Prenatal/Artsana in Thailandia - Clean Clothes Campaign

["Ersilia Monti" <ermont at tin.it>]

PRENATAL/ARTSANA IN THAILANDIA

Cari amici della lista,

Il 22 maggio scorso ho scritto a nome della Campagna Abiti Puliti  un fax ad
Artsana, a Prenatal e ai sindacati italiani del tessile-abbigliamento. Il
caso e' quello della Ladybird Garment Factory, fornitore thailandese delle
aziende statunitensi Gymboree, Guess, TJX Companies, e dell'azienda italiana
Prenatal (di proprieta' di Artsana). Il sindacato di fabbrica sta tentando
senza successo di condurre in porto una trattativa con la direzione per
ottenere: 1) aumento dei salari e calcolo in base all'anzianita' di
servizio; 2) indennita' di maternita'; 3) permessi sindacali; 4) migliori
servizi di trasporto; 5) gratifiche annuali come d'uso nel settore
dell'abbigliamento in Thailandia. Il titolare della Ladybird non cede su
nessuna richiesta malgrado la mediazione del ministero del lavoro e sta
esercitando pressioni indebite sui lavoratori affinche' rinuncino a
difendere i propri diritti.  Poiche' finora non ho avuto risposta ne' da
Prenatal/Artsana ne' dal sindacato, prima di ritornare alla carica, vi
chiedo di inviare il testo che segue per fax o posta prioritaria (o per
email alla Filtea).
Grazie a tutti.
Ersilia Monti

Spett.le
Artsana S.p.a.
Via Saldarini Catelli, 1
22070 Grandate (CO)
Fax 031-382500

Spett.le
Prenatal S.p.A.
Centro Colleoni
Palazzo Pegaso 1
20041 Agrate Brianza (MI)
Fax 039-6058043

Spett.le FILTA - Att. Adriano Linari
Fax 06-4462544

Spett.le FILTEA - Att. Valeria Fedeli
Fax 06-5803182 (email: vfedeli at uni.net)

Spett.le UILTA - Att. Edoardo Rossi
Fax 06-4819421


Ogg.: Ladybird Garment Factory - Bangkok

Ricevo dalla Campagna Abiti puliti una segnalazione proveniente dalla
Thailandia (Center for Labour Service Information and Training:
joffemir at loxinfo.co.th) che ha per oggetto la Ladybird Garment Factory, una
fabbrica sita a Bangkok che produce per conto di Prenatal.
Viene riferito che la direzione della fabbrica rifiuta di discutere con il
sindacato aziendale di due problemi rilevanti: l'esiguità dei salari e la
loro arbitraria distribuzione, le limitazioni imposte all'esercizio della
libertà sindacale. Solo 100 dei 540 dipendenti della Ladybird ricevono un
salario mensile, il resto lavora con paga a giornata, secondo uno schema
retributivo discrezionale che non tiene conto dell'anzianità di servizio. Il
lavoro straordinario, indispensabile per integrare una paga base misera, è
negato ai rappresentanti sindacali; mentre le donne in stato di gravidanza,
a cui la legge vieta di lavorare in straordinario, non ricevono indennità
specifiche. Inoltre, ai rappresentanti sindacali viene negata la possibilità
di fruire di permessi sindacali. L'ostilità nei confronti del sindacato è
confermata da alcune interviste realizzate sul posto da ricercatori della
Clean Clothes Campaign.

Le trattative in corso per il rinnovo del contratto non hanno fatto alcun
progresso a causa del rifiuto della Ladybird Garment Factory di prendere in
considerazione qualsiasi richiesta del sindacato.

Chiedo ad Artsana e a Prenatal di intervenire con urgenza presso il loro
fornitore per invitarlo a tenere un comportamento leale e costruttivo al
fine di giungere a un accordo di reciproca soddisfazione, e di astenersi da
atti vessatori o discriminatori nei confronti degli iscritti al sindacato e
dei rappresentanti sindacali.
Ai sindacati italiani chiedo di intervenire nei termini e nei modi più
idonei affinché sia garantito ai lavoratori della Ladybird Garment Factory
il pieno esercizio delle libertà sindacali.

Confido di poter ricevere buone notizie nel breve periodo e porgo cordiali
saluti.

---------------------
Chi vuole essere escluso dalla lista o vuole ricevere informazioni sulla
Clean Clothes Campaign, puo’ inviare un messaggio a : ermont at tin.it
Ersilia Monti (Coordinamento lombardo nord/sud del mondo)
P.le Governo Provvvisorio 6
20127 Milano
tel.02-26140345
email: ermont at tin.it
-------------------


-----Messaggio originale-----
Da: owner-cleanclothes at xs4all.nl <owner-cleanclothes at xs4all.nl>
Data: lunedì 21 maggio 2001 10.17
Oggetto: [cleanclothes] support union at Ladybird, Thailand


>Dear Friends,
>Please find below a request for action on the case of the Ladybird Garment
>Factory, located in Bangkok, Thailand.
>
>The Center for Labour Information Service and Training (CLIST) has informed
>us in recent weeks of the deteriorating relationship between management and
>the union at the factory. The workers find the situation at the factory to
>be increasingly urgent and would like international support. In addition to
>management's inaction on several specific demands (see below), there is the
>very serious charge of repression of union rights. CLIST has asked that
>people support the workers struggle by pressuring the companies that
>produce at Ladybird. Ask them to demand that Ladybird management negotiate
>in good faith with the workers union, and to stop the discrimination and
>harassment of union members. Labor rights violations at Ladybird are
>nothing new: in November 1999 a CCC researcher met with Ladybird workers in
>Thailand and learned of a variety of labor rights violations at the
facility.
>
>The appeal from CLIST is dated may 5th, but it took us some time to clear
>up the buyer situation. The next union negotiation sessions are scheduled
>for next week, so please react quickly!
>
>For more information on this case, please contact  the Center for Labour
>Service Information and Training at joffemir at loxinfo.co.th
>-------------------------------------------------------------
>
>
>Appeal for Solidarity to Clean Clothes Campaign
>Ladybird Garment Factory, Bangkok Thailand
>on behalf of Center for Labour Information Service and Training
>May 5th, 2001
>
>
>Ladybird Union negotiations as of May 5th, 2001
>
>The Ladybird Union of Ladybird Garment Factory in Bangkok, Thailand is
>currently in negotiation for a contract.  They have had three rounds of
>negotiations, starting on the 27th of April, with no progress.  The
>employer and his team of professional negotiators have taken a hard stance
>and refused every single demand of the union, and have, in fact submitted
>their own demands including calling to freeze the already low wages of
>employees for three years.  Starting next week, the union and the company
>will have negotiation sessions mediated by officials from the Ministry of
>Labour. The employer's blatant refusal to negotiate on any demand shows his
>complete lack of respect for the women who have worked years for the
>company or for the union trying to improve conditions in the factory.
>Apparel sector organizing is the hardest sector in which to organize unions
>in Thailand.  The workers of Ladybird are determined to improve conditions
>in the factory and exercise their rights to collectively bargain.
>
>The union's most important five demands are as follows:
>1) A 600 baht per month compensation for pregnant workers (because they are
>restricted by law from doing overtime work and thus have less earning
>potential); chairs with backrests for pregnant women; the allowance of
>pregnant workers to work below target rates for women and to refrain from
>hurrying or rushing pregnant workers so they do not experience stress on
>the job.
>[The factory currently has no compensation for pregnant women]
>
>2) To add company transportation to the existing routes so that at whatever
>time the company requires workers to enter the factory or at what time they
>finish work, there is transportation.  To keep the bus route from Bangna to
>Ladybird, to upgrade the small songtaew [open air vehicle] from Wat Song to
>the factory to be a bus, and to add to two more routes: a bus from Bak Tang
>King Kaew to the factory and a large songtaew from Wat Song to the factory.
>
>3) To change the pay scale from a grade system to one based on length of
>employment.  To raise wages as follows:
>1 year worked to up to 3 years of work: 8 baht per day
>3 years worked to up to 6 years of work: 15 baht per day
>6 years worked to up to 10 years of work: 20 baht per day
>10 years worked and over: 30 baht per day
>
>[The workers want to change the wage raise system to one based on years of
>experience.  The current wage adjustment system is based on quality of
>work, but is arbitrary and the employer simply raises the wages of those
>whom he wishes to.  About 180 workers in the factory are still earning the
>minimum wage of 165 baht per day, most who have worked one or two years.
>However, there are workers who have been employed for five years and are
>still earning the bare minimum wage.]
>
>4) For the company to allow union committee members or union members
>selected by the committee to
>take off work for any activities relevant to the union or strengthening the
>union 30 days per year with pay, irrelevant of official holidays.
>[Currently committee members can only take off work if they are attending
>an official Labor Department function.]
>
>
>5) For the company to pay a yearly bonus to every employee depending on
>length of employment:
>180 days to work to up to 1 year work - 15 days worth of pay
>1 year worked to up to 3 years of work - 30 days worth of pay
>3 years worked to up to 5 years of work - 50 days worth of pay
>5 years worked to up to 8 years of work - 60 days worth of pay
>8 years worked and up - 90 days worth of pay
>[There are currently no bonuses paid to any workers in the factory, though
>it is common practice in Thailand in the garment sector for the employer to
>pay a sizeable annual bonus]
>
>
>Employer's Demands:
>
>1) To change factory production to two shifts per day in which employees
>must meet 90% of targeted productivity for each hour.
>
>2) To continue to use a grade wage system (payment based on quality of
>work) and to freeze the wages of 150 employees for 3 years.
>
>3) For the collective bargaining agreement to last for 3 years and thus
>freeze all wages for 3 years.
>
>
>Background
>Factory and Union Information
> Ladybird Garment factory employs 540 people and exports to more than 10
>countries including the EU and US.  Current brans produced at the factory
>include Marshalls, PreNatal (owned by Italian company Artsana and with
>subsidiaries in Germany, Spain and Italy), Gymboree, Guess, TJ Max and Auka
>Collezioni. The factory has been producing Gymboree for 10 years. Most of
>the work and the factory is cutting as most of the sewing is sent to
>subcontractors.
> At the factory, workers receive only legal wages; there are no benefits
>such as bonuses or cost of living adjustment which are common in garment
>factories. Workers complain that the biggest problem in the factory is the
>low salary.  There is no system to raise salaries according to experience;
>instead management arbitrarily raises the wages of favored employees.
>According to the workers, a few of these favored employees have large
>salaries while about 180 employees are only earning the very minimum wage.
> Another problem in the factory is severe union discrimination.  The owner
>refuses to let union members work overtime, which is a financial necessity
>for most workers, making it very difficult for the union to organize and
>recruit members. The Ladybird Union was organized in 1994, but was not
>active until 1998.  Of the 540 factory workers, 200 of these workers are
>temporary workers which means they are not allowed to be union members.
>Out of the 340 potential union members, the union currently has 200
>members.  Out of these 340 regular workers, 100 receive monthly salaries
>while 240 are on a daily wage system.  Monthly workers get salary increases
>every year.  Only one union member receives a monthly wage.  The owner
>refuses to give union members monthly wage status and says they can only
>get it if they quit the union. There have recently been threats to union
>members: one person was threatened that if she didn't leave the union she
>wouldn't get monthly wages and would be switched to a daily wage.
>
>
>Contact the following companies producing at Ladybird to protest this
>situation:
>
>Gymboree
>Chairman
>Stuart G. Moldaw
>700 Airport Blvd., Ste. 200
>Burlingame, CA 94010-1912
>Phone: +1-650-579-0600
>Fax: +1-650-579-1733
>
>Guess
>Co-Chairman and Co-CEO Maurice Marciano
>Co-Chairman and Co-CEO Paul Marciano
>1444 S. Alameda St.
>Los Angeles, CA 90021
>Phone: +1-213-765-3100
>   Fax: +1-213-744-7838
>
>
>TJX Companies (owns TJ Max and Marshalls)
>Chairman
> Bernard Cammarata
>770 Cochituate Rd.
>Framingham, MA 01701
>Phone: +1-508-390-1000
>Fax: +1-508-390-2828
>
>Prenatal SA
>29 Botanica
>08908 Hospitalet de Llobregat
>Barcelona
>Spain
>Phone: +34-83-3355906
>Fax: +34-83-335-2804
>
>Prenatal GMBH
>Oskar-Jagerstrasse 176
>60825 Cologne
>Germany
>Phone: +49-221-548010
>
>(note: Prenatal in Spain and Gemrany are is owned by Prenatal Italia, which
>is owned by Artsana)
>
>Prenatal
>Corso Vittorio Emanuele 13
>20122 Milano
>Italy
>
>Artsana S.p.A
> Via Saldarini Catelli,
>1 - 22070 Grandate (CO)
>Italy
>Phone: +39-31-382-111
>Fax: +39-31-382-400
>
>
>Clean Clothes Campaign
>PO Box 11584
>1001 GN Amsterdam
>The Netherlands
>tel: + 31 20 4122785
>fax: + 31 20 4122786
>e-mail:ccc at xs4all.nl
>
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