Brazil, China, Colombia, Djibouti, Guatemala, Haiti, the Republic of Korea and Swaziland] (International Confederation of Free Trade Unions, 29 Jan. 2002)

Rio Tinto workers set to unite under one global union: Mining unions in 11 countries plan to join forces and represent Rio Tinto workers under one global union..."This is one of the steps that the trade union movement is taking in response to globalisation" (Natalie Davison, AAP, 29 Jan. 2002)

Amnesty International USA Award Remarks by BSR's Bob Dunn [CEO, Business for Social Responsibility]:..."At their worst, companies support repressive governments, rely on the military and police to secure private gain, and engage directly in the abuse of their own workers. At their best, companies can bring pressure to bear on regimes that are human rights violators, collaborate with others to promote economic and social justice, and they demonstrate respect for the rights of others wherever they do business around the world.." (Bob Dunn, CEO, Business for Social Responsibility, 28 Jan. 2002)

Trade Union Statement to the World Social Forum (Porto Alegre) and the World Economic Forum (New York): Globalising Social Justice - where global governance and binding rules are beginning to emerge, it is for the purpose of protecting property rights in the interest of capital rather than the rights of labour (International Confederation of Free Trade Unions, 28 Jan. 2002)

Bra company pulls out of Burma: Triumph International, a leading European luxury lingerie firm, has announced it is pulling out of Burma after coming under sustained pressure from labour organisations and exiled Burmese groups over working conditions. (BBC News, 28 Jan. 2002)

Asbestos victim sues Everite [South Africa]: A 52-year-old cancer victim and his wife have instigated a legal claim for R7 million against Everite, a company that manufactures asbestos products (South African Press Association, 28 Jan. 2002)

Two explosions in Chinese coal mine: At least 27 miners have been killed in two explosions at a coal mine in northern China...Official figures show that more than 5,000 miners died last year, but independent analysts say around 10,000 miners die each year in Chinese coal mines. (BBC News, 28 Jan. 2002)

Company Fined $12,000 After Worker's Toes Amputated [New Zealand]: A Balclutha company was fined $12,000 after being prosecuted by the Occupational Safety and Health Service (OSH) today. Van Zanten New Zealand Ltd, a bulb growing company, were fined after a worker had his foot crushed and two toes amputated. (New Zealand Occupational Safety & Health Service, 28 Jan. 2002)

World labour body to attend anti-globalisers' meet:...The Brussels-based International Confederation of Free Trade Unions (ICFTU) said 19 representatives would go to the "World Social Forum" in Porto Alegre...ICFTU officials said the decision to attend the gathering reflected growing concern among mainstream unions that governments were ignoring workers' rights in the global advance towards free trade and economic liberalisation. (Robert Evans, Reuters, 28 Jan. 2002) 

UK asbestos victims could miss payouts: A US company which owes millions to people dying of asbestos poisoning in the UK is likely to scale down compensation payouts. Federal Mogul, which bought out one of the UK's biggest asbestos producers, T&N, has itself gone into administration under the weight of claims from former employees and those who lived close by asbestos factories. (BBC News, 28 Jan. 2002)

Hearing loss an issue for Kiwi workers: About 25 percent of New Zealand workers are affected by dangerous noise levels, according to the Occupational Safety and Health Service. (Dominion [New Zealand], 28 Jan. 2002)

The Coca-Cola Killings: Is Plan Colombia funding a bloodbath of union activists? (David Bacon, American Prospect, 28 Jan. 2002)

Gildan bows to Fund: T-shirt maker implementing code of conduct [SA8000] after allegations of pregnancy testing of Honduran employees air in TV report (Jan Ravensbergen & Melanie Verhaeghe, Montreal Gazette, 26 Jan. 2002)

'Take Yours Heads Out Of The Clouds', Global Union Tells Guatemalan Exporters' Assocation [regarding failure to uphold freedom of association and the right to bargain collectively in the maquila sector]: The Brussels-based International Textile, Garment and Leather Workers’ Federation...says that VESTEX [the garment exporters’ association] should ‘take its head out of the clouds, and stop invoking codes of conduct to which nobody adheres". (International Textile, Garment and Leather Workers’ Federation, 25 Jan. 2002)

Endesa Signs Global Labour Agreement: Power sector's first worldwide union-management council - Power multinational Endesa will meet unions from its operations worldwide in a regular global council, under an agreement signed at the company's headquarters in Madrid today. The union rights, safety and training provisions of the new global agreement are specifically linked to the international standards set by the Conventions of the UN's International Labour Organisation. (ICEM-International Federation of Chemical, Energy, Mine and General Workers' Unions, 25 Jan. 2002)

German-owned Spiegel Bans Burma Buys: Mail Order Giant is 28th Company to Refuse Business with Forced Labor Regime - The Spiegel Group [which owns the retailer Eddie Bauer], a top U.S. mail-order retailer with nearly $4 billion in sales in 2000, has announced in a letter to the Free Burma Coalition it will not accept merchandise that is sourced from the Southeast Asian country of Burma. (Free Burma Coalition, 24 Jan. 2002)

'Refusal To Pay Minimum Wage Is A Recipe For Failure', Global Union Warns Indonesian Employers:..."If, on the other hand, you want to build a viable export industry, then begin paying a living wage, introduce working conditions that respect international labour standards" (ITGLWF - International Textile, Garment and Leather Workers’ Federation, 24 Jan. 2002)

Greenwash + 10: The UN's Global Compact, Corporate Accountability and the Johannesburg Earth Summit [includes reference to Nike] (Kenny Bruno, CorpWatch, 24 Jan. 2002)

Union seeks an audit of mine safety [South Africa]: The MWU-Solidarity union called on Minerals and Energy Minister Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka yesterday to conduct a national audit of mining safety...He [MWU-Solidarity spokesman Dirk Hermann] said that currently, an average of one mineworker died in the industry every day, and about 16 were injured in mine- related accidents. (South African Press Association, in Business Day [South Africa], 24 Jan. 2002)

Tragic Tally Of Workplace Deaths [New Zealand] (New Zealand Council of Trade Unions, 23 Jan. 2002)

Numsa Threatens to Boycott South Korean Products [South Africa]: The National Union of Metalworkers of SA (Numsa) on Tuesday threatened to boycott all South Korean exports to South Africa to end what it described as the repression of unionists in that country. (South African Press Association, 22 Jan. 2002)

Abominable disrespect of core labour standards in Pakistan: A new highly critical report released by the ICFTU has once again condemned the brazen flouting of every core labour convention by the government of the Pakistan. (International Confederation of Free Trade Unions, 22 Jan. 2002)

Karachi: Hotel's workers release demanded [Pakistan] - Trade unions have demanded that all those workers of Pearl Continental Hotel who are being kept in "illegal detention" at a CIA centre be released immediately. At a press conference at Karachi Press Club on Monday, trade union leaders also urged the authorities to institute an independent inquiry, led by a senior member of the judiciary, into the hotel's fire incident. (Dawn [Pakistan], 22 Jan. 2002)

International Day of Action in support for imprisoned Korean trade unionists: the harassment, intimidation and imprisonment of trade unionists has continued in South Korea (International Confederation of Free Trade Unions, 21 Jan. 2002)

'High Tide' of Labor Unrest in China: Striking Workers Risk Arrest to Protest Pay Cuts, Corruption -...In many ways, these protests are acts of desperation by people struggling to survive without the help of effective labor unions, courts or other institutions that provide checks and balances in a market economy. (Philip P. Pan, Washington Post, 21 Jan. 2002)

Bahrain praised for initiating steps to facilitate trade unions: Bahrain is taking steps to accelerate the establishment of trade unions and setting up a labour union law (Bahrain Tribune, 21 Jan. 2001)

Worker's deaths [deaths of migrant workers in South Korea] meet official indifference [South Korea] (KOILAF [Korea International Labour Foundation] Labor News, 21 Jan. 2002)

Don't treat Malay Muslim workers differently after ISA arrests: NTUC chief [Singapore]: "...No worker must be treated any less fairly just because he is a Malay, Muslim or any other race or religion" (Channel NewsAsia, 20 Jan. 2002)

Asthma 'costing UK business millions': Employers could save themselves billions of pounds by removing substances from the workplace that cause asthma, the TUC has said. It says those who expose staff to substances such as glue, resin, and wood dust risk losing money through lower productivity, high staff turnover, and compensation claims. (BBC News, 19 Jan. 2002)

Free Zone Workers Want 10-Month Pay ...Want Taylor to Intervene [Liberia] (The News [Liberia], 18 Jan. 2002)

ICFTU guide to 'new era' of World Bank and IMF poverty programmes (International Confederation of Free Trade Unions, 17 Jan. 2002)

WTO Urged to Hold Guatemalan Government to Account over Maquila Abuses: A WTO review of Guatemala’s trade policies has prompted international labour to spotlight that government’s total failure to uphold freedom of association and the right to bargain collectively (International Textile, Garment and Leather Workers’ Federation, 16 Jan. 2002)

ICFTU condemns murder and labour rights violations in Guatemala (International Confederation of Free Trade Unions, 16 Jan. 2002)

New Poll Sets Agenda for Corporate Responsibility in India [findings include: Public expectations of corporations on social and environmental matters are high and rising; Gender discrimination is a prominent issue in the workplace; Workers and management have sharply diverging perceptions of labour conditions including child labour issues] (TERI-Europe [London affiliate of Tata Energy Research Institute in New Delhi] and New Academy of Business, 16 Jan. 2002)

Proposed smoking bans come under fire [Australia]: Under proposed laws, an estimated 5,000 hotels, clubs, bingo halls and nightclubs across Victoria would have to set aside smoke-free areas by September 1...Quit Victoria, the Australian Medical Association Victoria and the state's hospitality union said the proposed laws were a step forward but did not go far enough. (Susan Murdoch, AAP, in f2network, 16 Jan. 2002)

Freudenberg Renews Global Labour Agreement With ICEM: Leading nonwoven and allied products multinational Freudenberg has renewed its global agreement with the 20-million-strong International Federation of Chemical, Energy, Mine and General Workers' Unions (ICEM). First signed in July 2000, the agreement covers trade union rights, workplace equality, protection of health, safety and the environment and a ban on child labour and forced labour. (ICEM - International Federation of Chemical, Energy, Mine and General Workers' Unions, 15 Jan. 2002)

Labour Abuses in Sri Lanka's FTZs Condemned Internationally: Anti-union practices by foreign companies operating in Sri Lanka’s Free Trade Zones have come under attack from a global union representing workers in the garment sector. (International Textile, Garment and Leather Workers’ Federation, 15 Jan. 2002)

High Court Weighs Worker Rights [USA]: Supreme Court justices tangled Tuesday over whether illegal immigrants have the same rights as Americans if they are mistreated at work. U.S. citizens are entitled to back pay if wrongly fired, and the Bush administration argued that people in the country illegally deserve the same. ``The labor laws benefit everybody,'' government attorney Paul R.Q. Wolfson told the court during oral arguments in the case of a Mexican national who lied to get a job at a California plant and then was fired after trying to start a union. (Gina Holland, Associated Press, 15 Jan. 2002)

Zimbabwe Mulls Trade Union Bill:...ruling party lawmakers discussed a bill that would ban dissent among powerful trade unions (Michael Hartnack, Associated Press, 15 Jan. 2002)

DRC [Democratic Republic of Congo] mine collapses, killing 33: At least 33 people were killed last week when a small coltan mine collapsed in eastern DRC, local rebel officials said on Tuesday. Coltan is a mineral used in electronics and especially in the manufacture of mobile phones. (South African Press Association, 15 Jan. 2002)

UNI [Union Network International] in campaign for a Tobin tax (Union Network International, 15 Jan. 2002)

Strikes Claim Kids Employed As Scab Labour [South Africa]: Tensions are running high in Faure where farm workers on strike for better wages have accused the farm management of employing children as scab labour. (Helen Bamford, Cape Argus [Cape Town], 14 Jan. 2002)

OSHA Fines Motiva Enterprises, LLC More Than $250,000 After Fatal July Accident [USA]: Lack of Tank Inspections Cited - The death of one worker and the injuries suffered by six others in a July 2001 tank explosion at Motiva Enterprises, LLC oil refinery, has led to proposed penalties of $259,000 (OSHA - Occupational Safety & Health Administration, U.S. Department of Labor, 14 Jan. 2002)

Chinese Authorities Clamp Down on Labour Lawyer:...the International Textile, Garment and Leather Workers’ Federation (ITGLWF), has urged the authorities to ensure that Zhou Litai is allowed to continue defending workers (International Textile, Garment and Leather Workers’ Federation, 14 Jan. 2002)

Another Chinese firm [Universe Safety Glass, operating in South Africa] flaunts labour laws [South Africa]:...Total disregard of industrial safety regulations, working hours beyond the maximum allowed under the Basic Conditions of Employment Act and the payment of starvation wages (Frank Nxumalo, Business Report [South Africa], 13 Jan. 2002)

Women and work: The thorn in the rose - Working women worldwide are increasingly endangering their health by doing demanding jobs in which they have too little control (Judy Siegel-Itzkovich, Jerusalem Post, 13 Jan. 2002)

DSP [Deputy-Superintendent of Police] CIA admits to wrongful confinement of PC [Pearl-Continental Hotel] employees [Pakistan] (The News-Jang Group of Newspapers [Pakistan], 12 Jan. 2002)

Home care workers back campaign against exploited clothing workers [Australia]: More than 4000 NSW [New South Wales] Home Care workers have shown their support for the international anti-sweatshop campaign by winning an agreement from their employer that all their uniforms will now carry the Fair Wear label. (Liquor, Hospitality & Miscellaneous Workers Union [Australia], 11 Jan. 2002)

Occupational Deafness Real Problem For New Zealand Workers: It is estimated that 25 per cent of New Zealand's workers are exposed to noise levels which are harmful to their hearing said the Occupational Safety and Health Service (OSH) today. (Occupational Safety and Health Service [New Zealand], 11 Jan. 2002)

Money factory staff want health inquiry [New Zealand]: Former staff at the Whangarei money factory, which closed 11 years ago, want a full-scale inquiry into the extent of health problems associated with working at the factory. (New Zealand Press Association, 11 Jan. 2002)

Rally Protests Illegal Detention and Intimidation of Pearl Continental Hotel Workers [Pakistan]:...Police from Pakistan's Central Investigation Agency (CIA) detained the hotel workers following an electrical fire at the hotel on 6 January. They were held for more than 48 hours without charge, which is illegal...This new instance of harassment involving police is merely the latest in a series of incidents in which Pearl Continental management have attempted to suppress union activities. (Asia & Pacific Regional Secretariat of IUF - International Union of Food, Agricultural, Hotel, Restaurant, Catering, Tobacco and Allied Workers’ Associations, 10 Jan. 2002)

Publix [Florida food retailer] Poisoned Union Election Process With Illegal Conduct: Food Retailer Faces Federal Charges (UFCW - United Food and Commercial Workers International Union, 10 Jan. 2002)

Court orders release of 19 illegal foreign workers [Israel]:...The court ordered the company [Danya Cebus construction company] to pay bail for the workers' release, give them a full salary for each day they were in detention and for every further day they remain in Israel until they are flown home. The court also determined that the company should take responsibility for organizing the workers' flights. (Mazal Mualem and Ruth Sinai, Ha'aretz [Israel], 10 Jan. 2002)

Indonesia: Showdown at the Factory...Companies will also need to address the workers' demands for healthy working conditions and to be permitted to exercise their right to association. (Dini Djalal, Far Eastern Economic Review, 10 Jan. 2002)

High Court Limits Who Is Disabled Ruling [USA]: Justices put federal anti-bias law further out of reach for injured workers - The Supreme Court made it harder Tuesday for millions of workers with painful wrist injuries, bad backs or similar impairments to qualify for protection as disabled people under the federal anti-discrimination law. (David G. Savage, Los Angeles Times, 9 Jan. 2002)

Give up Nike, NZ protesters urge Tiger: Golfing superstar Tiger Woods has run into protest in New Zealand over his association with shoe and clothing manufacturer Nike (NZPA - New Zealand Press Association, 9 Jan. 2002)

South African Asbestos Victims Settle With Cape: British-based multinational to pay €33.8m/$30.2m (ICEM - International Federation of Chemical, Energy, Mine and General Workers' Unions, 8 Jan. 2002)

Code of conduct signed with Italian multinational: Italy's three national metalworkers' unions...signed a code of conduct with Merloni Elettrodomestici S.p.A. on December 17, 2001. Merloni Elettrodomestici...has undertaken to comply with and promote the fundamental principles and rights at work established in conventions of the International Labour Organisation (IMF- International Metalworkers' Federation, 8 Jan. 2002)

Activists Press Burma Campaign: More Companies Agree That Labor Conditions Are Oppressive - A group called the Free Burma Coalition...has persuaded more than two dozen American corporations [including Ames Department Stores Inc., Jones Apparel Group, Sara Lee Corp., Family Dollar Stores Inc., TJX Cos. which operates T.J. Maxx stores, and Nautica International Inc.] over the past 18 months to stop importing goods made in Burma. (Kirstin Downey Grimsley, Washington Post, 5 Jan. 2002)

Walden Asset Management Announces Shareholder Advocacy Actions for 2002 [includes shareholder resolutions on the following issues & companies: Climate Change - Exxon Mobil, ChevronTexaco and Occidental Petroleum; Mercury Pollution - J.C. Penney and HCA; Indigenous Peoples' Rights - Lehman Brothers; Sweatshop/Vendor Standards - TJX, Kohl's, Delphi Automotive, Hasbro, Sears and Lowes; Health Risk Caused by Cigarette Filters - Eastman Chemical; Drug Accessibility - Abbott, Bristol-Myers Squibb; impact of drilling in environmentally sensitive areas - BP Amoco] (Walden Asset Management, 4 Jan. 2002)

Explosion at plastics factory injures 19 [Thailand] (Nuchanart Tangpatimakul, The Nation [Thailand], 4 Jan. 2002)

Bush yanks "blacklisting" for federal contractors: The Bush Administration will no longer consider a business' record of environmental, tax or labor abuses when handing out federal contracts, overturning a rule put in place on former president Bill Clinton's last day in office. (Andy Sullivan, Reuters, 1 Jan. 2002)

Toys Of Misery: A Report On the Toy Industry in China [reports on abusive working conditions, and calls on Wal-Mart, Toys R Us, Disney, Mattel, Hasbro & McDonald's to work with their Chinese contractors to clean up the factories, guarantee that labour laws are adhered to, protect workers from unsafe handling of toxic chemicals used in toy making, disclose location of the factories they use] (National Labor Committee, Jan. 2002)

Garment companies fail to move on living wage issue: Legal minimum wages are insufficient to cover the basic needs of even single workers according to "Wearing Thin: the State of Pay in the Fashion Industry", a report published recently by The UK network Labour Behind the Label, part of the International Clean Clothes Campaign. As part of this study, 12 companies were surveyed and none of them acknowledged the need to pay suppliers a price sufficient to pay workers a living wage. (Clean Clothes Campaign, Jan. 2002)

The pressure from above: Fiona Cuthbert, analyst at Morley Fund Management, talks to Ethical Corporation about the current Burma campaign and what a collective force of £400 billion in assets can do to encourage Corporate Social Responsibility programmes in multinational companies (Ethical Corporation magazine, Jan. 2002)

In this submission the ACTU [Australian Council of Trade Unions] recommends that employers be prohibited from requiring, requesting, collecting or disclosing information derived from genetic testing of current or potential employees: Protection of Human Genetic Information: ACTU Submission to the Australian Law Reform Commission and Australian Health Ethics Commission Inquiry (Australian Council of Trade Unions, Jan. 2002)

Corporate Complicity From Nuremberg to Rangoon: An Examination of Forced Labor Cases and Their Impact on the Liability of Multinational Corporations - Abstract: The article looks at nature and degree of complicity that gives rise to liability on the part of multinational corporations (MNCs) that operate in countries with repressive regimes. Specifically, it examines lawsuits in United States against these MNCs for violations of public international law under the federal Alien Torts Claim Act (ATCA). It also views the historical origins of corporate complicity, and examines the outcomes of British and American war crimes tribunal set up after the Second World War. Further, the article compares and contrasts these historical cases with the recent case brought in the federal district court against Unocal Corporation for alleged use of force labor in its pipeline project in Burma. (Professor Anita Ramasastry, University of Washington School of Law, in Berkeley Journal of International Law, vol. 20 no. 1, 2002)

The International Labour Organization: a handbook for minorities and indigenous peoples - This handbook gives an insider's view of how the ILO works. It explains how the Organization can be used by non-governmental organisations and other groups, to promote and protect minority and indigenous peoples' rights. (Chandra Roy and Mike Kaye,  Anti-Slavery International & Minority Rights Group International, 2002)

Values in the supply chain - In Focus 3: The executive summary - Value Chains: Lessons from the Kenya tea and Indonesia cocoa sectors - Summary (Ally Bedford, Mick Blowfield, Duncan Burnett and Peter Greenhalgh; Natural Resources Institute, Resource Centre for the Social Dimensions of Business Practice, 2002)

Doe v. Unocal: Forced Labor and Corporate Liability [Burma] - Burmese villagers brought a class action lawsuit in U.S. District Court charging the consortium with profiting from forced labor. "Doe v. Unocal: Forced Labor and Corporate Liability" presents a legal issue: whether Unocal is liable for the human rights violations of its government joint venture partner. (Howard Tolley, Jr. & Anne Lawrence, THRO - Teaching Human Rights Online, Urban Morgan Institute for Human Rights, 2002)