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Country reports 30 November 2001
You can find the information to contact
the different groups here
French CCC (Ethique sur L'étiquette)
Toys:
- We targeted the toy's retailers in order to get them
involved in our "social label " (a product/shop
label connected to monitoring and verification) process.
We include toys' retailers supermarkets and toy's specialized
retailers as Toys r us, la grande recre and joue club.
- This year, for our toy's campaign we asked the public
to sign a petition to be given to all the toy's retailers,
asking them to be more aware of the social conditions
of the people who produce their toys and ask them to get
a code of conduct including the ILO conventions and monitoring
and verification.
- We also produced a company's scorecard. Like we did
last year we ranked some companies present in France concerning
their social behavior. This year we focused on the toy's
retailers and we rank 16 companies such as Auchan, Carrefour,
Cora, casino, Leclerc, intermarché, Systeme U (supermarkets
who sell all together 50% of toys in France) and the toy's
retailers such as Toys r us, La grande recre and Joue
club. From the 16 companies there are 4 from the sport
and leisure sector ( Intersport;Décathlon; Go sport;
technicien du sport-these companies were already targeted
in the last report card). We found last year this ranking
to be a very helpful tool and it did put pressure on companies
so that's why we did a second score card this year. The
media also liked this kind of tool and they did also put
pressure on the companies especially the "bad graded"
ones because they asked them to answer interviews and
comments on the ranking. The public also liked the ranking
because in the 5 years we are campaigning they want to
get more information on companies. With the ranking they
had an overview of their social attitudes. The public
will also be asked to send or bring postcards to the local
toy s retailer's managers. We will ask the public to send
their postcards to the bad graded companies mentioned
in the ranking;
Publication:
- We edited a booklet in collaboration with Alternatives
economiques, an economical monthly .
You can go to www.voila.fr
and choose traduction, then you will be to translate the
pages of our website into English
Bulgarian CCC:
The real start of CCC-Bulgaria was in May 2001 as a Programme
under the Bulgarian Gender Research Foundation.
Research
- Pilot study in two regions in Bulgaria: South West
(Sandanski, Petrich, Blagoevgrad, Gotse Deltchev) and
North East (Varna and Dobritch).
- Information was collected from state institutions (Customs
office, Labour inspections), trade unions and by using
the adapted questionnaires from CCC for workers, managers
and factory visits. The information collected was used
to prepare the initial report based on the horizontal
mapping of the garment industry in the two project regions.
The reports show that except for forced labour and some
rare occasions of discrimination there are very serious
violations of all other basic labour rights. CCC Bulgaria
has summaries of the research in English.
Conference
The results of the report were presented on 25-26 October,
2001 at a meeting in Sofia. The number of participants was
25 from Bulgaria from state institutions (Ministry of Labour,
Ministry of Economy, Labour inspections, etc), trade unions,
NGOs and representatives of associations (Textile exporters
and Consumers). There were also 11 foreigners from CCC Germany
and Netherlands, CFDT and Institute Bellville France, trade
union representatives from Turkey, Romania and Yugoslavia
and an independent researcher from Poland.
All participants shared the view that there is a lot to
be done to improve labour conditions in the garment industry.
In addition to the research and education the need of extensive
international and regional cooperation was stressed, in
particular between Bulgaria, Romania, Greece and Turkey
and with a view of the 2004 Olympic Games in Greece. At
the conference, it was decided that action will be taken
for identification of mechanisms for a more rigid implementation
of domestic law, through exchange of information, introduction
of new regulations & signing of CBAs, courts for labour
disputes, monitoring and verification etc. CCC Bulgaria
will publish the goals of CCC, particularly the code of
conduct in Bulgaria.
Future plans
- Continue with regional cooperation on the Balkan with
Turkish and Greek organisations. Apart from this, there
will be meetings on a local level with trade union activist,
workers, NGO activists, researchers and labour inspectors.
In Bulgaria no worker has heard from code of conduct,
so we have to start from the beginning. They do know about
national legislation, not about international tools. We
will begin with raising awareness among trade unions,
NGOs and workers, we will produce material, leaflet etc.
which will contain this kind of information.
- For the continuation of the project it was decided
to intensify regional cooperation on the Balkan and with
Turkish and Greek organisations. Subcontracting chains
are used in Bulgaria, we cannot trace down without help
from Greece and Turkey. Turks do the finishing work in
Bulgaria and export to USA, because they have used their
quotas from Turley to USA. There are many people with
double identity: both Turkish and Bulgarian. Opportunities
are sought for establishing connections with Greek NGOs
and trade unions aimed at establishing a CCC-Greece and
enhancing regional cooperation. In mid-December two representatives
of CCC-Bulgaria and Podkrepa TU in Sandanski were expected
to visit Thessalonica and meet local Greek trade unions
to discuss the above. Due to the bad weather in December,
this was not possible, they will go early February.
- There has been an expression of interest from Women
Working Worldwide and Home Net for the implementation
of joint projects, research and educational seminars in
Bulgaria in 2002. By end January 2002 a collection of
information will be carried out in both pilot regions
with the aim of getting a preliminary idea of what is
the situation with home workers in Bulgaria. This will
enable the planning of future work.
Central and Eastern Europe:
Romanian part of the project runs for 2 years (starting
May2001)
The following activities have taken place:
- Field trip Romania, September 2001: actual and potential
partners in the project were contacted. Factories, trading
agents and investment boards in Bucurest and Cluj were
visited.
- Participation of Bulgarian partners and local trade
unionist, workers and researchers in Istanbul workshop
of Turkey Working Group of Women Home based Workers, Sept.
2001. This was a very interesting exchange between Turkish
home workers, activist and Bulgarian participants, as
well as participants from Macedonia and Yugoslavia. Discussions
focused on relocation practices of garment manufacturing
around the region.
Dutch CCC (Schone Kleren Kampagne)
Clean Clothes Communities
- CCC NL did an investigation to see where the community
of Amsterdam are buying their working clothes. CCC also
interviewed big retailers of working clothes who deliver
working clothes to the city of Amsterdam. The conclusions
are that demands of civil servants concerning working
conditions and environmental norms vary a lot. The interviewed
retailers did not think about labour conditions before,
no one had a code of conduct. The report will be published
in February 2002, and there will be an English summary
on the website in March 2002.
- After Amsterdam (dec. 2000), also Groningen adopted
a resolution on working clothes (nov. 2001). Two other
cities have asked advice from CCC when they want to buy
working clothes, and although they have no resolution,
they will ask retailers about environmental and labour
standards.
- CCC did mailing to left wing and centre political parties
(elections in March 2002), a resolution was included in
the mailing which parties could adopt.
- Preparation of working groups for local NGOs feb-april
2002
- Close cooperation with a large development NGO and
fair trade shops.
Urgent appeals
- Triumph
- June 2001: labelling action in two different stores
which sell Triumph.
- On October 4 2001, the CCC, Burma Centre Netherlands
and trade union FNV met with Vendex KBB, a large retailer
in the Netherlands that is selling Triumph products.
Vendex KBB stated that they have been putting pressure
on Triumph on this issue and that they will keep up
the dialogue but that they will not take a position
themselves. The decision to leave Burma lies totally
with Triumph. Vendex KBB will not consider stopping
selling Triumph products to add to the pressure on
Triumph.
- On October 18 2001, the CCC, BCN and the FNV had
a meeting with Mr. Brand, the director of Triumph
in the Netherlands, to insist once again that Triumph
pulls out of Burma. Brand stressed that he is not
in a position to influence the policy of Triumph as
the company decisions are made in Switzerland. Brand
explained further that Triumph is in the process of
making a plan for 'corporate social responsibility'.
- On 22nd of October, at the Night of the Underwear
(a yearly event organised by industry association
Bodyfashion), CCC together with Burma Centrum Nederland
(BCN), the Dutch trade union FNV, XminY and Novib,
called upon Triumph once again to withdraw from Burma.
After some debate, Mr. Brand left the event to come
outside and meet us. He received from Carrie (a TV-personality
in the Netherlands) a piece of art in the form of
a needle with barbed wire. The action resulted in
a response from Bodyfashion that decided to exclude
Triumph from all public activities during the Week
of the Underwear following the Night of the Underwear.
In addition to excluding Triumph from the Week of
the Underwear and agreeing on a press statement, Bodyfashion
promised to organise a special member meeting where
the Clean Clothes Campaign and the other organisations
are invited to present their opinion on the presence
of Triumph in Burma.
In the meantime, Triumph has launched a new promotion
campaign on big billboards in the cities in the Netherlands.
- EPZ Philippines: appeal from Workers Assistance
Centre Inc. (WAC) in Cavite, the Philippines and Solidarity
of Cavite Workers (SCW) on labour rights violations at
several garment factories located in the Cavite EPZ. This
appeal focuses on 5 garment and bag/novelty item factories.
At these facilities workers seeking to exercise their
right to unionise have been met with harassment and discrimination.
Other issues, such as payment issues, factory shutdowns,
and complaints of abusive management practices were also
reported. Letters were send to companies, among which
Ralph Lauren, Green Dog (Japan), GAP, Tommy Hilfinger,
Liz Claiborne, Calvin Klein
- Bangladesh fire case: there was a fire alarm
in the Mirpur factory in Bangladesh in November 2000,
resulting in the death of 24 garment workers. The Mirpur
factory was producing for C&A, H&M, and Obermeyer.
CCC sent letters to all three companies and BGMEA (Bangladesh
Garment Manufacturers and Employers Association). So far,
all three companies responded, only the BGMEA did not.
We are still looking for information on the following
companies: Kappakin, Dr. Refil, Kik, YGM, Miles and Kik.
Southern Africa:
The country reports on Swaziland and Lesotho have been published
on the website of the Clean Clothes Campaign. The summaries
of the factory profiles, Lesotho, Swaziland, Botswana were
published in December on the website (see http://www.cleanclothes.org/pub.htm).
Research has been done in Madagascar en Mauritius and will
hopefully come out soon.
Companies
- Vendex KBB : SOMO published a report on violations
of labour standards in factories in Tirupur which were
producing for Vendex KBB and KarstadtQuelle (KQ). There
was a fair amount of publicity and afterwards Vendex has
announced they will contact the Fair Wear Foundation for
a meeting.
- Nike wanted to rent a large space to organise
a sporting event for the youth in Amsterdam during the
World Championship Football in 2002. They approached a
project in Amsterdam, which consists of artists, theatre
and small companies, and offered to pay 250.000 guilders
(113.445 Euro), also paying to start a skate project.
The board invited the CCC and Nike and after a discussion
on the labour conditions decided not to work with Nike.
- Diesel , A large activist housing project, with
spaces to rent was contacted by an organisation who wanted
to exploit one the spaces, but only if Diesel could be
the main sponsor. CCC sent info on Diesel to the inhabitants
of the house. When the organisation had an exhibition
in the house, inhabitants of the house who did not agree
that Diesel sponsored the exhibition distributed leaflets
from CCC and our info on Diesel.
Legal
Anne and Nina wrote a paper for the legal working group
with an overview of initiatives by governments and international
institutions. A lobbying action plan was added and has been
discussed on November 28. There have been discussions on
presenting cases to the National Contact Point of the OECD
in the Netherlands with other organisations but so far only
Gerard Oonk of the India Committee of the Netherlands has
presented a case (among others about adidas and footballs
in India).
Fashion files
- 25 workshops have been given at schools, at youth organisations
and at manifestations
- New material was developed (environmental game and
a game on trade)
- After the workshops, people can put their signature
at pieces of garment which will be collected to make a
garment article. Next year this will be presented to a
famous person in the Netherlands
- plans for next year: exchange of young union members
of Asia and the Netherlands. A documentary will be made
of this.
- CCC will distribute material on fashion file to other
CCCs, or a description of the material. Germany is interested
in receiving this material. Teachers in Germany are very
interested in this.
Consumer union
The Dutch consumer union sent a questionnaire to 16
companies which are active on the Dutch market. The research
was focused on T-shirts. They made a scorecard of the results
(what companies do with regard to corporate social accountability).
They published information about CCC Netherlands.
Fair Wear Foundation:
- There have been audits in Poland and Romania. At the
end of January 2002 there will be an audit in India, and
there is one due in Indonesia.
- Although the original idea was to present the label
in May, there in the FWF a debate if this is such a good
idea. It's not clear if there can be enough guarantee
which are required for a label and perhaps it's better
to get a kind of membership (as a communication tool from
companies to consumers). FWF would still launch the membership
in May 2002.
- Proposal FWF to discuss international collaboration
is postponed. FWF will write to CCC and pilot countries
to propose a new date.
- The manual has been revised and will be definite in
March.
- On Kuyichi: There have been meetings between FWF and
Kuyichi. Kuyichi has announced it will join FWF as soon
as FWF has a label.
UK CCC (Labour behind the Label)
Companies
- a meeting was had with Umbro (follow up to Euro 2000
campaign) to discuss the possibility of monitoring and
verification of Vietnam suppliers. The company instead
appeared interested in buying the services of a commercial
audit firm. As Price Waterhouse Coopers was being considered,
we forwarded Dara O'Rourke report of earlier this year.
- a meeting was had with Monsoon, to discuss the possibility
of working with Indian NGOs to conduct a study on wages
among Monsoon suppliers.
- a summer campaign targeted the GAP, with actions in
London, Manchester, Edinburgh, Norwich and many other
cities and towns. Justification: growth of GAP's share
of UK market; Carlton TV programme opportunity; and US
request that UK gets involved. Focus on Lesotho research
provided by Somo/CCC. No media response but strong consumer
interest. Generated many new supporters and requests for
information. Public very receptive.
Follow up work is due with all three companies.
Resources
Bulletins 13 and 14 published.
Video for young people almost complete, as is CD-rom of
resources available. Contact Lisa Hardman for these after
1 February.
New living wage report ready, entitled Wearing Thin: the
State of Pay in the Fashion Industry 2000-01. Samples copies
being mailed to all CCCs in February 2002 - do let us know
how many you want. Also available in e-mail format.
Other
- Disney actions being organised in several cities, in
collaboration with No Sweat, to be held prior to Christmas.
- urgent action network set up for LBL supporters to take
part in urgent appeals.
Italy:
After the G8 protest marches in Genoa July 2001 several
social networks were formed in Italy. Rete Lilliput, the
network Ersilia Monte is part of, is one of these networks.
Rete Lilliput will fix its priorities in a national meeting
to be held in January 2002. Ersilia will try to have the
Clean Clothes Campaigning included in the network's priorities.
As a start Ersilia wants to focus on the football World
cup joining forces with Manithese, an Italian NGO which
is coordinating the Italian Global March against child labour.
Discussions about this are at a starting point. Proposals
were set forth to target some Italian sportswear companies
but first information is needed to know whether there are
Italian companies among the FIFA licensees.
In addition, we are working at a project to launch again
our law proposal on corporate transparency and social responsibility
by trying to build up a broad coalition including NGOs and
trade unions.
Information on working conditions in the garment industry
and the CCC were included in the education program developed
for secondary schools by the Fair Trade Organization in
Milan.
Belgium CCC: Flemish speaking part, Schone Kleren Campagne
Urgent appeals:
- Triumph
- Appeal for triumph published at websites: Wereldsolidariteit,
Wereldwijd, Netwerk Bewust Verbruiken, SJV
- The appeal was also published in magazines: Schone
Kleren Nieuwsbrief, Nieuwe Werker, Nieuwsbrief SJV,
Wereldburgerkrant (18.000 copies and protest letter
included) and Visie (after publication in Visie, 120
persons visited the website).
- Other means of distribution: local groups: ACOD,
KAV, ACW. 1organisation sent 10 letters + envelopes
to all local groups with the invitation to explain
the case and find 10 people to send the protest letters
- Pt Istana Indonesia . Protest letters were being
sent by individuals and ACV (labour union)
Education packs for secondary school
Themes: working conditions in the garment industry, jeans
and women workers in EPZs Distribution: mailing to teachers
in schools with garment professional training, magazine
of teachers' trade union and the magazine for teachers.
In a couple weeks there were more than 120 requests for
information and the education packs.
Follow up
End of 2001: News Letter + announcement action day
Half 2002: News Letter + Evaluation sheet + 5 interviews
with teachers
End of 2002: improving the education packs
Other materials
Brochure on codes of conduct and verification models
Workers' education
Garteks/SBSI Indonesia: We evaluated all our educations.
Conclusion was that often we send the wrong person to a
training. All the participants made a commitment that each
branches will send the right person according to the material
of a training for next future.
We gave presentation on CCC (the vision, mission and its
strategies). All the participants gave good responds about
it. Each branches made a commitment on simple monitoring
and verification in all the factories where they are active.
As the first step of their programs they will draw up an
inventory of garment and textile factories in their region.
SOMO conference: from code to compliance
Participants from Dutch speaking part of Belgium: 13 participants
from SKC platform, 1 journalist (who published an article
in De Morgen).
Other initiatives
- Round table social auditing
- Seminar Minister Aelvoet (Ministry of Consumers)
- Expert Meeting Minister Landuyt (Ministry of Labour)
Perspectives 2002
- Consumer action
- Action Day January 2002 : they expect 1000
participants, and will visit retailers. Aim is to
show that CCC exist and put pressure on retailers.
- Sports event October 2002
- Manual by the name: 'T-shirts for groups':
trade unions and NGOs address schools to think about
clean clothes
- 'clean' uniforms for youth organisations:
youth organisations who order uniforms for their groups
(sporting etc.) uniforms will talk with their retailers
to ask them for clean products.
- world championship football : a new volunteer
has prepared a game for youth groups which can be
played before the championship. Every CCC can use
it, there is a description in English available.
- Disney: We will not organise separate campaign,
but collaborate with other organisations already working
on this.
- Public authorities
- public procurement: We will start a campaign on
public procurement. This will be at community level,
not at national level.
- follow up social label (Belgian law for a product
label)
German CCC: Kampagne fur Saubere Kleidung
The German CCC has a new Coordinator: Christiane Schnura
(CCC-D@dgb-bildungswerk.de).
Jack Catarata is still responsible for "Urgent Actions"
but he is now working with another CCC-member organisation
-- VEM (catarata-j@vemission.org)
in Wuppertal.
The main activities of the German CCC for 2002 will be
the sports congress (which will occupy us during the first
half of the year) and KarstadtQuelle.
- Since March 2001 the German CCC is waging a campaign
against KarstadtQuelle (KQ), the biggest German garment
retailer. Various CCC member groups have been doing public
actions in German cities (Street-Theatre, leaflets, panel
discussions etc.) against the retailer.
In July we participated in the general assembly of KQ
stockholders' in Düsseldorf. CCC did not buy the
shares but critical shareholders gave CCC their shares.
While Karstadt's CEO was giving his annual report, two
activists tried to enter the stage to unfurl a big CCC-banner
but security guards were quick to send them out of the
hall. Outside, CCC activists were handing out leaflets
and passed information about CCC's to shareholders. With
the help of a group of critical stockholders, one CCC
member was able to deliver a speech before the KQ. In
that speech, CCC held the company responsible for the
terrible working conditions of workers of KQ's suppliers
in India. At the end of the speech the CCC representative
challenged the company, to improve their record. Part
of KQ's response was interesting: KarstadtQuelle would
accredit independent organisations to control the suppliers.
In September the German CCC met with KarstadtQuelle to
discuss some points. The main issue of the CCC, to install
an independent system of monitoring and verification in
cooperation with TUs and NGOs, was refused by KQ and the
representative of the AVE (Foreign Trade Association).
About the "independent organisations" they told
us that these are about five (like SGS) which shall control
the realisation of the AVE-Code.
- The main CCC action in 2002 will be the Fit for Fair-Sports
congress in Köln (May 3rd/4th).
The idea is to bring together various stakeholders: Producers,
workers, brands, WFSGI, trade unions, CCC, associations
(FIFA, ...), VIP-sportsmen/women, politicians, etc. in
one event.
Aims: Provide information about working conditions of
garments and shoes workers abroad; to give some overview
about existing initiatives to improve the workers' conditions
(for example, WFSGI-code!!); and to discuss next steps
and more measures to enhance public interest on the issue.
Mercedes Pasqual, a journalist, was hired to coordinate
the Sports congress work (fit-for-fair@web.de).
Since it will take place a month before the Football World
Cup in Japan and Korea in June, we hope to be able to
exploit the expectedly big public attraction of the event
to point out the labour conditions behind the global sportswear
industry.
Program of Activities: On Friday, May 3rd, Sports congress
activities are lined-up in Köln: a run with prominent
personalities and other eye-catching events probably like
street theatre, etc. In the evening, live interviews will
be conducted with representatives of the sportswear industry
(like adidas), a worker from "the south", prominent
sports(wo)men, and CCC. After this there will be a short
cultural program (maybe a band/ concert).
On Saturday, May 4th, we'll have workshops in the morning
and a final panel discussion. To attract the media and
public, CCC will try to involve VIPs (sportsmen and women,
politicians, media personalities) in the congress.
Since months we are collecting signatures through postcards.
The postcard drive appeals to:
the sporting goods producers to fulfil the demands of
the CCC, and for the sports associations to involve themselves
with the workers' issues and to use their influence to
pressure sportswear brands.
The signatures will be presented to the congress by the
world champion of unicycle.
Everybody is welcome! Accommodation (with sleeping bags,
some with beds) will be provided.
German Round Table on Codes of Conduct
As already briefly mentioned in the last issue of the CCC
Newsletter the German Round Table on Codes of Conduct with
four representatives each from government, business, unions
and NGOs started to operate in January 2001. Members of
the German Round Table are: a) government - Foreign Ministry,
Ministry of Economic Cooperation and Development, Ministry
of Economy and Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs, b)
business: German Federation of Employers' Association, German
Foreign Trade Association (AVE), Otto Versand, BASF, c)
unions: IG Metall, IG Bergbau, Chemie und Energie, North-South
Network of DGB, Friedrich Ebert Foundation, d) NGOs: CCC,
FIAN, Transfair, VENRO.
After the founding meeting in January 2001, and a meeting
in March with briefings on experiences with code of conduct
initiatives so far like ETI, CCC, SAI, WRC and FLA, the
German Round Table met in July to discuss its future programme
up to the end of next year ( a follow-up is still open ).
At the July meeting it was left open if next to the evaluation
of running pilot projects like those from AVE in India or
those from the CCC, the Round Table would embark on pilots
on its own. A series of contacts will take place during
the next months with government, parliamentarians and governmental
organisations, such as the OECD, ILO, UN Global Compact,
the Consumers' Ministry, the European Parliament and the
EU Commission. In December 2001 the Round Table will meet
the Enquete Commission of the Bundestag on Globalisation.
It is not clear yet, however, if these contacts will lead
to concerted efforts in strengthening government regulation.
At the beginning of 2002 a public event will present and
discuss the aims and work of the German Round Table to/with
a broader audience.
Visit the website of the German Round Table: http://www.coc-runder-tisch.de
Austrian CCC: Clean Clothes Kampagne: Kampagne fur faire
Arbeitsbedingungen Weltweit
- EU-Project confirmed:
The Austrian Südwind-Agentur has obtained written
confirmation from the EU that CCC-funding for the next
3 years is secured. In the funding proposal, there is
the idea to create a consumer-network, which will eventually
take over core functions of the Austrian CCC and should
be self-sustaining by the end of the 3-year project. A
key element of this network is an information-exchange-platform
on the internet. The platform should enable local Austrian
groups to coordinate actions among themselves and to exchange
information with groups abroad. To stimulate the usage
of the platform among young people, an internet game will
enable them to enter the global economy as workers, unionists,
consumers, and business at different points of the production
chain, governments or civil-society-actor. To ensure that
the network does not remain a virtual game, regional network
groups are to be fostered. To ensure that the network
can sustain itself after the initiating 3-year period,
regional and local funds must be secured.
- Sportswear Campaign:
Austria is continuing with a focus on sportswear;
Important target groups will be Austrian athletes especially
runners; the marathon event is going to be repeated. Regarding
the football campaign, we will continue our low profile
approach, i.e. no specific campaigning on football events/teams.
If national CCCs are sending letters to their national
football association or to similar recipients, we could
join such efforts, given that our German-speaking colleagues
are providing a ready to use draft.
- Homework:
There is currently no specific initiative on homework.
However, the Austrian CCC plans to finance an interchange
between SEWA (India) and SEWU (South Africa), for such
an exchange was considered highly desirable by SEWU.
List of activities since the last meeting:
- Nike: handing over of the Nike-Postcards with
a short meeting of Nike-Austria: The one concrete thing
that came out of the meeting is, that Nike-Austria promised
to be present at a public forum of the CCC - given that
they are informed in time. They'll send a European Nike-Representative
rather than an Austrian one. For the last three years,
we have been unsuccessful in getting Nike to participate
at public forums.
- Triumph: We've put out our triumph Post-Cards
and have designed an easy to replicate Street-Theatre.
The theatre has been tried in the inner city of Vienna
and received lots of attention from people passing by.
We want the theatre to be copied/adapted by local groups.
- Forming political alliances: there was a Seminar
with Social Democrats coming from various districts of
Vienna. They have committed themselves to participate
in one of our next actions.
- Publicity: The Book "Schwarzbuch Markenfirmen"
(Blacklist Corporate Brands) which was put out by an Austrian
and German journalist (Klaus Werner and Peter Weiss),
has received a lot of press attention. As a result, CCC-Austria
is receiving an increased number of inquiries from the
public and is also invited to public forums about the
issue. The book includes a section on the CCC and basically
lists the wrongdoings of 50 well-known corporate brands.
- CCC-Art-Contest/Exhibition: A local Austrian
group in Vienna has been organizing a contest for CCC-Art
(mostly paintings, drawings, sculptures, but also some
poetry). The outcome was presented in December in a public
exhibition at the university.
- CCC-T-Shirts /Stickers: We are in the process
of producing CCC-T-Shirts and stickers to be sold in the
forthcoming 3 years.
- City of Vienna: We have drafted a package for
cooperation with the city of Vienna which basically falls
into 2 parts: Support for the campaign in kind and financially;
Public procurement. The next meeting for the campaign-support
part is taking place in December, the meeting for the
public procurement part in January. We do have a vague
confirmation of the city so far, that they want to cooperate.
- Consumer Association Issues: The VKI, the Austrian
Association for Consumers is again launching an attempt
to include an score card to their regular product tests.
They are doing this in cooperation with Consumer organizations
in Finland, Sweden, Denmark and Norway. The test is about
jeans and is scheduled to be published in February. We
have been contacted to cooperate with/consult the German
IMUG-institute which has a contract to do the test. About
a year ago, we basically argued that the IMUG institute
is not doing a serious job in assessing corporate ethics.
Overall, the communication with the VKI has not been very
encouraging up to now, but we are hesitant to go into
complete confrontation with the VKI, cause it is a potential
ally. We will continue to denounce the efforts of the
IMUG.
VKI sent a questionnaire to Nela, and gave her two weeks
to respond. Christian will write a draft letter and distribute
it to the European CCCs, we will send it to all European
consumer associations.
- Ongoing: Lots of workshops
CCC-Switzerland: Clean Clothes Campaign
Pilot project
- Pilots carried out for three suppliers - one for each
company (Mabrouc, Migros and Veillon) participating in
the project of independent monitoring-, located in Tirupur,
Tamil Nadu, South India
- A monitoring team (pilot project director and two to
three Indian auditors of Bureau Veritas Quality International)
carried out the visit of the suppliers. The visits brought
to light several areas not in compliance with the Code
of Conduct and the Indian national laws, notably in the
fields of payment of overtime, social benefits and working
hours. However, the results differ considerably between
each supplier. Many of the problems identified are actually
endemic to the Indian garment industry, in particular
in the Tirupur area.
- A detailed report will be sent not only to each company,
but also to its respective supplier. Consultations between
the buying company and its supplier will then take place
in order to formulate a corrective action plan and to
agree on a timetable for implementation of these improvements.
A follow-up visit, in which workers will again be involved,
will then take place in the near future, in order to assess
the degree of implementation of the corrective plan
- As for the China side of the pilot project, a trip
to Hong Kong and the mainland was scheduled in November,
for further meetings with local partners, with a view
to carrying out the visit of the Chinese suppliers beginning
of 2002.
Other:
- The Berne declaration (Stefan) has a small capacity
to work on the WC campaign. They will ask people to postcards
or emails to FIFA for improvements in the labour conditions
in the sporting good industry. The idea is still in development,
probably they will gather 2002 signatures because it's
the 2002 WC.
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