Jan 2005, London action against North Sails

Mutiny at the boat show
London based action group NO SWEAT takes action against North Sails

January 2005, Security at the London Boat Show were not happy, when we started giving out a No sweat leaflet exposing the union busting antics of international sail firm North Sails. As people left the finals of the indoor windsurfing championships held on a pool inside the show we handed them a leaflet explaining how the bosses of the Sri Lankan factory that makes North Sails windsurf sails sacked 207 workers for striking over the withholding of wages. Details of the dispute can be found along with a model letter of protest on this website.

Security soon closed in and then kicked us out of the building, we continued to give out leaflets to punters leaving and entering the event. In less than an hour no sweat had received a call form the North Sails stand inside the show complaining that they were losing business and getting complaints based on our leaflet. We were well pleased that the leaflet had such an impact, even at an event like the boat show, not know for its militant activist crowd. North Sails UK tried to plead that they were a British franchise for yacht sails and had nothing to do with the windsurf sail factory. Like so many multinationals North Sails now franchise out their name to national manufacturers. The no sweat leaflet was clear about the dispute being with a windsurf sail factory in Sri Lanka but our message to the North Sail manufacturers in Britain or to any franchiser who’s brand is using sweat shop labour is, stick up for workers rights in the company you promote. If franchisers value the brand name they use they should join us in fighting for a change in the way bosses who use the same name act.