GUATEMALAN MAQUILA WORKERS ATTACKED!

• intro
• Suggested Actions:
• Words from the union leaders and testimonies from before the campaign went public

Please take action on the following case involving union repression at two factories in Guatemala producing for Liz Claiborne. European campaigners should note that Liz Claiborne now owns the Mexx Group, and therefore Mexx should be targetted for pressure in this matter. Inform them that thisunion repression is in direct violation of Guatemalan law, international labor rights agreements and in violation of Liz Claiborne's code of conduct.

source: US/LEAP; July 21, 2001
U.S./Labor Education in the Americas Project
P.O. Box 268-290
Chicago, IL 60626
Tel: 773-262-6502
Fax: 773-262-6602
usleapja@mindspring.com
http://www.usleap.org

After a year-long clandestine campaign, the two unions at the Choishin and Cimatextiles factories in Guatemala, owned by a Korean-based company called Choi & Shin's, went public on July 9, 2001. Both factories produce for Liz Claiborne and are located in Villa Neuva, just outside Guatemala City, Guatemala. The larger of the two plants, Choishin, is being monitored by COVERCO, a trusted local monitor, as part of a pilot project of Liz Claiborne. Liz Claiborne is on the board of the Fair Labor Association, an organization that coordinates the internal and independent monitoring of garment factories.

While the factory management gave little response to the union drive at first, the situation soon deteriorated. Union supporters reportedly began to face death threats, threats to close the factory, blackmail, the calling of meetings during work hours to denounce the union, and the stoning of the workers' meeting place while meetings are taking place.

These events escalated and on Wednesday, July 18th, the union supporters were attacked by a mob of non-union workers. The mob seemed to be orchestrated by the factory management, which motivated the non-union workers with threats that the factory will close and that the workers will be blacklisted and never get work again. Witnesses report that at 10:30 a.m. that morning, all the line and area supervisors of Choishin and Cimatextiles met in the offices of Cimatextiles (an uncommon occurance). After the meeting, these supervisors spoke to a few people on their production lines. One union leader overheard her supervisor say, "Today we'll see who wins. It's either them or us." Shortly before the noon lunch break, news circulated that there would be a meeting on the field during the lunch hour.

About mid-way through lunch hour, a group of non-union workers headed toward where the union leaders were eating together, led by a top supervisor of Choishin and composed mostly of workers from Choishin. The mob surrounded the group of union leaders and threatened them verbally, saying they were going to kick them out, to lynch them, to kill them, and started throwing food, bottles and rocks at them. The Korean management and the personnel managers were on the field watching the event and reportedly told union leaders who asked them to intervene that they could not do anything.

Two and a half hours to three hours later, MINGUA, the United Nations body to oversee the peace process in Guatemala, had arrived. Also arriving that afternoon were inspectors from the Labor Ministry, the FESTRAS organizers, two policemen, COVERCO monitors, local press, and representatives from other non-governmental organizations like STITCH, Witness for Peace, and NISGUA. By 4:30p.m., the union leaders were rescued from the plant and 21 of them went to the Public Ministry in Guatemala City to report the incident.

At the end of the day, it was discovered that ten union leaders had been forced to sign resignation letters and seven had already received their severance payment. Union leaders reported getting hit in the head with bottles and rocks and a few members were beaten.

Danger Still Present, Case Provides Key Test

The initial attack on the 18th was followed by a second similar incident on July 19th during which even COVERCO monitors were roughed up. As of July 21st, the situation in the factory has not improved and mob intimidation of union leaders and members continue.

The unionists who were attacked have taken the appropriate action and given testimonies to both the Labor Minister of Guatemala and the COVERCO monitors, so both the Government of Guatemala and Liz Claiborne have been informed of the violence and blatant violations of Guatemalan labor law, the International Labor Organization's conventions, and the Liz Claiborne code of conduct. The question now is, will they act to ensure that these workers have a safe environment in which to work and a workplace that respects the right to organize?

The Guatemalan government has taken some action by giving legal recognition to the union in the Cimatextiles factory and stated that the factory management will receive notification of the suspension of its export license with a message that the company needs to take steps to ensure a safe environment for all of its workers. The Guatemalan Government also noted that legal recognition for the union in the Choishin factory is expected to be granted on Monday. Under pressure, the factory management agreed to reinstate the workers who were forced to resign while under mob attack on July 20th.

While Liz Claiborne has expressed concern to Choi & Shin's, it has so far been unable or unwilling to exercise its influence with Choi & Shin's effectively enough to stop the violent intimidation and the abrogation of the workers' right to organize.

This case is a key test for the Guatemalan Government's enforcement of the rule of law. Indeed, this case is the maquila sector's version of the violent attack of the SITRABI banana union when local management helped drum up local and violent opposition to union efforts with the claim that the union would cause job losses and the closing of the operation. Unlike the banana sector, however, maquila sector trade benefits to the U.S. are supposed to be conditioned on respect for worker rights.

For Liz Claiborne, this case is a test of their pilot project on independent monitoring and what conditions are needed for worker rights to be respected in the factories that produce their clothing.

Suggested Actions:

1) CONTACT THE GUATEMALAN AMBASSADOR TO YOUR COUNTRY:
Ask him/her to ensure that these workers' safety is guaranteed and that the Guatemalan Government take immediate action versus this new case of immpunity. Urge the Government of Guatemala to arrest and prosecute the violent perpetrators for their crimes.

2) CONTACT LIZ CLAIBORNE:

Ask the company to pressure their contractor, Choi & Shin's, to
(1) immediately suspend those who have been criminally charged and fire those who have been clearly identified as violent intimidators,
(2) stop any further instigation of mob behavior and
(3) accept the union by allowing the reinstated workers to go back to work and agreeing to negotiate with the union in good faith.

Contact:
Paul R. Charron
Chairman and Chief Executive Officer
Liz Claiborne, Inc.
1441 Broadway
New York, NY 10018.
Tel: (212)-354-4900;
Fax: (212)-626-3416

You can email Liz Claiborne about this situation
through their webpage by going to
http://www.lizclaiborne.com/lizinc/lizworks/workers/contact.asp.

Liz Claiborne's Code of Conduct can be found on the web at
http://www.lizclaiborne.com/lizinc/lizworks/workers/conduct.asp.

3) MEXX CONTACTS IN EUROPE:

Mexx Group
Managing director/CEO Randa Chadha
Leidseweg 219
2253 AE Voorschoten
The Netherlands
Tel +31-71-579-7111
Fax: +31-71-579-7222

Mexx Belgium
P.B.O. 076-077
Fashion Gardens/Atomium Square F035
1020 Brussels
Belgium
Tel : +32 2 4783080
Fax : +32 2 4792844
Representative for:
Belgium, Luxembourg

Mexx Austria
Fashion Mall/Deck 1, Top 24-26
Carl Zuckmayer-Str. 37
5028 Salzburg
Austria
Tel : +43 662 450101
Fax : +43 662 45010120

Mexx Sweden
Box 47035/Årsta Hamnväg 9
100 74 Stockholm
Sweden
Tel : +46 8 57887200
Fax : +46 8 57887222

Mexx France
23 bis-Rue
Edouard Nieuport
92150
Suresnes
France
Tel : +33 1 45060222
Fax : +33 1 46971790

Mexx Spain
Calle de Alcala 79 1B
28009 Madrid
Spain
Tel : +34 91 7818210
Fax : +34 91 5770943

Mexx Switzerland
Textil- & Modezentrum
Talackerstrasse 17/Postfach
8065 Zürich-Glattbrugg
Switzerland
Tel : +41 1 8292880
Fax : +41 1 8292770

Mexx United Kingdom
St James House
13 Kensington Square
London W8 5HD
United Kingdom
Tel : +44 20 77610600
Fax : +44 20 77610601

For those of you interested in organizing actions: please check your local phone books for Mexx shops in your community. Mexx products are also sold at major department stores.

Donna took her children and ran from her husband to the city. She works at the factory to support her family.

"I think that everything will change in terms of the way we are treated because you suffer so many humiliations…. The idea of a union made me very afraid because various unions have been organized here and many leaders have been killed. And I have been very worried…. What gives me strength is that these things will change. If we don't do it, those of us inside, who else is going to do it? I motivate my companeras and try not to show them my fear. And wherever I see injustice, it gives me strength to continue and to try and change this situation."

Maria works in Cimatextiles and is helping to put her other siblings through school with her wages from the factory. Once, when she was being harassed by a supervisor to sew faster, she pierced her finger with the needle of the sewing machine. The needle went completely through the finger.

"I would like to see that things improve for all of us. Many are still suffering. So, I am interested in this so that when I leave, there are other norms of treatment for people because we are all human and we deserve to be treated as brothers."

*****
The workers have been working with FESTRAS, the well-respected union federation that arose from one of the most famous international labor solidarity struggles, that of the Coca-Cola workers twenty years ago who fought back against repression that included the murder of four general secretaries. The organizing in these two factories has been supported through a project of the International Textile, Garment, and Leather Workers Federation as well as support from the local office of the AFL-CIO.