13 Mar 2002, The following Urgent Action Alert is being distributed by the CCC at the request of Canada's Maquila Solidarity Network with the question to write a letter to Hudson bay Company:

On October 23, 2001, Canada's anti-sweatshop coalition, the Ethical Trading Action Group (ETAG), presented Canada's oldest and largest department store chain, the Hudson's Bay Company (HBC), with two reports documenting serious worker rights abuses at Sun Textiles, an HBC supply factory in the Southern African country of Lesotho. The first report was based on a joint study by SOMO and the South African Trade Union Research Project (TURP). The second report was based on a joint investigation by two departments of the Lesotho government and the Lesotho Clothing and Allied Workers Union (LECAWU).

• Firtst report: "Selling our people": summary report on garment production in Lesotho
• Second report: The Workers’ Story: Labour Rights Violations at Hudson’s Bay Supply Factories in Lesotho - 424KB)

The Hudson's Bay promised to investigate the situation and report back to ETAG on actions it was taking to correct the problems. Over four months later, the HBC is refusing to give ETAG a report on its findings or on how it is addressing the worker rights violations. Instead, the HBC sent ETAG a copy of a letter addressed to another organization indicating it may be cutting off the Sun Textiles factory and running away from the problem.

No information. No explanation. No further consultation.

On March 1, ETAG released a third report documenting continuing sweatshop abuses at Sun Textiles and at two additional Hudson's Bay supply factories in Lesotho owned by Nien Hsing. The report prepared by the Trade Union Research Project (TURP), at ETAG's request, includes worker allegations of physical and verbal abuse and sexual harassment, emergency exits locked during working hours, compulsory overtime that stretches the workweek to seven days and up to 75 hours, wages lower than the prevailing industry wage of US$51 a month, child labour, pregnant women forced to stand throughout the workday, harassment and discrimination against union members, and firings of workers for wearing union caps.

The three factories profiled in the report -- Sun Textiles, Nien Hsing International, and C&Y Garments -- produce private label and licensed brand clothing for Zellers, a retail chain wholly owned by the Hudson's Bay Company. The factories also reportedly produce clothes for other major retailers, including Kmart, Gap and Sears Roebuck.

To view the ETAG/TURP report and background documents, visit: http://www.maquilasolidarity.org.

REQUESTED ACTION
Please write to the Hudson's Bay today. Urge them to NOT cut and run from Sun Textiles or their other supply factories in Lesotho. Tell them to work with their suppliers and the garment workers union in Lesotho to bring their suppliers into compliance with local labour law and the HBC Code of Conduct.

Send faxes and e-mails to:

David Crisp, Senior Vice President
Human Resources
Fax: (416) 861-4720, e-mail: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

SAMPLE LETTER
(Please write your own, and send copy to the Maquila Solidarity Network:
This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it )

David Crisp, Senior Vice President
Human Resources
Hudson's Bay Company
#500 - 401 Bay St.
Toronto, ON
M5H 2Y4
Fax: (416) 861-4720

Dear Mr. Crisp:

I am writing in response to reports of sweatshop abuses at three of your company's supply factories in Lesotho. I understand that on October 23, 2001 your company promised the Ethical Trading Action Group (ETAG) that you would verify whether labour rights violations were taking place at the Sun Textiles factory and report back promptly on the steps you would be taking to help improve conditions.

I am appalled to learn that after more than four months, your company has still not shared that report with ETAG, and that you are now giving indications that you might cut and run from the factory rather than work with the supplier and the Lesotho garment workers union to fix the problem. Cutting and running will certainly not benefit the workers at Sun Textiles, many of whom participated in an Hudson's Bay-sponsored audit of factory conditions. Those workers who were brave enough to tell the truth about factory conditions should not be further punished for doing so.

Now that sweatshop abuses have also been identified at two additional HBC supply factories in Lesotho, I would hope that your company would take a very different approach to dealing with those violations. A more effective approach would include consultation with ETAG and the garment workers union in Lesotho on problems identified in the factories and how to most effectively intervene to improve conditions. It would also include public reports on progress made in achieving compliance with local labour laws and the HBC code of conduct.

I would strongly urge your company to make every effort to work with these three suppliers to eliminate worker rights violations, to consult with the Ethical Trading Action Group and the Lesotho Clothing and Allied Workers Union on possible steps to improve conditions at the factory, and to provide regular progress reports to stakeholders, shareholders, the affected workers, their union, and the public.

I look forward to receiving your prompt reply to my letter, including information on the steps your company is taking to address these serious allegations of worker rights abuses, in a manner that does not cause further harm to the workers whose rights are already being violated.

Yours truly,