See below info on a U.S. action related to the Saipan lawsuit, provided by Global Exchange.

Today marked the 1 year anniversary of the Saipan lawsuit, charging GAP Inc. and 17 other retailers with human rights abuses on the island's sweatshops. Although companies like J. Crew, Nordstrom, Polo/Ralph Lauren and Donna Karan Intl., have agreed to settle, while GAP Inc. has not. So, activists gathered outside GAP headquarters in San Francisco today to protest the sweatshop abuses and to demand that GAP settle the lawsuit
(for background on the lawsuit, check http://www.globalexchange.org/ )

Meanwhile, 14 activists (including myself, Medea Benjamin, Nikki Bas from Sweatshop Watch and Redwood Mary) demanded a meeting with GAP Chairman Donald Fisher. We demanded that Mr. Fisher meet with Carmencita Abad ( "Chie", a former GAP sweatshop worker) to hear her testimony and accept 10,000 petitions that have been gathered over the last year. We wanted Mr. Fisher and GAP to know that thousands of people are opposed to their sweatshop labor and human rights abuses, but GAP security didn't take too well to our demands. We tried to negotiate with another GAP employee, but that didn't work out too well either, so we decided to sit in the lobby until they met with us. We chanted "GAP workers have been wronged, One year is way too long" and "Settle the case or we'll be in your face" as the San Francisco police arrested us. We were cheered on by a group of activists as we were led to the police vans. With the exception of one person, we were all cited and released right away.

With the exception of some technical difficulties, the action was a great way to bring in the new year. Thanks Wetlands Preserve activists in New York for protesting in solidarity with us. As I told the press, "I am optimistic that our continued pressure on GAP Inc. will prove to be worthwhile by the end of this year." Let's continue with our Monthly Days of Action (the next being Febuary 5th) and our weekly call-ins to GAP. Call if you can. The number is 1-800-333-7899 x75000. Tell them that you oppose GAP's sweatshop abuses all over the world and you demand that they settle the Saipan lawsuit immediately. One-year is way too long!!!

Thanks to everyone who signed and helped gather petitions over the last year! We really couldn't have done this without you! Since they didn't accept them, let's continue to gather them up (An updated petition will be put on the web soon). Thank you once again everyone!

In solidarity,
Leila Salazar
Corporate Accountability Organizer
Global Exchange