notifications and appeals urgent action campaigns in progress essential news
On this case you can find news of topical interest which is periodically up-dated. Notifications, appeals, convocations, communications, news, events: "outdated" materail and documents can be consulted in the library or reached by using the research command. This case is open, so we welcome your co-operation.

• September 2001-Disney in China
  Campaign to denounce Disney workers condition in China
  (text based on pdf document, www source: www.hkcic.com)
  We introduce you the results of a nine months-lenght study (from march to november 2000) about the condition of workers in twelve Disney chinese factories.
  See the full-lenght study in pdf document.

  It's been possible to collect these informations by interviewing the workers outside of the factories.

  First of all, why the choose of  China and why not India or Indonesia where the labor cost is the lowest?
  Because in China the government is more stable than the other asiatic states and either because there the workers are not allowed to organize themselves and have no collective bargaining power.
  Disney produces a lot of different products: garments, stuffed toys, plastic toys etc.
  The number of workers per factory is various: from 50 workers (factory A and B) to 15000 workers (factory C).

  The women are considered better than men bacause they are more obedients than men and also because in China they are considered less important than men. Often women must to work to pay the university to their brothers.
  Generally the owners choose women unmarried and unpregnant. If a worker woman becomes pregnant is fired.
  The age of workers is variable from 18 to 30 years but no worker are assumed if his age is greater than 25 years. Even if child labor is less diffused than India or Pakistan most children work in chinese factories.
  A work-day has 13-16 hours of work, seven days per week and tha wage is the minimum possible admitted in China ($37-61 per month, $0.16 per hour. Michael Eisner, CEO of Walt Disney earns $194.000 per day which equals to the total income of a Disney worker in China for 260 years!), without any bonus for extra-work.
  Often the wages are paid by piece-rates to maintain the workers always efficients and effectives and for this reason in some factories the workers are paid per groups.
  No payslips are given with the wage.
  Most factories have dorms and canteens but their quality is poor and their exclusive aim is to maintain the workers near the factory. The wage is strongly reduced to pay these services.
  The workers must learn a code of conduct in way to tell lies to the work inspectors.

  The opening of the fifth Disneyland Park in Hong Kong in 2005 can worsen the work conditions of these workers.
  Send an e-mail to Walt Disney :

Mr. Michael Eisner,

CEO Walt Disney Company

500 South Buena Vista St. Burbank,

CA 91521 Fax: 818-846-7319

• January 1999 - In Italy a campaign is going on that asks for a pubblic monitoring authority about workers' rights
   

   

• November 1998 - AIP Preliminary Agreement not accepted by UNITE and ICCR
   

   

• September 1998 - The third international Nike mobilization, which has taken place on October 17 1998 focussed on the issue of wages, especially for Nike workers in Indonesia. A study of wages and needs of Nike workers in Indonesia was released september 1998 by Global Exchange (phone 415-255-7296, web site: www.globalexchange.org). Global Exchange and Campaign for Labor Rights are members of the recently-formed Living Wage Campaign. The campaign has selected Nike as its first target. For more information on the Living Wage Campaign, contact Sweatshop Watch: sweatwatch@igc.org
   

   

• September 1998 - Charging that Chiquita Brands International (Chiquita) is ignoring its responsibilities towards banana workers in Latin America, dozens of U.S. and European human rights, environmental, labor and citizen groups called on Chiquita to meet with the workers' representatives who report new and ongoing human rights abuses that only add to the issues raised by the Cincinnati Enquirer expos*
   

   

• April 1998 - Nike sued over sweat shops conditions
• January 1998 - Social Accountability 8000 (SA8000) - the first auditable, global standard for ethical sourcing driven by CEPAA

welcome / action now / news / messages / agenda / library / documents / addresses / books / links