Current Campaigns and Initiatives

Dominican Republic
Hanes Begins Negotiations; Good Faith in Question

After months of resistance, Hanesbrands has begun negotiations with a union at its plant in the Dominican Republic, although the negotiations are reportedly not being conducted in good faith.  Workers at the TOS Dominica plant, which produces in part for the U.S. collegiate market, organized a union in July 2006. Management began a well-orchestrated anti-union campaign that included the firing of union members, threats, harassment, unpaid wages, and more, according a detailed report by the Worker Rights Consortium.

Last fall, Hanesbrand agreed to abide by the findings of the Dominican Ministry of Labor, but when the findings came out in favor of the union, Hanesbrand balked, brought in a major U.S.-based anti-union firm, and began taking legal actions against the union rather than respect the basic rights of its workers. The United Students Against Sweatshops, the International Textile, Garment and Leather Workers Federation, the AFL-CIO, the Washington Office on Latin America and USLEAP are working to escalate pressure on the company. The union is affiliated to the FEDOTRAZONAS (Dominican Federation of Free Trade Zone Workers).

Mexico
Victory Short-Lived

On January 23, 2008, one of Mexico’s largest jean makers closed one of its factories where workers had recently won an independent union. Workers in Mexico’s maquila sector have once again been denied the ability to exercise their basic rights. Brands that source from the jean maker, the Navarra Group, include Gap, Levi Strauss, American Eagle, Warncaco, Abercrombie & Fitch, The Limited, and Tommy Hilfiger.

The Vaquerras Navarra factory had extended the traditional Christmas break for “lack of orders” but when workers returned from their extra, and unpaid, vacation at the end of January, management announced the factory was permanently closed, claiming insufficient business. However, other Navarra factories in the area resumed operations after the traditional break for the holidays, and several U.S. clothing brands say that their efforts to direct their orders specifically to the Vaquerras factory in order to maintain production level were rebuffed

Workers, supported by the FAT (Authentic Labor Front) and the Human and Labor Rights Commission of the Tehuacan, won a break-through election in November 2007, defeating a corrupt protection contract union. International support has been led by the Maquila Solidarity Network.

The closing, coupled with the failure of the local labor board to certify the union’s election, exhibit once again the on-going collusion between government and business forces in Mexico that have combined to successfully resist most efforts by workers to form independent unions in the country’s maquila sector. At presstime, workers were demanding severance and other legal entitlements.

See the Maquila Solidarity Network for more information and suggested action.

Guatemala
One Union Factory Closed; Only One Remains

One of only two unionized factories in Guatemala's maquiladora sector
permanently shut its doors at the beginning of September, failing to
reopen after announcing a "temporary" shutdown in May. Workers at the
Cimatextiles won a union contract in 2003, simultaneously with workers
at a sister plant, Choishin.

The union and the company are currently in negotiations to resolve a
number of issues, including the rehiring of Cimatextiles union workers
and renewal of the collective bargaining agreement at Choishin.

Earlier, an independent investigation conducted by the Commission for
the Verification of Codes of Conduct (COVERCO) at the request of the
Fair Labor Association confirmed violations of freedom of association
and other problems that are also to be addressed, through a mediation
plan.

El Salvador
Just Garments Workers Still Need Support

Workers formerly employed by Just Garments in El Salvador are still owed back pay and severance. Just Garments was forced to close in April 2007, ending a long struggle to survive as a unionized producer for the "sweatfree" market in the U.S.

USLEAP continues to accept donations designated for the Just Garments workers. Click here for a full story of the founding of Just Garments and its valiant experiment.