Maquila Workers and Anti-Sweatshop Movement Win Huge Victory in (of all places) Honduras

Despite growing concerns about increased violence as coup leaders in Honduras press forward to hold illegitimate elections at the end of November, maquila workers in the country won a huge victory announced on November 17 when Russell Athletics agreed to open a unionized facility, rehire hundreds of workers, and respect freedom of association at all of its facilities in Honduras.   The agreement was signed with the General Confederation of Workers (CGT) and came after a vigorous campaign led by the United Students Against Sweatshops (USAS) and interventions by the Worker Rights Consortium (WRC), the Maquila Solidarity Network and other members of the anti-sweatshop movement, including USLEAP.

If implemented, the agreement would represent one of the most significant achievements in the struggle for worker rights in the Central American maquiladora sector since it began exporting to the North American market over twenty years ago.

Russell has long been a campaign target of USAS, and of WRC investigations, but the campaign against the company intensified after independent studies confirmed that Russell’s  closing of its Honduras Jerzees plant in January 2009 was in part a reprisal against union organizing.   USAS persuaded dozens of colleges and universities to cease business with Russell, a major collegiate apparel provider.   Another important component of the victory was the decision by the Fair Labor Association (FLA), a body set up to monitor university codes of conduct and often criticized for being too close to the apparel industry, to place Russell “under review” in June and then extend the review in late September because the company had failed to, among other things, negotiate a resolution with the CGT union.  

USLEAP played a modest support role, leading a sign-on letter with other anti-sweatshop groups in the spring that targeted Russell customers and another sign-on letter this fall that urged FLA to not let Russell off the hook and continue the review.