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July 2004 Letter from King Yong workers to the North American people July 22, 2004 We make an urgent call to the North American people, asking for your international solidarity in our just struggle for recognition of our union-STUFEKY, for our reinstatement and for the rights of all the women and men workers at the King Yong company. In Nicaragua we sew the clothing you buy in the United States, but the transnational companies, like Wal-Mart and Kohl's ignore our country's Constitution and run over our labor laws. In the King Yong factory, we are obligated to work overtime hours, and then they cheat us on our pay-confirmed even by our Labor Ministry. The supervisors humiliate us and scream at us-especially the women workers. We are under constant pressure to work faster. The factory is so hot that ever day we are practically bathing in our own sweat. The bathrooms are sickening and there is no toilet paper and sometimes not even water. Our wages are below subsistence level. When we met on March 22 to legally organize our union to be able to protect our basic rights, the administration responded by illegally firing over 400 workers. We have tried to negotiate in good faith with the company, but they have attacked us. We have cooperated with the Ministry of Labor, but the company refuses to respond to the Ministry of Labor orders to reinstate us and put an end to the violations. We are not asking for a boycott. Far from that, we need these jobs. All we want is respect for the laws of our country and to be treated like human beings. Unfortunately, the U.S.-Central America Free Trade Agreement does not do anything to protect the rights of the workers. Rather, it protects the big corporations, their products and properties and finances. That is the way we are writing to international solidarity. For us, our union is crucial. According to our experience, and what history tells us, nothing can take the place of a union in effectively defending and promoting the rights of the workers. In the United States, you buy the clothing we make. You have a Voice. Please support us now, so that together we can win our rights, and dignity for the workers! We are full of hope. And we are committed to continuing our just struggle in Nicaragua. We hope that some day, if we win our union, we will be able to help you, and the North American people, in your struggle. Many thanks. In the Name of the King Yong Union [signed] Juan Carlos Smith FloresGeneral Secretary Isabel TijerinoEduardo Garcia Petrona CortezMarlon Gerardo Barahona Click here for original Spanish letter.

July 2004 Letter from King Yong workers to the North American people July 22, 2004 We make an urgent call to the North American people, asking for your international solidarity in our just struggle for recognition of our union-STUFEKY, for our reinstatement and for the rights of all the women and men workers at the King Yong company. In Nicaragua we sew the clothing you buy in the United States, but the transnational companies, like Wal-Mart and Kohl's ignore our country's Constitution and run over our labor laws. In the King Yong factory, we are obligated to work overtime hours, and then they cheat us on our pay-confirmed even by our Labor Ministry. The supervisors humiliate us and scream at us-especially the women workers. We are under constant pressure to work faster. The factory is so hot that ever day we are practically bathing in our own sweat. The bathrooms are sickening and there is no toilet paper and sometimes not even water. Our wages are below subsistence level. When we met on March 22 to legally organize our union to be able to protect our basic rights, the administration responded by illegally firing over 400 workers. We have tried to negotiate in good faith with the company, but they have attacked us. We have cooperated with the Ministry of Labor, but the company refuses to respond to the Ministry of Labor orders to reinstate us and put an end to the violations. We are not asking for a boycott. Far from that, we need these jobs. All we want is respect for the laws of our country and to be treated like human beings. Unfortunately, the U.S.-Central America Free Trade Agreement does not do anything to protect the rights of the workers. Rather, it protects the big corporations, their products and properties and finances. That is the way we are writing to international solidarity. For us, our union is crucial. According to our experience, and what history tells us, nothing can take the place of a union in effectively defending and promoting the rights of the workers. In the United States, you buy the clothing we make. You have a Voice. Please support us now, so that together we can win our rights, and dignity for the workers! We are full of hope. And we are committed to continuing our just struggle in Nicaragua. We hope that some day, if we win our union, we will be able to help you, and the North American people, in your struggle. Many thanks. In the Name of the King Yong Union [signed] Juan Carlos Smith FloresGeneral Secretary Isabel TijerinoEduardo Garcia Petrona CortezMarlon Gerardo Barahona Click here for original Spanish letter.

March 2004 Niagra Textiles Ltd.Chandra Circle, Union-AtabahKaliakair, GazipurBangladesh

Why Is the NBA Exploiting 7-cent-an-hour Slave Labor and Supporting Brutal Military Dictators and Drug Lords in Burma?

By Grant McCool ReutersFebruary 9, 2004