MESSICO: 800 lavoratori della Kuk Dong International, azienda coreana che
produce per Nike in Messico, Indonesia e Brasile, scioperano dal 9 gennaio
per chiedere condizioni di lavoro più umane e il riconoscimento del
loro
sindacato. I manifestanti sono attaccati dalla polizia mentre presidiano la
fabbrica: 15 finiscono in ospedale, 2 sindacalisti vengono portati via con
la forza e minacciati.
(Richiesta di azione urgente pervenuta alla Clean clothes campaign da
US/LEAP sulla base di fonti locali (per maggiori informazioni:
www.usleap.org). Le notizie sugli esiti dello sciopero provengono da un
rappresentante dei gruppi studenteschi americani collegati alla rete USAS
(United students against sweatshops - www.usasnet.org) presente sul posto.)
ISTRUZIONI
Di seguito trovate: 1) Riepilogo del caso; 2) Sintesi in italiano dell'email
da inviare a Nike; 3) Testo dell'email da copiare e inviare a Nike con copia
a Kuk Dong (chi vuole puo' scrivere anche al governatore dello stato del
Puebla che ha ordinato di attaccare gli scioperanti (fax (22)46-0271)
seguendo le istruzioni riportate nel testo originale della Clean clothes
campaign che trovate in coda al mio messaggio); 4) messaggio originale in
lingua inglese.
IL CASO
La causa scatenante dello sciopero e' il licenziamento di 20 persone seguito
alle proteste per la qualità scadente del cibo della mensa e per i
bassi
salari (30$ per 45 ore di lavoro settimanali). Motivi di malcontento sono
anche gli straordinari forzati (anche per i giovani fra i 14 e i 16 anni,
illegalmente costretti a lavorare fino a 10 ore al giorno), gli abusi
verbali, il rifiuto di pagare le indennita' di legge, per esempio per il
congedo per maternita'. La Kuk Dong International non e' nuova a queste
pratiche: in Indonesia e' stata al centro di conflitti di lavoro per il suo
rifiuto a pagare il salario minimo. I lavoratori messicani (ma sarebbe
meglio dire le lavoratrici, in quanto le maestranze sono costituite in
massima parte da giovani donne provenienti dalle campagne intorno a Atlixco)
sono inoltre costretti ad aderire a un sindacato di comodo, mentre
vorrebbero esercitare il loro diritto alla liberta' di associazione.
Ricevono il sostegno della UNT (National Workers Union), una confederazione
di sindacati indipendenti. Intendono continuare la loro protesta nonostante
le minacce di licenziamento e ci chiedono di aiutarli.
Dalla loro viva voce:
Lettera di una lavoratrice della Kuk Dong di Atlixco
Fratelli e sorelle,
Siamo lavoratori della Kuk Dong International. Confezioniamo felpe per la
Nike, alcune con il logo di universita' americane.
Lavoriamo qui da piu' di un anno subendo continui maltrattamenti da parte
dei sorveglianti coreani. Alcuni ci parlano nella loro lingua, e anche se
non comprendiamo le parole, non c'e' stato difficile scoprire che il termine
piu' usato per riferirsi a noi e' "feccia".
Ci rivolgiamo a voi per chiedervi sostegno e solidarieta' con lo sciopero
che abbiamo iniziato. Non vogliamo danneggiare l'azienda, ma liberarci di
un
sindacato a cui siamo stati costretti ad aderire sotto la minaccia del
licenziamento. I nuovi assunti hanno sottoscritto l'adesione senza che gli
venisse spiegato che cosa stavano firmando. E' cosi' che il sindacato e'
divenuto forte, ma nell'interesse dell'azienda e di se stesso, non
nell'interesse dei lavoratori. E' per questo che siamo scesi in sciopero,
per dire che non siamo d'accordo e che vogliamo essere ascoltati.
Vi ringraziamo dell'attenzione. Cordiali saluti.
Josefina Hernandez Ponce
(Josefina e' una dei due sindacalisti portati via con la forza dalla
polizia, minacciati, e poi rilasciati, n.d.t.)
SINTESI IN ITALIANO DELL'EMAIL DA INVIARE A NIKE (CON COPIA A KUK DONG)
Riceviamo informazioni delle proteste in corso alla Kuk Dong di Atlixco,
Messico che produce per voi. I lavoratori scioperano dal 9 gennaio contro
le
violazioni dei loro diritti e il licenziamento di 20 persone. Vi chiediamo
di inviare sul posto un vostro rappresentante con il mandato specifico di
incontrare i lavoratori e di facilitare una soluzione negoziale sulla base
delle loro richieste: 1)riconoscimento del sindacato indipendente Kuk Dong
Workers' Coalition 2) rientro dei lavoratori licenziati 3) nessuna
ritorsione per chi ha partecipato allo sciopero
TESTO DELL'EMAIL DA INVIARE A NIKE (CON COPIA A KUK DONG)
Inviare il messaggio attraverso l'email di Simon Pestridge:
simon.pestridge@nike.com, oppure di Vada Manager: vada.manager@nike.com) con
copia a Kuk Dong (kukdong@avante.net.mx):
To Mr. Philip H. Knight,
Chairman and CEO Nike, Inc.
Dear Mr. Knight,
We have been informed of the ongoing protests at the Kuk Dong factory at
Atlixco, Mexico, a Korean-based Nike
producer. Workers have been on strike since January, 9th to protest against
continued labor abuses and the firing of 20
workers. We call on you to send a fully authorized representative to
Atlixco with specific instructions to meet with the workers' organization,
facilitate a resolution and publicly ratify an agreement with the company
that meets the workers' following demands:
1) That the company recognize the independent workers' organization, the
Kuk
Dong Workers' Coalition, as the legitimate representative of the workers and
agree to deal with them as such.
2) That Kuk Dong reinstate all illegally fired workers.
3) That Kuk Dong agree not to fire or take reprisals against anyone for
having participated in the stoppage or other protests.
We hope we will be soon hearing positive news in this regard.
Yours sincerely,
(nome, cognome ed eventuale organizzazione di appartenenza)
INVIATE ANCHE UN MESSAGGIO DI SOLIDARIETA' AI LAVORATORI DELLA KUK DONG
(email: elevenzapatos@hotmail.com oppure: librado@gofairtrade.net) se potete
in spagnolo, altrimenti in lingua italiana (qualcosa di molto semplice
perche' sia comprensibile, del tipo: "La nostra solidarieta' con i
lavoratori messicani della Kuk Dong"
------
Chi vuole essere escluso dalla lista o vuole ricevere informazioni sulla
Clean Clothes Campaign puo' inviare un messaggio a: ermont@tin.it
Ersilia Monti (Coordinametno lombardo nord/sud del mondo)
P.le Governo Provvisorio 6
20127 Milano
tel. 02-26140345
email: ermont@tin.it
------
-----Messaggio originale-----
Da: Clean Clothes Campaign <info@cleanclothes.org>
A: cleanclothes@xs4all.nl <cleanclothes@xs4all.nl>; fsoli@magnet.at
<fsoli@magnet.at>; decladeberne@club.ch <decladeberne@club.ch>;
reseau-solidarite@globenet.org <reseau-solidarite@globenet.org>;
ermont@tin.it <ermont@tin.it>; frieda.dekoninck@wsm.be
<frieda.dekoninck@wsm.be>; nead@gn.apc.org <nead@gn.apc.org>;
women-ww@mcr1.poptel.org.uk <women-ww@mcr1.poptel.org.uk>;
ropalimpia@pangea.org <ropalimpia@pangea.org>; carole.crabbe@mdmoxfam.be
<carole.crabbe@mdmoxfam.be>; hvh@xminy.nl <hvh@xminy.nl>;
erstling-u@vemission.org <erstling-u@vemission.org>;
Jack.Catarata@dgb-bildungswerk.de <Jack.Catarata@dgb-bildungswerk.de>;
info@renaklader.org <info@renaklader.org>; samuel.poos@mdmoxfam.be
<samuel.poos@mdmoxfam.be>; asa.svensson@lotcobistand.org
<asa.svensson@lotcobistand.org>
Data: lunedì 15 gennaio 2001 17.43
Oggetto: urgent: striking workers assaulted at Nike factory
approved:trui19
Dear Friends,
An update from US-LEAP on the situation at the Mexican factory producing
for Nike where workers are on strike.
----------------------------------------------------
This is courtesy of a member of USAS who is now on the scene in Mexico.
POLICE ASSAULT STRIKING KUKDONG WORKERS
On Thursday January 12, 2001 at around 10:30pm police in full riot gear
attacked the 300 workers that were guarding the Kukdong factory. The police
were led by Rene Sanchez Juarez, the leader of the illegitimate
unrepresentative union against which the workers have beeen fighting. The
group of workers included pregnant women as well as minors. There was an
excessive use of force on the part of the police. This was uncalled for
considering that once the workers saw the approaching police officers, they
threw their arms up in the air and retreated to the exits. Yet they were
atill hit, pulled, pushed and insulted. At least 15 workers ended up in the
hospital and were later released, two still remain hospitalized as of Friday
morning.
At the time of the arrest, two leaders were violently kidnapped by the
judicial police, threatened and then released. The kidnapped leaders were
Claudia Ochoterena and Josefina Hernandez (who had written the letter on the
previous update).
Workers plan to continue mobilizing, despite the company's threat to fire
workers who do not return to work, and need support, both moral and
political. Please continue to pressure Nike and Kukdong so that there is
dialog with the workers and their demands are met. Nike needs to be held
responsible for the gross violations of human rights by Kukdong and the
Mexican police. Please continue to send solidarity messages to this
address: elevenzapatos@hotmail.com
Please send letters calling on Nike to publicly accept responsibility for
the
situation in Kuk Dong and agree to send a fully authorized representative
to
Atlixco with specific instructions to meet with the workers' organization
to
facilitate a resolution and publicly ratify an agreement with the company
that meets the workers' following demands:
1) That the company recognize the independent workers' organization, the
Kuk
Dong Workers' Coalition, as the legitimate representative of the workers and
agree to deal with them as such.
2) That Kuk Dong reinstate all illegally fired workers.
3) That Kuk Dong agree not to fire or take reprisals against anyone for
having participated in the stoppage or other protests.
Letters should be sent to:
Philip H. Knight,
Chairman and CEO NIKE, Inc.
One Bowerman Drive
Beaverton, OR 97003-6433
Fax: (503) 671-6300
or via the email addresses of
Simon Pestridge: simon.pestridge@nike.com
Vada Manager: vada.manager@nike.com
Letters to Kukdong can be sent to kukdong@avante.net.mx and/or faxed to
011-52-244-610-24.
Letters should also be sent to the following public officials in Mexico,
denouncing police violence against a legitimate worker protest, and calling
on them to use their leverage to pressure the company to accept the workers'
demands. In particular, letters should be sent to the Governor of the State
of Puebla, who ordered the police to storm the factory.
Lic. Vicente Fox Quesada
Presidente de los Estados Unidos Mexicanos
Residencia Oficial de los Pinos
Col. San Miguel Chapultepec
C.P. 11850
Tel. (5) 515-05 28
Fax (5) 515-1794
Lic. Carlos Abascal Carranza
Secretaría del Trabajo y Previsión Social
Periférico Sur No. 4271, Edif. A, piso 4
Col. Fuentes del pedregal
C.P. 14149
Tel. (5) 645-2962 y 645-5591
Fax (5) 645-5594
Lic. Melquíades Morales Flores
Gobernador del Estado de Puebla
Palacio de Gobierno
Col. Centro
C.P. 7200
Puebla, Puebla
Tel (22) 32-0442
Fax (22) 46-0271
Lic. Roberto González
Secretario del Trabajo y Previsión Social del estado de Puebla
Edificio SELAFE 31, Poniente 2904
Fraccionamiento El Vergel
C.P. 72400
Puebla, Puebla
Tel. (22) 49-9076
Fax (22) 30-1670 ext. 300
Lic. Maximiliano Jiménez Ramírez
Presidente de la Junta de Conciliación y Arbitraje
del estado de Puebla
Edificio SELAFE 31, Poniente 2904
Fraccionamiento El Vergel
C.P. 72400
Puebla, Puebla
Tel. (22) 49-9076
Fax (22) 30-1670 ext. 300
Ing. José Luis Galeazzi Berra
Presidente Municipal de Atlixco
Plaza de Armas No. 1
Centro
C.P. 74200
Tel (244) 500-28 y 502-81
Fax (244) 53406
E-mail h-ayto-@rpc.com.mx
USAS webpage: http://www.usasnet.org
Clean Clothes Campaign
PO Box 11584
1001 GN Amsterdam
The Netherlands
tel: + 31 20 4122785
fax: + 31 20 4122786
e-mail:ccc@xs4all.nl
15 gennaio 2001
approved:trui19
Dear Friends,
The CCC has received the following call to action in support of workers at
Kuk Dong Factory, producing for Nike and various U.S. universities, from
various sources. The alert below was prepared by the US/LEAP based upon
sources from Mexico. See their website at www.usleap.org for updates.
Contact Nike today regarding this case and send a solidarity message to the
workers.
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Nike Workers in Mexico Fighting Against Sweatshop Conditions and for an
Independent Union - Immediate Action Needed!
Tell Nike to be sure their Compliance Officer in the factory talks to the
protesting workers!
Reported 1-12-01
All 800 workers at the Kuk Dong factory, which produces for Nike and many
U.S. universities, have been staging a work stoppage to protest labor abuses
since 8:00 am, Tuesday the 9th.
A Nike code of conduct compliance officer is currently on the factory
premises. The union deserves to meet with the Nike compliance officer to
let their voices be heard. Nike needs to know that workers say Nike's code
of conduct is being violated!
Reportedly, the immediate cause of the strike was the firing of 20 workers
who had complained about rotten food in the cafeteria and low wages ($30 for
a 45-hour week). The workers also complain of forced overtime (including 14
to 16 year old workers who are legally required to work no more than 6 hours
a day and are instead working 10), verbal abuse, and failure to give legally
mandated benefits like maternity leave. Finally, workers say the factory
has a union which is said to be in bed with the company. The workers want
to exercise their right to freedom of association and create a new
independent union in its place. Negotiations were set for Thursday the
11th, but were cancelled at the last minute.
The workers demand that:
1) All workers return to work, including the fired workers.
2) The company agrees not to fire or take reprisals against anyone for
having participated in the stoppage or other protests
3) The company recognizes the Kuk Dong Workers' Coalition as the legitimate
representative of the workers and agrees to deal with them as such, pending
a legal process that will take some time to conclude.
Workers plan to continue the stoppage until the company meets the demands.
Already they have been harassed with anonymous threatening notes and there
is some fear that the police or union thugs might attack them. The workers
are supported by their parents (most of the workers are young women from
rural villages surrounding Atlixco) and the UNT (National Workers Union),
an
independent and democratic union federation. Many workers are single parents
and are the sole wage earners for their families, which makes the wage
issues especially pertinent.
Kuk Dong International is a Korean-based Nike producer with large factories
in Indonesia, Brazil and Mexico. Reports indicate that there have been
repeated labor disputes at Kuk Dong's Indonesian factory, most recently over
the failure to pay a minimum wage.
Suggested Actions:
1) Contact Nike ASAP! Let the company know that you are aware of the events
at the Kuk Dong factory in Mexico and that the company has a code of conduct
compliance officer on the premises. Request that this officer meet with the
Kuk Dong workers, document their complaints, and that the company support
the workers' demands to rehire the fired workers, not take any action or
reprisals against workers who have participated in the protests, and
recognize the Kuk Dong Workers' Coalition as the legitimate representative
of the workers. Be sure to tell Nike not to "cut and run" from this
labor
dispute and warn them that to do so would tarnish their reputation.
Contact:
Philip H. Knight,
Chairman and CEO NIKE, Inc.
One Bowerman DriveBeaverton, OR 97003-6433
Fax: (503) 671-6300
Hannah Jones
Director European Government and Community Affairs
Nike Europe
165 Avenue Louise
Brussels 1050 Belgium
Fax: 322-646-6908
2) Send letters of solidarity (preferably in Spanish) to the workers at the
following e-mail address: librado@gofairtrade.net
LETTER FROM A KUKDONG WORKER
Brothers and Sisters:
We are workers at the Kuk Dong Internacional SA de CV factory. We make
sweatshirts for Nike, some with university logos.
We have been working for a year and month, during which we have suffered
mistreatment from the Korean supervisors. Some talk to us in their language,
and though we do not understand them at the moment, after researching the
words, we know that what they call us the most means "trash".
We write you to ask for your support and solidarity with the work stoppage
we have begun. We don't want to hurt the company, we just want to remove the
union, since we were forced to join it and threatened with being fired if
we
did not. People who started work in the factory were made to sign their
affiliation without knowing what they were signing. The union gained power,
but this power was not to help the workers, but to serve the union's and the
company's interests. Therefore we were forced to stop work to show our
disagreement, and to be heard.
We thank you for your attention,
Sincerely,
Josefina Hernandez Ponce
-----------------------------------------
This alert was prepared by the US/LEAP based upon sources from Mexico. See
their website at www.usleap.org for updates.
Clean Clothes Campaign
PO Box 11584
1001 GN Amsterdam
The Netherlands
tel: + 31 20 4122785
fax: + 31 20 4122786
e-mail:ccc@xs4all.nl
LA VERSIONE DEI FATTI DI NIKE
Nike scrive che ci sono state molte accuse infondate in merito ai suoi
rapporti con Kukdong. Una di queste riguarda la notizia che gruppi di
lavoratori sarebbero stati licenziati o sospesi in seguito allo sciopero.
In
realta' piu' di due terzi di essi sono rientrati spontaneamente al lavoro.
Kukdong lavora per Nike su base stagionale e in questo momento non ha in
lavorazione sue commesse, ma commesse di altre aziende fra cui un
concorrente.
Nike non vuole interrompere i rapporti con Kukdong ma agevolare il
raggiungimento di una soluzione. Sta seguendo l'evolvere della situazione
attraverso canali locali (cita un esperto del lavoro indipendente, il
funzionario preposto alla verifica del rispetto del codice di condotta, la
direzione della fabbrica, non meglio precisati difensori dei diritti dei
lavoratori). Una organizzazione per la difesa dei diritti dei lavoratori
nordamericana ha messo a disposizione un esperto nella legislazione locale
che ha gia' preso contatto con la direzione della Kukdong, la quale, insieme
al sindacato, ha nominato un proprio mediatore. Per quanto e' a conoscenza
di Nike, il 16 gennaio circa due terzi dei lavoratori hanno sospeso lo
sciopero. La direzione della fabbrica si e' accordata con quelli che per
vari motivi hanno scelto di riprendere il lavoro quando la situazione si
sara' normalizzata (una tale "cortesia" non capita neanche da noi:
suona
come se la Kukdong avesse sospeso della gente impedendole di riprendere il
lavoro, n.d.t.). Nike sostiene il diritto dei lavoratori a organizzarsi e
crede che con l'aiuto di esperti e mediatori indipendenti locali si possa
arrivare a una soluzione pacifica e soddisfacente. In merito alle accuse sul
non rispetto del codice di condotta, Nike si riserva di svolgere indagini
e
di prendere i provvedimenti del caso una volta che sara' risolto il
conflitto di lavoro in corso.
LA VERSIONE DEI FATTI DAL BOLLETTINO DI CAMPAIGN FOR LABOR RIGHTS
Da informazioni di Sweatshop Watch, la Kukdong Corporation, a capitale
coreano, concentra il grosso delle vendite in Europa dove distribuisce
maglieria cucita in Corea, Bangladesh e Cina attraverso un ufficio vendite
con sede in Gran Bretagna. Vende abbigliamento con i marchi "Pierre Cardin"
e "Naf-Naf".
Dal Bollettino di Campaign for labor rights del 17 gennaio 2001: la sera
dell'11 gennaio, dopo che la meta' dei lavoratori in sciopero sono rincasati
per riposarsi dei tre giorni passati a presidiare i cancelli della fabbrica,
un gruppo di appartenenti al sindacato giallo sostenuto dalla direzione si
introduce nei terreni della fabbrica e si apre un varco fra gli scioperanti
cercando di provocare uno scontro. Quasi immediatamente i 300 lavoratori
rimasti sono circondati da 200 poliziotti in assetto antisommossa e invitati
a togliere il blocco per ordine del governatore dello stato del Puebla. Chi
dirige le operazioni e' pero' il leader del sindacato giallo, Rene Sanchez
Juarez. I lavoratori vengono fatti sfilare davanti alle forze di polizia e
picchiati, quindici vengono ricoverati in ospedale.
Sabato 13 gennaio, i leader del sindacato indipendente, Kukdong workers'
coalition, firmano un accordo con la direzione e il locale ufficio del
lavoro accettando di riprendere il lavoro. La direzione si impegna a
garantire il rientro di tutti quelli che hanno partecipato allo sciopero ad
eccezione dei lavoratori licenziati il 9 gennaio. Nelle intenzioni dei
firmatari, l'accettazione dell'accordo non significa la fine delle
rivendicazioni. Tuttavia, mercoledì 17 gennaio i lavoratori che hanno
avuto
un ruolo attivo nello sciopero vengono licenziati. Si tratta di una
violazione della legge messicana del lavoro, dei codici di condotta delle
universita' americane, del codice di condotta Nike.
IL COMPORTAMENTO DI NIKE: stando al suo codice di condotta, in ogni fabbrica
deve essere rispettata la liberta' di associazione, il piu' importante dei
diritti dei lavoratori. Eppure questo non avviene. Nike non e' intervenuta
per evitare i licenziamenti illegali ne' ha chiesto il rientro di chi e'
stato licenziato prima dello sciopero. Nike non ha fatto pressione sulla
direzione della fabbrica perche' riconoscesse l'unico sindacato
rappresentativo dei lavoratori, il Kukdong workers' coalition. Nike dice di
non sapere niente dei bassi salari, della violazione delle norme di salute
e
sicurezza e di tutte le irregolarita' che avvengono in una delle fabbriche
piu' "monitorate in modo indipendente" del Messico.
---------------------
Chi vuole essere escluso dalla lista o vuole ricevere informazioni sulla
Clean Clothes Campaign, puo' inviare un messaggio a : ermont@tin.it
Ersilia Monti (Coordinamento lombardo nord/sud del mondo)
P.le Governo Provvvisorio 6
20127 Milano
tel.02-26140345
email: ermont@tin.it
-------------------
-----Messaggio originale-----
Da: Clean Clothes Campaign <info@cleanclothes.org>
A: cleanclothes@xs4all.nl <cleanclothes@xs4all.nl>; fsoli@magnet.at
<fsoli@magnet.at>; decladeberne@club.ch <decladeberne@club.ch>;
reseau-solidarite@globenet.org <reseau-solidarite@globenet.org>;
ermont@tin.it <ermont@tin.it>; frieda.dekoninck@wsm.be
<frieda.dekoninck@wsm.be>; nead@gn.apc.org <nead@gn.apc.org>;
women-ww@mcr1.poptel.org.uk <women-ww@mcr1.poptel.org.uk>;
ropalimpia@pangea.org <ropalimpia@pangea.org>; carole.crabbe@mdmoxfam.be
<carole.crabbe@mdmoxfam.be>; Catella@mdmoxfam.be <Catella@mdmoxfam.be>;
hvh@xminy.nl <hvh@xminy.nl>; erstling-u@vemission.org
<erstling-u@vemission.org>; Jack.Catarata@dgb-bildungswerk.de
<Jack.Catarata@dgb-bildungswerk.de>; info@renaklader.org
<info@renaklader.org>; samuel.poos@mdmoxfam.be <samuel.poos@mdmoxfam.be>;
asa.svensson@lotcobistand.org <asa.svensson@lotcobistand.org>
Data: venerdì 19 gennaio 2001 17.56
Oggetto: [cleanclothes] update on Kuk Dong case
>Dear Friends,
>Another update on the case of Kuk Dong International, in Mexico.The
>information below, supplied by Sweatshop Watch in the U.S. reports on
Kuk
>Dong's production for the European market. More information on the
>case,from the Campaign for Labor Rights is also included in this update.
>--------------------
>From Sweatshop Watch:
>
>This is an appeal for solidarity with workers in Mexico who make Nike
>sweatshirts at the Kuk Dong International factory in Mexico, which is
>owned by the Korean clothes company, Kuk-Dong Corporation. This company
>does a major business in Europe (selling non-Nike products) and has its
>European sales office in the UK - see below.
>
>Yesterday, the company forced 300 workers who had agreed to return
>from a three-day strike to quit their jobs. On January 12, several
>hundred police attacked the striking workers outside the plant, sending
>15 workers to the hospital. The workers had struck over the firing of
>five workers who had complained about conditions in the plant.
>
>The company reportedly is also illegally failing to pay workers
>overtime and give them other benefits owed under the law. It reportedly
>is also having 15 year olds work 10 hours per day, which violates
>Mexican labor law.
>
>The company's major market is in Europe where they sell knitted clothes
>that are made in Korea, Bangladesh and China from a UK sales office.
>They sell clothes under the labels "Pierre Cardin" and "Naf-Naf."
Could
>you, and other CCC organizations in Europe, help with the following
>solidarity:
>
>1) Send or deliver messages of protest to the company demanding they
>take back the fired workers and respect their rights. The company's
>contact information is:
>
>UK:
>
>Kuk Dong Corporation
>104 Elm Road, New Malden,
>Surrey, KT3 3HN
>United Kingdom
>Phone: (+44)181-942-6376,
>Fax.(+44)181-336-1187
>
>2) Please also send a message of solidarity to the Kukdong Nike workers
>in Mexico to kukdongworkers@gofairtrade.com.
>
>Below is an alert from the Campaign for Labor Rights with more information.
>
>Thank you very much for your help.
>
>Solidarity,
>Nikki F. Bas
>Sweatshop Watch
>nbas@sweatshopwatch.org
>
>---
>
>Campaign for Labor Rights, Labor Bulletin posted January 17, 2001
>
>IN THIS LABOR BULLETIN:
>1. Workers Attacked and Fired for Demanding Labor Rights
>2. Nike's Reaction to Labor Abuses
>3. Background on Kukdong Struggle
>4. Action Request
>5. Donations Needed
>
>[Information in this alert provided by the US Labor Education in the
>Americas Project (US/LEAP), www.usleap.org <http://www.usleap.org>,
and
>United Students Against Sweatshops (USAS), www.usasnet.org
><http://www.usasnet.org>]
>
><><><><><>
>
>1. WORKERS ATTACKED & FIRED FOR DEMANDING LABOR RIGHTS--
>Striking workers, who produce apparel, including university sweatshirts,
for
>Nike, at the Kukdong factory in Atlixco, Mexico - were violently attacked
>the evening of Thursday, January 11 by a group of "construction workers"
who
>were later identified as FROC-CROC "enforcers". FROC-CROC is
the
>government-backed union currently in the Kukdong factory. Half of the
>striking workers had gone home to get some sleep and bathe after spending
3
>days and 2 nights on guard at the factory gates, a group of "construction
>workers" entered the company grounds pushing their way through the
strikers
>and attempting to provoke a confrontation. The strikers responded by not
>reacting to the provocation. Soon after this, the 300 workers who had
>remained at the plant were surrounded by 200 riot gear-equipped
"Granaderos"
>(Puebla State Police).
>
>The top police official told the strikers that they had been ordered by
the
>Governor to remove the strikers from the area. However, the person who
>seemed to be directing the operation was the "leader" of the
FROC-CROC
>union, Rene Sanchez Juarez, who pointed out the strike leaders and asked
>them - "Are you frightened yet?" As the police began pushing
the workers
>into a smaller and smaller area, the workers sat down, raised their arms
to
>show they were not resisting and were unarmed, and began singing the
Mexican
>national anthem.
>
>The police then proceeded to open a small space between their ranks, and
>began pulling the workers out, pushing them with their batons forming
a
sort
>of gauntlet. Several of the workers were beaten severely by the police
with
>their clubs. Fifteen workers were taken to the hospital. The strikers,
after
>passing the "gauntlet," were pursued by the police until they
were
>completely out of the area in which the factory is located.
>
>Following the violence, on Saturday, January 13, the leaders of the
>independent union, the Kukdong Workers' Coalition, signed an agreement
with
>Kukdong management and the local labor board in Atlixco, Mexico saying
that
>they would return to work. The company committed to permit all striking
>workers to return to the factory except for the workers who had been
>illegally fired last Tuesday, January 9. Furthermore, the Koukdong
>management pledged to copy and distribute copies of the agreement to all
860
>workers at the plant. By signing this agreement, the workers were NOT
>dropping their demands. They had decided, for economic reasons, to return
to
>work and continue the struggle from inside the walls of the factory.
>
>However, as of this morning, Wednesday, January 17, management has
>backpedaled and workers who were very active in the strike are having
those
>copies of the agreement taken from them by the Kukdong security guards,
and
>are being told they are fired. This is a violation of Mexican labor law,
>university codes of conduct, and Nike's code of conduct.
>
>The workers are demanding the following:
>**Immediately reinstate all of the workers illegally fired last week for
>organizing inside of the factory.
>**Stop the illegal firings happening en masse at this moment against
workers
>who participated in the protest, and ensure that no reprisals are taken
>against anyone who participated in the strike.
>**Drop the bogus charges filed against at least 6 workers and their
>supporters.
>**Recognize the Kukdong Workers' Coalition as the legitimate, democratic,
>and independent representative of the workers at Kukdong and agree to
deal
>with them as such.
><><><><><>
>
>2. NIKE'S REACTION TO LABOR ABUSES--
>According to Nike's Code of Conduct, all of plants producing for Nike
must
>respect freedom of association, the most important of all worker rights.
>Yet...
>Nike has not intervened in any illegal firings nor requested the
>reinstatement of those fired last week before the strike. They have stood
by
>while Kukdong has taken out arrest warrants on bogus charges against at
>least 6 people who were active in the strike. Nike has not put pressure
on
>Kukdong to recognize the only democratic representative of the workers,
the
>Kukdong Workers' Coalition, and to end the protection contract that Kukdong
>management signed behind closed doors without any worker involvement.
Nike
>claims to know nothing about the low wages, terrible health and safety
>violations, child labor, and other violations at the factory despite the
>fact that it is one of the most heavily "independently" monitored
factories
>in Mexico.
><><><><><>
>
>3. BACKGROUND ON THE KUKDONG STRUGGLE--
>On Tuesday, January 9, 2001 at 8:00 am, over 850 workers making college
>apparel for Nike staged a work stoppage, took over the factory, and began
>controlling the gates at the Kukdong International Mexico factory in the
>small city of Atlixco, Puebla in southern Mexico. Kukdong is a Korean-owned
>factory that makes sweatshirts for the Universities of North Caro
>
>Clean Clothes Campaign
>PO Box 11584
>1001 GN Amsterdam
>The Netherlands
>tel: + 31 20 4122785
>fax: + 31 20 4122786
>e-mail:ccc@xs4all.nl
>
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