Blog

Get Ready for Reverse Trick-or-Treating!

August 21, 2009

Reverse Trick-or-Treating is a fun way to inform others about child labor and unfair conditions in the global production of cocoa while promoting positive alternatives and inspiring action.  While you are waiting for your Reverse Trick-or-Treating kit to arrive and planning out your Halloween costume, you can also take action by participating in our Fair Trade S'mores action this summer -- all the details are online here!  There are a number of aspects of this campaign you can get involved in:

Financial Crisis Creates New Difficulties for Export-Oriented Labor

August 20, 2009

The investigation identified four widespread trends:

1. Poor working conditions: Migrant workers cannot take the decision to leave their jobs lightly. Since the advent of the economic crisis, workers have had to tolerate increasingly poor working conditions. Workers at some factories in the investigation had to work 14 hours every day in order to retain their jobs, and at times, working hours extended through the night to the following day.

Workers Responding to Crisis #4: Updates from Cameroon, Egypt, South Korea and more!

August 14, 2009

Egypt

The Center for Trade Unions and Workers Services (CTUWS) recently released their fifth report analyzing the impact of the economic crisis on Egyptian workers.  The report monitors ongoing layoffs and ways the crisis is spreading to new sectors at the expense of workers.  There is also a table in the report that shows all of the recent major layoffs and how workers have responded including organizing protests and sit-ins.

South Korea

Students protest Russell Athletics

August 12, 2009

In addition to the work of students, ILRF and other anti-sweatshop organizations have been quite active in supporting workers.  ILRF helped introduce a shareholder resolution at Berkshire Hathaway’s meeting this year given that Berkshire is the parent company of Russell.  Another avenue utilized included ILRF and  several other organizations in filing a petition to the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights concerning freedom of association violations within Russell’s supply chain.  ILRF has also continued to follow this issue as you can see in a

Child Trafficking in the Cocoa Industry Continues, but There's a New Way to Take Action!

August 5, 2009

ILRF is joining many other organizations across the country to saying "We Want More from our S'mores" this summer.  We've had enough of abusive child labor and trafficking in the cocoa industry.  We want justice and fairness for cocoa farmers and their families.  Part of the answer is to ensure that cocoa farmers get a fair price for their cocoa beans, so we are calling on Hershey to start purchasing Fair Trade Certified cocoa for their chocolate.  This summer, people across the country are P1011054

USTR's Kirk Commits to Labor Enforcement in Trade

July 23, 2009

Provisions of existing free trade agreements require signatory nations to uphold domestic labor laws and pursue or adhere to international labor norms.  To date, enforcement of these provisions has been carried out largely on a complaint-driven basis. Existing complaint mechanisms have been largely ineffectual due their inaccessibility to foreign workers and the lack of capacity for resource poor organizations and unions to document and file complaints. In addition, complaints take years and years to resolve and workers see little in return for engaging in such processes.

Honduran and International Labor Movement Fights Back Against Military Coup - Lend a Hand!

July 21, 2009

Editorials in the Chicago Tribune and Los Angeles Times last week called on the Obama Administration to do more to support the return of President Manuel Zelaya.  A resolution opposing the coup in Honduras has been introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives and needs your support.  Take action today to oppose the coup in Honduras and support Honduran unions who are fighting back.

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