In Sri Lanka at North Sails Lanka (PVT) Ltd., North Sails produces sails and sailing garments. In March 2002, 207 workers were dismissed and suspended because they went on strike to protest the cancellation of a quality bonus. Workers are paid extremely low wages (approx. 63 to 73 euro per month, including overtime and other incentive payments). So they need the quality bonus to survive.

Management broke its promise made in October 2002 to reinstate the workers unconditionally. Therefor the workers have filed complaints with Sri Lanka's Labour Tribunal, but when the case was to be heard in February 2003, but North Sails failed to show up in court. Since then the case has been postponed several times and was taking place in September and October 2003. The workers are still waiting to be reinstated and to get the back pay owed to them. Some of them have worked for North Sails Lanka for 10 years!

To support the workers, hundreds of people from the Netherlands have sent letters of protest to North Sails Lanka and Boards & More (an Austrian based company of which North Sails is a division). Also the Clean Clothes Campaign in Austria released a letter of protest and hundreds of people expressed their concerns about the situation of the workers of North Sails Lanka. TIE-Asia, a NGO supporting workers in Sri Lanka, received lots of solidarity messages. Thanks to all.

We are still urging people to put pressure on North sails. Please read the updates to see what you can do.