> From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] (Christian Task Force on Central America) > Subject: URGENT ACTION EL SALVADOR > > Dear Friends: *UPDATED VERSION* > > On the morning of Tuesday, November 11, in one of the most serious > industrial accidents of the decade, over 100 workers were poisoned at the > DINDEX garment factory in El Salvador. Workers, who began feeling ill as > early as Friday, believed that their drinking water, which is stored in old > paint barrels, had become poisoned by toxic chemicals. The cause of the > poisonings has now been determined to be carbon monoxide, probably released > by a diesel generator inside the factory and the complete absense of > ventilation. The windows of the factory have been cemented shut since > war-time. Workers experienced nausea, fainting, and convulsions; a number > required artificial respiration and cardiac massage. Three workers remain > hospitalized for two weeks. > > Some of the workers complained to management on Friday when they began > feeling sick, yet nothing was done to rectify the situation. Workers > contacted the Red Cross, who also pressured the owner to clean up the > water; they were also ignored. The factory had been shut down while the > cause of the toxic poisoning was under investigation. Authorities are > demanding that DINDEX improve its working conditions in the factory before > they be allowed to re-open. > > Background: > > 504 women and 54 men work at the DINDEX factory, which manufactures > children's clothes, primarily for the domestic market. Public health > technicians reported that the factory is overcrowded, lacks proper > ventilation and sanitation, and has only 10 bathrooms (5 for men, 5 for > women) which were extremely unsanitary. A representative of the Public > Ministry described the working conditions as " slave-like and not fit for > humans". > > This poisoning marks the third consecutive year that El Salvador's garment > industry has been under the international spotlight for abusing workers. In > 1995, a GAP subcontractor came under fire for its treatment of workers and > became the target of an international campaign that eventually establish > the world's first Independant monitoring team. In 1996, Liz Claiborne was > investigated by the Fifth Estate news program for her company's use of > abusive subcontractors. Also in 1996, a Salvadoran garment worker was > called a traitor by the country's president after testifying before the US > Congressional Human Rights Caucus. Under this criticism, the Salvadoran > garment industry has tried to improve its image, but abuses still continue. > > The DINDEX case makes it clear that self-monitoring of labour standards is > not enough to protect Salvadoran workers. Besides poisoning it workers, > DINDEX management also withheld the workers' medical insurance premiums to > the Social Security Institute. According to Salvadoran garment workers, > this practice is not unusual. Because of the magnitude of the incident, the > workers did receive emergency treatment. There have been many examples, > however, of workers who have been denied medical treatment because their > employers pocketed the premiums rather than paying for legally mandated > insurance. > > Various organisations are calling for an investigation of the Salvadoran > Ministry of Labour, for its failure to inspect factories, enforce labour > law and protect workers under its jurisdiction. It is commonly believed > that Ministry Inspectors in El Salvador take bribes from factory managers > and even go as far as to provide factory managers with lists or union > organisers to avoid hiring - for a price. > > Ministry reform also needs to be supplemented with an independent > monitoring system. In fact, independent monitoring needs to be adopted > worldwide in order to prevent tragedies like the DINDEX poisoning and the > fire in a Thai toy factory on May 10, 1993 that killed 188 women and > injured more than 400. Whether manufacturing for domestic or export > markets, basic human rights must be respected. An international code of > conduct for all maquilas must include truly independent monitoring carried > out by local labour, human rights and religious organisations. > > Recommended Action: > > Please write to the following people - > > * asking that a full investigation be conducted into the violations of > health, labour, and safety standards at DINDEX > * insisting that the Ministry of Labour enforce the law, and that this > tragedy never be repeated > * that the rights of workers to unionize be respected, as set out in the > Universal Declaration of Human Rights and various other domestic law. > > Eduardo Tomasino Dr. Armando Calderon Sol > Minister of Labour Presidente de la Republica de >El Salvador > Tel: 011-503-263-5438/5655 Casa Presidencial, San >Salvador, El > Fax: 011-503-263-5272 Salvador > Fax: 011-503-271-1555 > > Please send copies to: > > Hon. Lloyd Axworthy Bill Blakie (NDP) Fax: 1-613-995-6688 > Minister of Foreign Affairs Bob Mills (Reform) Fax: >1-613-995-6831 > House of Commons > 125 Sussex Drive, > Ottawa, Ontario K1A 0A6 > Fax: 1-613-996-3443 > > Hon. David Kilgour > Secretary of State for Latin America and Africa > House of Commons, Ottawa, Ontario K1A 0A6 > Fax: 1-613-996-0461 > > > ¡THANK YOU FOR YOUR RESPONSE! > > >
