By Alan Gomez

Labor leaders overseas are turning increasingly to an obscure 18th-century law that could for the first time make U.S. companies liable at home for the violent and sometimes murderous actions of their employees around the world.

Several lawsuits alleging violation of the Alien Tort Statute are awaiting trial in federal courts, filed with the help of unions and activist groups in the USA.

One against Geo W. Drummond Ltd. of Alabama alleges the contracting company's subsidiary in Colombia paid death squads to kill labor leaders.

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Child labour is continuing to be used in the farming of cocoa, which is used to make chocolate.

.... “Hey kid, do you speak English?" “Yes, sir." “Are you a slave, or what?" “Yes, sir. I was kidnapped from my home country of Mali. I work 14 hours a day; they beat me and won't let me go." “What are you picking?" “Cocoa, sir."

EMERYVILLE, Calif. - A coalition of organizations and industry players have launched a new certification program recognizing socially responsible business practices by agricultural businesses.

The group includes Scientific Certification Systems (SCS), a sustainability standards developer and certifier in sectors such as food, forestry, fisheries, and cut flowers; Numi Organic Tea, the International Labor Rights Fund, and NSF International, an independent nonprofit developer of standards and certifications for food, water, and consumer goods...