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Monday, August 8, 2011
Friday, March 25, 2011
Centennial Commemoration of the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory Fire
Please see the following message from SweatFree Communities and the International Labor Rights Forum, reminding us of the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory tragedy which took 147 lives, 100 years ago today. In commemoration of this event and in an effort to prevent future catastrophes of this nature, while fighting for safe working conditions and fair labor rights, rallies are being held in Chicago, Boston, New York City, Philadelphia and Washington D.C.
It is important we understand the nature of operations of giant corporations, such as Walmart, and not permit them to continue to profit off of exploited workers earning wages along the lines of $6/month, while working 14 hour days, for sweatshops subcontracted by these conglomerates.
If you are interested in attending one of the events, please see the message below for details:
Today we commemorate the centennial of the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire, which took place in New York City 100 years ago on March 25, 1911. We mourn the 147 victims, women and children, mainly Italian and European Jewish immigrants. We celebrate labor movement victories that were sparked by the fire. We organize, saddened that garment workers again are dying on the job in fires, now in Bangladesh, where the wage paid for sewing clothing for the U.S. market is no more than $43 a month. We build solidarity between workers organizing at home and abroad for the common vision of living wages and the freedom to associate and bargain collectively. The parallels between garment work 100 years ago in New York and in Bangladesh today are striking-- to learn more, check out our new flier that presents the stark comparison.
Following a week of Triangle commemoration events in New York City, on Monday we are kicking off a speaking tour together with the United Food and Commercial Workers Union, Jobs with Justice, and United Students Against Sweatshops that will take us to Chicago, Boston, New York City, Philadelphia, and Washington D.C. The tour will support campaigns around Walmart both in cities where Walmart wants to expand and in Bangladesh where Walmart's subcontractor is contributing to the jailing of labor rights advocates. Our final tour stop will be part of the national WE ARE ONEevents. Our series of events will culminate with the "Not One More Fire! Organizing Globally--Remembering the Triangle Fire" reception on April 6th in which we'll honor the Bangladesh Center for Worker Solidarity along with Secretary of Labor Hilda Solis, United Steelworkers, and the American Federation of Teachers for their extraordinary commitment to workers worldwide.
You can help out by sharing the below email with your network in the tour cities. If you're along our route, we hope to see you at an event. Want to do more than publicity and turn-out? Then organize! Plan an action for April 4th, joining with working people in Wisconsin, Ohio, Indiana and other states that are facing attack on their freedoms.
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Walmart is interested in opening or expanding in all of the tour cities, which include Boston, Chicago, New York City, Philadelphia, and Washington, D.C. The company is spending a lot of money to change the debate from the real issue, which is how it treats its associates and creates poverty-level jobs throughout its supply chain. As the world’s largest retailer, how Walmart impacts workers across the globe is a good preview of what kind of jobs it would bring to our cities. Hear from workers representing multiple points in the Walmart supply chain.
Join us at one of these events!
CHICAGO: Monday, March 28th, 4:30-6:00 p.m.
Gage Gallery at Roosevelt University
18 South Michigan Avenue, Chicago, IL 60603
More info: Moises Zavala at 630-254-3100
Download the flier
RSVP optional on facebook
BOSTON: Tuesday, March 29, 6:00-7:30 p.m. Tufts University, Barnum Hall, Room 104
163 Packard Ave., Medford, MA 02155
More info: maryh@massjwj.net or 617-524-8778
Download the flier
RSVP optional on facebook
NEW YORK CITY: Thursday, March 31, 7:00- 8:30 p.m.
New York University, Philosophy Building – 1st Floor Auditorium,
5 Washington Place, New York, NY 10003
Download the flier
RSVP optional on facebook
PHILADELPHIA: Friday, April 1, 4:30 – 6:00 p.m.Swarthmore College, Kohlberg Hall, Room 226
500 College Ave, Swarthmore, PA 19081
Download the flier
RSVP optional on facebook
WASHINGTON DC: Monday, April 4, 6:00 - 7:30 p.m.George Washington University, Gelman Library,
IBT Labor History Research Center, Room 702
2130 H St NW, Washington D.C. 20002
Download the flier
RSVP optional on facebook
Speaker biographies:
Kalpona Akter started working in garment factories at 12 years old, working 14 hours a day for $6 a month. Fired and blacklisted for organizing at the sweatshop factory where she worked, she joined with other former garment workers to launch the Bangladesh Center for Worker Solidarity. Internationally known and respected, the Center is a grassroots organization dedicated to protecting the human and labor rights of workers and children in Bangladesh. In 2010, Walmart’s subcontractor filed a false criminal complaint against Kalpona, which resulted in her being arrested, imprisoned for 30 days and tortured. (Take action to support her case here.)
Aleya Akter is a sewing machine operator at a factory in Bangladesh that supplies apparel to Walmart and other brands. She began working in garment factories in 1994 at the age of nine. As a leader of workers at the factory, Aleya is committed to advocating for her rights on the job and for those of her coworkers. She is a member of the Bangladesh Center for Worker Solidarity.
Born and raised in Joliet, Illinois, Robert J. Hines, Jr. was a factory worker most of his life before getting a job at a warehouse that supplies Walmart stores. After four months of work, Robert realized he was being cheated out of payment for hours he’d worked. Disillusioned, he finished out the week and then quit. In the summer, Robert runs a landscaping business.
Originally from Pittsburgh, Cynthia Murray is the daughter of a Teamster and a former union member when she worked at United States Steel. She moved to Maryland 21 years ago and started working for the Washington Post as a driver, dropping off bundles of papers to the delivery people. In 2000, Cindy began working for Walmart as a fitting room associate. Throughout her time at Walmart, Cynthia has spoken out against the poverty-level wages and disrespect she and her coworkers experience from Walmart managers.
Tour sponsors include Making Change at Walmart (a Campaign of the United Food and Commercial Workers), Jobs with Justice, International Labor Rights Forum, United Students Against Sweatshops, SweatFree Communities
For more information, visit sweatfree.org/walmarttour2011 or call 413-586-0974.
It is important we understand the nature of operations of giant corporations, such as Walmart, and not permit them to continue to profit off of exploited workers earning wages along the lines of $6/month, while working 14 hour days, for sweatshops subcontracted by these conglomerates.
If you are interested in attending one of the events, please see the message below for details:
Today we commemorate the centennial of the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire, which took place in New York City 100 years ago on March 25, 1911. We mourn the 147 victims, women and children, mainly Italian and European Jewish immigrants. We celebrate labor movement victories that were sparked by the fire. We organize, saddened that garment workers again are dying on the job in fires, now in Bangladesh, where the wage paid for sewing clothing for the U.S. market is no more than $43 a month. We build solidarity between workers organizing at home and abroad for the common vision of living wages and the freedom to associate and bargain collectively. The parallels between garment work 100 years ago in New York and in Bangladesh today are striking-- to learn more, check out our new flier that presents the stark comparison.
Following a week of Triangle commemoration events in New York City, on Monday we are kicking off a speaking tour together with the United Food and Commercial Workers Union, Jobs with Justice, and United Students Against Sweatshops that will take us to Chicago, Boston, New York City, Philadelphia, and Washington D.C. The tour will support campaigns around Walmart both in cities where Walmart wants to expand and in Bangladesh where Walmart's subcontractor is contributing to the jailing of labor rights advocates. Our final tour stop will be part of the national WE ARE ONEevents. Our series of events will culminate with the "Not One More Fire! Organizing Globally--Remembering the Triangle Fire" reception on April 6th in which we'll honor the Bangladesh Center for Worker Solidarity along with Secretary of Labor Hilda Solis, United Steelworkers, and the American Federation of Teachers for their extraordinary commitment to workers worldwide.
You can help out by sharing the below email with your network in the tour cities. If you're along our route, we hope to see you at an event. Want to do more than publicity and turn-out? Then organize! Plan an action for April 4th, joining with working people in Wisconsin, Ohio, Indiana and other states that are facing attack on their freedoms.
Walmart is interested in opening or expanding in all of the tour cities, which include Boston, Chicago, New York City, Philadelphia, and Washington, D.C. The company is spending a lot of money to change the debate from the real issue, which is how it treats its associates and creates poverty-level jobs throughout its supply chain. As the world’s largest retailer, how Walmart impacts workers across the globe is a good preview of what kind of jobs it would bring to our cities. Hear from workers representing multiple points in the Walmart supply chain.
Join us at one of these events!
CHICAGO: Monday, March 28th, 4:30-6:00 p.m.
Gage Gallery at Roosevelt University
18 South Michigan Avenue, Chicago, IL 60603
More info: Moises Zavala at 630-254-3100
Download the flier
RSVP optional on facebook
BOSTON: Tuesday, March 29, 6:00-7:30 p.m. Tufts University, Barnum Hall, Room 104
163 Packard Ave., Medford, MA 02155
More info: maryh@massjwj.net or 617-524-8778
Download the flier
RSVP optional on facebook
NEW YORK CITY: Thursday, March 31, 7:00- 8:30 p.m.
New York University, Philosophy Building – 1st Floor Auditorium,
5 Washington Place, New York, NY 10003
Download the flier
RSVP optional on facebook
PHILADELPHIA: Friday, April 1, 4:30 – 6:00 p.m.Swarthmore College, Kohlberg Hall, Room 226
500 College Ave, Swarthmore, PA 19081
Download the flier
RSVP optional on facebook
WASHINGTON DC: Monday, April 4, 6:00 - 7:30 p.m.George Washington University, Gelman Library,
IBT Labor History Research Center, Room 702
2130 H St NW, Washington D.C. 20002
Download the flier
RSVP optional on facebook
Speaker biographies:
Kalpona Akter started working in garment factories at 12 years old, working 14 hours a day for $6 a month. Fired and blacklisted for organizing at the sweatshop factory where she worked, she joined with other former garment workers to launch the Bangladesh Center for Worker Solidarity. Internationally known and respected, the Center is a grassroots organization dedicated to protecting the human and labor rights of workers and children in Bangladesh. In 2010, Walmart’s subcontractor filed a false criminal complaint against Kalpona, which resulted in her being arrested, imprisoned for 30 days and tortured. (Take action to support her case here.)
Aleya Akter is a sewing machine operator at a factory in Bangladesh that supplies apparel to Walmart and other brands. She began working in garment factories in 1994 at the age of nine. As a leader of workers at the factory, Aleya is committed to advocating for her rights on the job and for those of her coworkers. She is a member of the Bangladesh Center for Worker Solidarity.
Born and raised in Joliet, Illinois, Robert J. Hines, Jr. was a factory worker most of his life before getting a job at a warehouse that supplies Walmart stores. After four months of work, Robert realized he was being cheated out of payment for hours he’d worked. Disillusioned, he finished out the week and then quit. In the summer, Robert runs a landscaping business.
Originally from Pittsburgh, Cynthia Murray is the daughter of a Teamster and a former union member when she worked at United States Steel. She moved to Maryland 21 years ago and started working for the Washington Post as a driver, dropping off bundles of papers to the delivery people. In 2000, Cindy began working for Walmart as a fitting room associate. Throughout her time at Walmart, Cynthia has spoken out against the poverty-level wages and disrespect she and her coworkers experience from Walmart managers.
Tour sponsors include Making Change at Walmart (a Campaign of the United Food and Commercial Workers), Jobs with Justice, International Labor Rights Forum, United Students Against Sweatshops, SweatFree Communities
For more information, visit sweatfree.org/walmarttour2011 or call 413-586-0974.
------------------------
Wednesday, February 9, 2011
The Sound of Broken Chains, Pagina 12 (English Translation)
On January 22, 2010, the clothing brand No Chains, a joint effort of the Argentine cooperative La Alameda and the Thai cooperative Dignity Returns, held a simultaneous launching in their respective countries. The launch serves to promote the incorporation of other organizations to form a network for a solidarity economy.
In order to advance the fight against slave labor in textile factories, the brand No Chains, driven by the Argentine cooperative La Alameda and the Thai cooperative Dignity Returns, presented three new designs in its clothing line. The global brand continued its project (which was started in June of 2010) and publicized by Página 12, after two years in the making. Among its recent achievements, No Chains managed to link organizations in such diverse sectors of the globe as Nicaragua and the Philippines. By the middle of this year, No Chains hopes to have its own slave labor free clothing store in Buenos Aires.
To get an inside peek of what No Chains has planned, and to explore its brief but intense history, Página 12 spoke with Doris Lee, coordinator of the Asia Monitor Resource Centre. Ms. Lee served as the liaison between the Argentine and Thai cooperatives, which later gave birth to the global brand No Chains, whose name “symbolizes the fight for a world without chains.” According to Ms. Lee, the intention of the launch of the three new models (Messages of Freedom, The Load, and Free) was “to continue promoting fair trade and a solidarity economy.”
Since the work accomplished in 2010, “there has been interest from unions and unemployed workers to join the initiative, which is growing little by little”, proclaimed Ms. Lee, while recognizing that the fight against slave labor is not a simple one. “The markets have to adjust to a solidarity economy”, Ms. Lee defined as being a long term goal of the brand. “We are hopeful about our work, because consumer organizations in both Europe and the United States have been supportive”, said Ms. Lee.
On this side of the world, the Solidarity Economy Market in the Palermo neighborhood of Buenos Aires, Argentina, which will serve as a presentation room for the launch of the new clothing line, members of La Alameda told Página 12about the achievements of No Chains thus far. The organization is maintaining conversations with textile worker cooperatives in the Philippines, Italy, Nicaragua and the United States, in order to expand its global reach. Contact with these workers’ movements developed in the Clean Clothes meeting held last November in Istanbul, where proposals were discussed for combating the brands that subject workers to servitude. In Argentina, progress on future projects has been discussed with a labor organization from Mar del Plata (Si) and Polo Textil de Barracas, which is supported by the National Institute of Industrial Technology (INTI).
Gustavo Vera and Tamara Rosemberg, both of La Alameda, listed the requisites for a cooperative to become part of No Chains, stating they must “work without a boss, have a direct union democracy, divide the profits equally amongst the workers and join in the fight for the other struggling workers in the world.”
“We are convinced that without a boss, factories can still turn a profit and function”, said Olga Cruz, a No Chains supporter and workers’ rights activist, who speaks from personal experience. “Whichever of the garment workers receives money from the buyers, it is shared equally, we can talk while we work without being scolded, people can enter the shop and watch us work, we are not hidden”, said Ms. Cruz.
Today (January 22, 2011) from 9:30 and simultaneously with the Thai cooperative, La Alameda will reveal the new collection of the No Chains brand to an audience including journalists, artists and models. The venue is in Bonpland 1660, in Palermo, where the Solidarity Economy Market operates. The shirts will cost 60 pesos, but today, as the first day of the launch, they will be sold at half price.
“The aim of this project is to make people aware of the conditions under which garments are made”, said Vera, who also described No Chains as a “militant brand” in the fight against slave labor.
Translation by Daniel Kaplan
Original link in Spanish: http://www.pagina12.com.ar/diario/sociedad/3-160929-2011-01-22.html
The new T-shirts will be presented today at the Bonpland solidarity economy market, at half price. Photo: Guadalupe Lombardo
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