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How to Truly Appreciate Your Valentine’s Day Flowers

February 12, 2010

Colombia is the biggest exporter of flowers to the United States.  According to the association of Colombian flower exporters, Asocolflores, about 80% of the flowers currently imported to the U.S. are from Colombia. Over the last few months, nearly 200,000 Colombian flower workers have been working 12-16 hour days to meet demands, picking on average 350 flowers per hour.       

Justice Denied to Karnation Factory Workers in the Philippines: Will Fred's and Other Buyers Take Action

February 8, 2010

More than two years after going on strike, the “Karnation 20,” a group of striking union factory workers, are still fighting the Philippines slow judicial system and their former employer, Karnation Industries and Export Inc.  The strikers have been awaiting justice in jail for far too long.  What was their crime?  According to factory management, the workers had padlocked the gate of the factory while protesting although the workers deny this.  Karnation Industries also has provided a picture

Responding to Bridgestone/Firestone

February 4, 2010

Firestone is correct that "the amount of work that each employee is expected to complete, as well as the conditions of that work, is established through negotiations between the company and FAWUL [the Firestone Agricultural Workers Union of Liberia." In fact, FAWUL and the company are negotiating a new contract right now.  Consumers around the world who e-mailed Firestone are encouraging Firestone to use these negotiations as an opportunity to finally end the exploitative and unpopular system of transporting latex on the plantation.

We expect Firestone to continue to negotiate with the union in good faith.  We encourage the company management to take a leadership role in implementing safer and less burdensome systems for workers.

Chocolate Updates! Green & Black's and Ashlee Simpson

January 29, 2010

It's also interesting to note that Green & Black's is owned by Cadbury and it seems almost certain at this point that Kraft will be taking over Cadbury very soon.  Many people have been concerned about what will happen to Cadbury's Fair Trade cocoa sourcing once the deal goes through because Kraft does not have the same level of commitment to Fair Trade Certified cocoa.  However, Kraft has stated that they expect to honor Cadbury's practices.  We hope that Green & Black's, as well as Cadbury, will be able to maintain -- and increase -- their investment in Fair

Firestone is Listening -- Keep up the action!

January 29, 2010

It's clear that Firestone is paying close attention to your messages!  However, they clearly refuse to respond to the specific issue of how their workers are forced to carry heavy loads in order to enrich the company.  This system of work is unacceptable and needs to end.  We must keep up our actions to show solidarity with workers in Liberia.  We've come so far in this campaign already, but we need to take this next important step forward.

Time for Bridgestone/Firestone to Play Fair!

January 28, 2010

In 2010, stepping onto Firestone's rubber plantation in Liberia is like being transported back centuries.  The majority of workers on the plantation are "rubber tappers" who collect raw latex from the rubber trees and pour them into buckets that weigh 75 pounds each.  The tappers carry two of the heavy buckets on each end of a stick on their backs for miles to a collection point where they are weighed and recorded to ensure that each rubber tapper meets his or her daily production quota.  It is tragically ironic that a company that produces tires refuses to provide trucks for workers to transport the heavy buckets of latex.  This type of work system is completely outdated and has been upgraded on most rubber plantations globally, for example in other major rubber-producing countries li

Broken Hearts: Abusive Child Labor Continues in the Chocolate Industry

January 25, 2010

After several missed deadlines, the chocolate industry finally developed  its so-called "certification" system, which are surveys of labor conditions on cocoa farms conducted by the governments of Ghana and Cote d'Ivoire.  The "certification" program does not contain any standards for labor rights protections and has been critiqued by observers for a range of other problems.   As part of the system, the certification reports produced by the governments of Ghana and Cote d'Ivoire must then be verified to ensure that the data is accurate.

Good news for Nestlé workers

January 19, 2010

Nestlé workers in India faced a number of intimidation tactics when they tried to form unions.  For example, the company got a court injunction permanently banning union activity around factories.  Workers held weekly demonstrations, organized rallies at Nestlé headquarters, refused to work overtime and took many other actions.  International solidarity also helped support the workers' campaign.

Milwaukee police uniform contract finally awarded; the work to protect the workers who make them begins now

January 19, 2010

It is tough to see U.S. union workers passed over for a million dollar contract especially in a time of economic downturn. But, the Milwaukee ordinance does not call for U.S.-made uniforms. Instead, the city takes a longer-term and broader view by requiring workers everywhere to get a good deal—including wages that will raise them and their family out of poverty—if they make products for the city. The city’s goal is less to strengthen the local economy or the U.S. economy in the short-term than to help create a more fair global economy, which, long-term, also helps U.S. workers.

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