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Country reports June to Nov. 2002

You can find the information to contact the different groups here


SWITZERLAND

Swiss Pilot project: The Swiss pilot will end in January 2003. During summer and autumn the follow up visits in India and China were carried out, to see whether the corrective action plans were realised. There again, the compliance with the CCC-code as well as with local laws will be verified. Parallel to the second round of interviews and visits, there are training programmes realised for the workers. These training cover the knowledge on the labour laws guaranteed by labour law and CCC-code as well as some occupational health and safety issues (OHS). In Tirupur/India three counselling centres were opened. In fact, approximately 1000 workers of an Indian supplier have profited, without hindrance from management, from in-service training sessions on the code of conduct.

In November 2002 the summaries of the reports from India were published on the homepage of Swiss CCC
(see under: http://www.cleanclothes.ch/d/pilot.htm). The summary, a press release and a commentary from CCC on each case is available in English. For further details, see the English updates from Isabelle Scherer, the director of the pilot program on the same homepage. In the beginning of 2003 the same documents will be published on the ongoing independent verification in China. The experience learned during the pilot project will be published in March 2003 with a final report.

In the summer, the Swiss companies that were targeted by the Swiss CCC have been contacted to ask what their interest is in a new institution on independent verification with participation of NGOs and trade unions in production- and consumer countries. CCC presented a draft plan of a system of independent verification. The reactions were mostly reserved (too expensive, too few companies involved, too ambitious etc.). It is still the goal of Swiss CCC to build up a verification body based on the tested model of code implementation and the principles of verification as they were written down in the contract on the pilot project. Some companies are willing to continue and the talks will continue in 2003.

The Public Eye on Davos:
This is an international conference held over several days at the end of January 2003 at the same time as the WEF annual meeting in Davos. There is one panel on labour standards in garment sector (targeting Nike). Further details see under: www.evb.ch/publiceyeondavos.htm.


FRENCH SPEAKING PART OF BELGIUM

Campagne Vêtements propres, Campaign update from July 2002 up to 4th november 2002

  • A new campaign on toys,
  • A book : Plaything of the globalisation
  • Partnerships in Belgium and abroad
  • Carrefour Belgium : next episode

Campaigning : " Non merci Saint Nicolas, on ne joue pas avec les droits humains " (No thank you Santa Claus, human rights are not my plaything)

On the 7th of October, the Vêtements propres platform launched a new campaign on toys : "Non merci Saint Nicolas, on ne joue pas avec les droits humains".
It is a toy campaign in the framework of the clean clothes campaign. The same strategies are used to achieve the same aims taking into account the specificities of the toy production: seasonal production, even more production part for China, and more dependency of the producers towards brands and main retailers through market control and licences.

Campaign supports:
A brochure with the basic information, Disney as a central example and several ways of action : interpellation of the main retailers, changes in the consumption (to exchange toys, to rent them, to prefer fair traded products), to become an actor to inform counterparts in school, etc.)

  • Postcards and interpellation cards with a request directly linked to the procurement practices (Give me the adequate information in order to ensure that your procurement practices make possible the respect of core workers rights and the respect of the national legislation)
  • A book : Jouets de la mondialisation - dans le monde désenchanté de Walt Disney in french (the flemish version is available and is called Speeltjes van globalisering). This book describes (part one) the chain and the working conditions, taking as a central example the Walt Disney Company. It updates (part two) some developments in the ways of action (codes of conducts, legal initiatives, stakeholders actions).

Legal Initiatives

  • The Belgian Social Label
    Carole Crabbé is a member of the advise committee for the public social label. Before entering in its running work (to give or to refuse giving labels to products), the advise committee is presently working on the texts of implementation of the law. Next steps are the discussion on the control procedures and the specific request in regards to specific products.
  • (Pm) Support of the lawsuit against TotalFina Elf for complicity in a crime against humanity in Burma (forced labour), using the Belgian law of universal jurisdiction

Alliances with trade unions

  • A training program for trade union's representatives in the workplaces on "alliances between workers and consumers"
  • Joint work inside the Belgian Social Forum (GATS)

Mass Alternative
An offer for "clean tee-shirts": During the last months several studies and missions have been undertaken for improvement of the range in quantity and diversity, establishment of monitoring procedures and permanent improvement possibilities in the two Magasins du monde-OXFAM 's production chains in India, together with the Fair trade partners, the Clean Clothes Task Force in India and other Indian partners involved in monitoring. (for more information : Jean François Rixen)


SWEDEN

Campaigning:
On the last of October a PPR/ Gucci action was done in Stockholm. We did a fashion show were the speaker voice told the audience about the conditions in factories producing clothes for PPR. It was very successful, two national TV news show featured it and one local news show. The second biggest newspaper in the country took up the issue and our action on the editorial. A lot of newspapers and two radio shows did something about our action.

We have some new organizations supporting the campaign: Svenska Kyrkans Unga (Swedish Church Youth) and LO-TCO Biståndsnämnd (an umbrella organization for unions in Sweden working with development). This bring some hope, fresh blood, fresh ideas and so on.


AUSTRIA

July-October 2002

Fair trade weeks in Vorarlberg, Tyrol and Vienna:
The CCC participated in the FairTrade weeks in Vorarlberg in October (the western part of Austria), Tyrol will be in November and Vienna will be in December.

In the fair trade weeks we are doing a lot of workshops with pupils, teachers seminars and theatre actions about the CCC.

Complaints at the National Contact Point of the OECD:
We did two complaints at the National Contact Point in Austria one against Adidas and Nike (based on the We are not machines report) and one against PPR (based on the US-complaint). (Note: the complaint on Adidas has been transferred to Germany)

Festivals:
During the summer the CCC Austria participated in several street festivals like the Südwind streetfestival, the Visionale and the Josefstädter streetfestival in Vienna.

Network of ethical consumers:
As said in the last report the CCC Austria is trying to build a network of ethical consumers. The task of this network is to involve much more people in the issues the CCC is working with. The network will do their own work and actions in coordination with the CCC but the idea ist hat they are becoming active themselves (and not only when the CCC sends out postcards or urgent actions) By now there are 25 interested people involved in Vienna, other parts of Austria will follow.
In this process we got in closer contact with an organisation called SOL (people for solidarity, environment and lifestyle) who are now part of the CCC also.

Gucci 31st of October 2002:
Protest against Gucci thursday afternoon in front of the Gucci store in the pedestrian zone Kohlmarkt in the heart of the city of Vienna. We distributed leaflets and postcards. Also our "one woman theatre" called "the two sides of the fashion industry" did take place there, which did shock some people. We were five people from the CCC Austria. We distributed around
800 leaflets and postcards and people were quite interested in the action.

We gave them the leaflets saying something like "information about Gucci for you?!" and some people looked quite critically but then saw the logo of the CCC and said "okay that's great I take it"

We also did a press release to some 200 journalists (mainly newspapers), lets see if they will write some lines.

In the first week of November 02 we will distribute 7000 gucci-postcards to subscribers of our CCC Austria newsletter.

You can find the press release and high res photos of the action on our website www.cleanclothes.at .

Continous:
Talks and Workshops in schools, churches and at trade union meetings, answering to a lot of questions from consumers and journalists

Urgent Actions:
We participated in two Urgent actions in this period, which were on the Shree Jee fire and on PPR/Gucci.


ROMANIA

Workshop Bucharest
10 - 11 October 2002

On October 10/11 took place in Bucharest the workshop with the topic: "How can international labour standards initiatives improve working conditions and support labour organisations in Romania". Participants were shop stewards and TU leaders in the garment sector, representatives of NGOs involved in labour related activities, labour inspectors and partners from Bulgaria, Poland, Turkey and FES.
On this occasion preliminary conclusions of the research started in garment Romanian companies, the outcomes of the 2 FWF pilot projects in Romania and Poland, the activity and experience of the Bulgarian CCC project were presented.
Also, participants learned about different international initiatives on monitoring working conditions (corporate Codes of Conducts, initiatives of different social actors - ETI, FLA, SAI, the OECD guideline for the multinationals etc.)
Conclusions:

  • in the new international context (the activity of the multinationals and the existence of increasing longer supplying chains) NGOs and other labour-related groups become more and more involved in social activities;
  • TUs have to change their strategy: strong collaboration (national and international) between different federations and confederations and with the new social actors (NGOs, labor-related groups etc.), attractions of new members (especially from non-unionised sector), strong education programme on the labor and human rights (especially in the non-unionised sector and for the new generation)
  • strong need of exchange of information and experience with external partners on topics such as: "corporate social responsibility", "Codes of Conducts", "independent monitoring and verification of working conditions", "fair prices", "living wage" etc.

FRANCE

Toy's retailers campaign "Exploiter n'est pas jouer " 2002

Targets : toys retailers (Carrefour, Leclerc, Auchan, JouéClub...)

Objectives : adoption/improvement of their code of conduct, negociation of its implementation with the french CCC (including monitoring and independant verification : pilot projets...)
(Situation in France : under the pression of our campaigns, the large majority of retailers have adopted a code of conduct and finance social audits. But the participation of the civil society in France and in producing countries is very weak (NGO's, Trade Unions, consumers organisations, workers...).

Activities :

  • edition of our 3rd "carnet de notes" (rating document on management of social quality/codes of conduct by french retailers). Edited in partnership with the monthly magazine "Alternatives Economiques" (120 000 copies). Could also be published by the consumers magazine "60 millions de consommateurs" (180 000 copies)
  • press action : November 21st press conference with Monina Wong/HKCIC, communication of the results published in our "carnet de notes", information on our campaign… Demonstration of Santa Claus in front of a big toy shop, near the conference place…
  • national action days november 23/24th, involving local coordinations of the french CCC (total : 110) : demonstration of Santa Claus, press conferences, letters campaign from consumers to retailers
  • December : 26 minutes TV film on France 2 (toys in China, French CCC actions…)
  • Up to may 2003 : local CCC coordinations will try to meet local managers of Carrefour, Auchan, Toys'R US to ask improvements (codes etc…). We want to lobby national retailers headquarters through local manager.

2- Other actions :

Ethical public procurements : we are working with representatives of towns, on technical tools for civil servants in charge with that issue.The city of Tours (200 000 citizens) is one of the 220 french towns, regional councils... promoting socially responsible public procurements. Tours will ask his 30 toys supplyers to adopt a code of conduct (the french CCC and representatives of public authorities are working on a model code adapted to public procurements). Other cities will probably take similar initiatives with their toys, garments and shoes supplyers (+ probably other products)


UK

Labour behind the label, activity report, July to October 2002

For the campaign in the UK, two people are employed three days a week in total. Therefore mostly re-active work: presentations (including day-long seminar in fashion college), requests for info, company follow up, servicing support base.

AGM 2002: Turkish speaker was Asuman Erendil, representing Turkey's Working Group on Women Home Workers in Turkey, who spoke of developments in garment industry in Turkey and growth in homeworking.

Shree Jee appeal: Investing more time than usual in this appeal as several UK companies implicated and strong union involvement in India. Focus on Barratts (Stylo plc). Press release issued, urgent appeal sent to e-list, enclosed with latest LBL bulletin and disseminated at TUC conference (though courier company lost box of materials for three days), letter written to companies. We are asking LBL supporters to leaflet outside shops selling Barratts shoes over the next two months. Actions so far planned in London, Norwich, Glasgow and Manchester. Next stage: carry on with the organising of actions, sending urgent appeal to unions HQs, pursuing correspondence with Barratts and other companies.

Question: How can we ensure as CCCs that research work carried out by any of us benefits other CCCs where appropriate? Should a list be established of specific companies on which info is being sought?

Urgent Appeals: five urgent appeals were sent to our e-mailing list (Shree Jee, PT Doson, demonstrators shot in Indonesia, PPR and Sri Lanka government over the right to organise).

Information: bulletin 17 produced and website in process of being updated and redesigned.

Marathon proposal: next platform meeting on 26 November.


SPAIN

Proposal on CSR: Several meetings have been hold with members of the socialist party as they are drafting a proposal on CSR. The Spanish CCC has joint an initiative of three other NGOs working on this issue. We are trying to arrange meetings with PP, the party in power, to follow up the recommendation on CSR made during their six months of EU Presidency.

Mango in Burma: CCC Spain has asked Mango for an explanation for producing in Burma. In October 2002 CCC Spain got informed that Mango had produced in Burma. When Mango was asked for an explanation, their first reaction was incredulity. After an internal investigation they found out that they had bought 80.000 jumpers in Burma. Following, Mango announced not to produce any more in Burma and to double check the channels of contracting and subcontracting orders in Asia and to strengthen their control, following recommendations of CCC Spain.

Adolfo Dominguez: After a year campaiging on Adolfo Dominguez, which is producing in Indonesia, including street actions at their shops and a postcard campaign, the company has agreed to meet and disscuss their policy on CSR, becaming a bit more transparent and begining to share data on their manufacturers.

CCC Spain participates in the shareholders meeting of Inditex (Zara): in order to request information on their Social Corporate Responsability. Though the answers were rather general the media coverage was huge and tortuose relationship with Inditex were a bit more transparent. Inditex has got a code of conduct but this is implemented throught consultant. CCC wanted to make sure with its presence that their policy on SCR is duly implemented and that shareholders are aware of the policy.

Morocco: In September 2002, CCC Spain sent a journalist to Tanger to follow up on the activities of production for Spanish companies with a view to publish a new report in the beginning of 2003 with Intermon-Oxfam. The journalist constated again that several companies moved their production to this region, using subcontracters and violating the right of the employees. The main companies who use this practice are: Inditex, El Corte Inglés and Mayoral. We are currently planing the translation, presentation, organising a speaker tour etc.

Censored video: The director of RTVE, Spanish Public Television which is responsible for the censured video "dirty rugs" has publicaly declared that it will be broadcasted. Meanwhile, CCC Spain goes on with collecting signatures during street actions, and on the web which no doubt has had influence on the declaration of the director.

Actions: Several street actions, petitions signing, workshops, concerts, story tellers and workshops with young people, as well as a cineforum were organized raising awarness on consumer rights and labor conditions.


NETHERLANDS

July - October 2002

Companies:
Urgent Appeal went out on Mauritius, Belarusse and India - to all protestletter writers in our system, and this time together with environmental organisation (friends of the earth), focused at Vendex/KBB. Broader distribution then normal, many letters written.

Fair Wear Foundation:
Several companies interested, focus in the coming period on building up partner networks and supporting companies in organizing their internal monitoring

Clean Clothes Communities:
Newsletter was distributed via email, interest by different local groups who take up the issue. One workshop planned, and the idea is to organize a larger meeting of the different communities at some time.

Fashion Files:
Exchange visit was organized with 10 young people to Sri Lanka, CCC secretariat (Christa) together with CNV youth organization. Several journalists joined the group. The young people have committed to give the fashion files.

Actions:
- 31 august we participated in a demonstration and manifestation on the Johannesburg conference. Bodypainted people were a great succes.
- Gucci: action organized on 31 october, card printed and will be distributed especially among fashion students

Publications:
- dutch newsletter
- dutch leaflet

Other:
- Participated in a meeting with Cambodian delegation organized by CNV
- Platform meeting organized

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