-Caveat Lector- > > Activist Mailing List - http://users.westnet.gr/~cgian/ > > =46rom : http://www.sweatshopwatch.org/ > > Saipan: Lawsuit Charges Gap, Wal-Mart, Others for Sweatshops > _________________________________________________________________ > > Sweatshop Watch Press Release January 13, 1999 > > 15,000 Workers Living in Indentured Servitude While Producing Goods > "Made in the USA" > > More Than $1 Billion Sought -- Defendants Include The Gap, Tommy > Hilfiger, May Company, Sears and Wal-Mart > > In the first-ever attempt to hold U.S. retailers and manufacturers > accountable for mistreatment of workers in foreign-owned factories > operating on U.S. soil, litigation was filed today in California and > Saipan against 18 high-profile U.S. clothing manufacturers and > retailers, including The Gap, Tommy Hilfiger, The Limited, J.C. Penny, > May Company, Sears and Wal-Mart. > > These companies are accused of violating federal law by engaging in a > "racketeering conspiracy" using indentured labor -- predominantly > young women from Asia -- to produce clothing on the island of Saipan. > (Saipan is part of the Northern Mariana Islands, a U.S. Commonwealth > in the South Pacific.) > > Their foreign-owned garment contractors in Saipan are also charged > with failing to pay overtime and ongoing intolerable work and living > conditions. In the last five years, contractors in Saipan have > received more than 1,000 citations for violating U.S. Occupational > Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) standards, many of which > characterized capable of causing death or serious injury. > > Two federal class action lawsuits were filed on behalf of more than > 50,000 workers from China, the Philippines, Bangladesh and Thailand. > The workers were allegedly drawn to Saipan with the promises of high > pay and quality work in the United States. Instead, they found > themselves working up to 12-hour days, seven days a week, often "off > the clock" without receiving any pay or overtime. > > A third companion lawsuit was filed in California state court by four > labor and human rights groups (Sweatshop Watch, Global Exchange, Asian > Law Caucus, and UNITE). The lawsuit accuses the retailers and > manufacturers of using misleading advertising and trafficking in "hot > goods" manufactured in violation of U.S. labor laws. > > Together, the three lawsuits are seeking more than a billion dollars > in damages, disgorgement of profits and unpaid wages. > > "To allow such squalid conditions to persist on American soil is both > patently unlawful and morally reprehensible," said Al Meyerhoff, one > of the lead attorneys. "Saipan is America's worst sweatshop." > > According to the lawsuits: > > * Garments made in Saipan's sweatshops may carry a "Made in the USA" > of "Made in the Northern Marianas, USA" label. American consumers are > deceived into believing they have purchased a product made by American > workers protected by U.S. labor laws, that guarantee a decent wage and > a clean, safe work place. > > * Last year alone, the federal government estimated that contractors > and U.S. retailers avoided more than $200 million in duties for $1 > billion worth of garments shipped from Saipan, that would otherwise > have been paid for the same clothing if it were manufactured in China > or the Philippines. Some Chinese garment interests have moved their > textile operations to Saipan virtually "lock, stock and barrel," in > large part, to avoid U.S. duties and quota restrictions. The federal > government estimates that this increase in Chinese apparel production > in Saipan has allowed China to exceed its import quota by 250% in 1997 > alone. > > * Although Saipan's garment factories are owned predominantly by > Chinese and Korean companies, quality-control inspectors from The Gap, > The Limited, and other U.S. retailers allegedly oversee the > manufacturing process. Still, they have refused to exercise their > power to mitigate the intolerable working and living conditions. > > * Over 90% of garment industry jobs in the Marianas are held by > foreign "guest workers." These and other foreign workers make up more > than half of the estimated total Marianas population of 70,000. This > is largely due to the Island's exemption from U.S. minimum wage and > immigration laws instituted to encourage local economic development. > Since 1996, over 200,000 apparel industry jobs were lost in the > continental United States. > > * With promises of a good job and a new life, workers agree to repay > recruitment fees from $2,000 to $7,000. They often must sign "shadow > contracts" waiving basic human rights, including the freedom to date > or marry. > > * The crowded, unsanitary factories and shanty-like housing compounds > are in flagrant violation of federal law. The heat in some factories > is so extreme it can cause workers to faint. Many live in a room with > up to seven other people in inward-pointing barbed wire-enclosed > barracks. Their movements are strictly supervised by guards, and are > subject to lockdowns or curfews. Complaints about the conditions are > met with threats of termination, physical harm, and summary > deportation. > > "Unfortunately, slavery and indentured servitude is alive and well in > the many parts of the world, including the United States," said > another lead attorney, William S. Lerach. "Companies like The Gap and > Wal-Mart have reaped millions in profits from this scheme -- now they > will be held accountable." > > Conditions in the Marianas have generated a host of highly critical > reports from federal agencies and Congressional oversight. One recent > report on the Marianas from the U.S. Department of the Interior > sharply criticized "the heavy and unhealthy dependence upon an > indentured alien worker program and on trade loopholes to expand its > economy." > > Garment production in Saipan continues to increase, already exceeding > that of Malaysia and Jamaica. Although the legal limit on foreign > garment workers is 11,000 recent estimates exceed 15,000, and more > factories are being built. > > The plaintiffs are represented by a coalition of law firms, including > Milberg Weiss Bershad Hynes & Lerach LLP -- class action specialists > with principal offices in New York and San Diego. The firm has > successfully litigated numerous consumer lawsuits against such > companies as R.J. Reynolds ("the Joe Camel" case), Prudential > Insurance (for life insurance fraud) and Lincoln Savings (for > defrauding depositors). > > Most recently, the firm negotiated a $1.2 billion settlement from > Swiss banks as reimbursement to surviving families and victims of the > Holocaust. They are currently seeking compensation for Holocaust > victims forced to work as slave laborers in factories. > > =46or more information on sweatshop conditions in the Northern Mariana > Islands, visit the Sweatshop Watch web site. Or read another article > on Saipan and the Garment Industry. > ______________________________________________________ Get Your Private, Free Email at http://www.hotmail.com DECLARATION & DISCLAIMER ========== CTRL is a discussion and informational exchange list. Proselyzting propagandic screeds are not allowed. Substance�not soapboxing! These are sordid matters and 'conspiracy theory', with its many half-truths, misdirections and outright frauds is used politically by different groups with major and minor effects spread throughout the spectrum of time and thought. That being said, CTRL gives no endorsement to the validity of posts, and always suggests to readers; be wary of what you read. CTRL gives no credeence to Holocaust denial and nazi's need not apply. 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