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October 2017 E-News

Massive Petition Delivery as NAFTA Talks Enter Round Four
Brands Must Respond to Human Rights Violations in Cambodia
Migrant Workers Prosecuted for Reporting Exploitation in Thailand 
87th Labor Leader in Guatemala Murdered Since 2004
The Potential Power of the U.S. OECD National Contact Point
How Severance Became Mandatory for Brands

Sewing Hope Book Release


Massive Petition Delivery as NAFTA Talks Enter Round Four

Tomorrow, October 11th, marks the start of the fourth of seven rounds of NAFTA talks. Activists will join Congressional and union leaders as a petition with over 350,000 signatures is delivered to Congress demanding that NAFTA’s expansive corporate rights and protections and Investor-State Dispute Settlement (ISDS) be eliminated during renegotiations. If you’re in the Washington D.C. area, help deliver the petitions in person. Not nearby? Email your members of Congress directly using this tool on our website.

Photo courtesy of ILRF


Brands Must Respond to Human Rights Violations in Cambodia

Recent, high-profile incidents of repression against political leaders, non-governmental organizations, and independent media in Cambodia have labor rights organizations deeply concerned. As the trend towards closing democratic and civil society space in Cambodia continues, international NGOs are calling on multinational apparel companies sourcing from Cambodia to take a stand against this repression, and to urge the Cambodian government to respect human rights and labor rights. The latest press release from international NGOs makes the case that it's critical for brands to insist that the government respect and defend the rights of the workers producing their garments through direct engagement in the situation.

Photo courtesy of rsumpoty on Flickr


Migrant Workers Prosecuted for Reporting Exploitation in Thailand

Fourteen migrant workers are facing up to one and a half year of imprisonment and/or fines of up to 30,000 Thai baht (US$900) for criminal defamation and other charges brought by Thammakaset Co. Ltd. The workers allege that the company seriously violated their rights. Migrant rights activist Andy Hall also faces criminal defamation charges related to the case. The use of defamation laws to go after investigators and workers seeking to document how companies in Thailand violate national labor laws and workers’ rights has a chilling impact on research into corporate supply chains. Read more details in this press release.

Photo courtesy of ILRF


87th Labor Leader in Guatemala Murdered Since 2004

In Guatemala trade unionists are systematically harassed and persecuted for speaking out against labor rights abuses. On September 1, Tomas Francisco Ochoa Salazar became the 87th labor leader killed in the country since 2004. In response to this most recent act of violence, 38 NGOs and unions in the United States and Europe sent a joint letter to Guatemalan President Jimmy Morales Cabrera demanding justice for Tomas. Read more about the situation for human rights defenders in Guatemala and letter sent to the President.

Photo courtesy of ILRF


The Potential Power of the U.S. OECD National Contact Point

The United States National Contact Point (U.S. NCP) is a mechanism through which people harmed by American companies’ activities and operations can bring their grievances. The U.S. NCP office is slated to come under review this month to assess its effectiveness in practice. This is potentially significant, as this office plays an important role in clarifying expectations to companies on how to operate in a socially responsible manner. It also has the potential to enable some form of remediation for victims of corporate human rights abuses. Read our blog to learn about our recommended reforms to make the U.S. NCP complaint process friendlier to workers and affected communities.

Photo courtesy of USAID


How Severance Became Mandatory for Global Brands

When the Rio Garment factory in Honduras shuttered its doors without warning, 533 workers were first left with $1.3 million owed in unpaid compensation and severance. All too often, workers in the global apparel industry have been denied their legally-owed severance pay when factories close and brands deny responsibility. But, in the past few years, labor rights advocates internationally have combined forces with grassroots unions to pave the way for a change in this norm. Learn more in our article published by Labor Notes.

Photo courtesy of United Students Against Sweatshops


Sewing Hope Book Release

Sewing Hope: How One Factory Challenges the Apparel Industry's Sweatshops is hot off the press. Sewing Hope offers the first account of a bold challenge to apparel-industry sweatshops through the story of the Alta Gracia factory in the Dominican Republic. The factory boasts a living wage three times the legal minimum, high health and safety standards, and a legitimate union—all verified by an independent monitor. If you’re in the Washington D.C. area, please join a reception and discussion with co-author John Kline and Donnie Hodge, CEO and Owner of Alta Gracia, on October 24th. For those in the Bay Area, check out this event with co-author Sarah Adler-Milstein on November 11th. 

Photo courtesy of ILRF

 

This email was sent by the International Labor Rights Forum.  
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