Groups discuss alleged ills of Wal-Mart purchasingApril 20, 2008By Jason Carmel Davis,
Press & Guide Newspapers (USA)DEARBORN - Giant purchasers like Wal-Mart should implement policies that protect the rights of workers, rather than abuse them, two sweatshop workers told several people Monday night at a town hall meeting at Dearborn's Ford Community & Performing Arts Center.
The workers have spoken at a number of events throughout the Midwest during a tour that took them to churches, universities, and community centers in 10 cities. Wal-Mart last month opened a Supercenter on Ford Road in Dearborn near the Southfield Freeway.
The tour is co-sponsored by a number of local community groups, the International Labor Rights Forum and SweatFree Communities.
One of the speakers, Didier Leiton, who spent 17 years picking pineapples and bana-nas for Del Monte — Wal-Mart sells Del Monte products in its stores — in Costa Rica, said products are produced under adverse conditions.
"Because the United States imports many products from Costa Rica, I want people here, like consumers and governments, to know that their bananas and pineapples are produced under inhumane conditions with very low wages, in total violation of environmental and labor laws, and causing major health problems and other difficulties in life for the workers in these industries," Leiton said.
"The companies don't pay enough for us to buy food and support our children's education. We earn less than the minimum wage."
Savin Phal, from Cambodia, told the crowd she is paid $1.08 to $2.16 per day for the clothing she makes. She said she was fired, along with 18 other women, from her job sewing clothing for Wal-Mart because she tried to form a union at her factory.
"I would like to ask Wal-Mart and people in the U.S. to put pressure on the owner of this factory, King's Land, to negotiate with our union and respect Cambodian labor laws and our rights," Phal said as she described being forced to work overtime, and earning wages too low to cover basic living expenses.
Sharon Weber, Wal-Mart senior manager of corporate communications, said the company does not tolerate sweat shop conditions in any of its supplier's factories.
She said that to ensure adherence to the chain's Code of Conduct, Wal-Mart employs 200 people in its Ethical Standards Group — the largest compliance program of its kind in the world. Last year, Ethical Standards conducted more than 16,000 audits at more than 8,800 factories to make sure the code was being implemented, Weber said.
"To ensure this, we ask each supplier to sign a Code of Conduct which requires suppliers to comply will all local laws and practices, and prohibits the use of child labor or forced/prison labor," Weber said.
"The code additionally protects the right for freedom of association and collective bargaining, and requires suppliers to have a safe work environment."
Groups formed to aid worker's rights
To combat what they believe are substandard working conditions, the workers have joined human rights and community groups to call on Wal-Mart to address ongoing problems by enforcing policies that require fair wages, a healthy workplace, and a voice on the job.
Kenwah Dabaja, a Dearborn resident who helped coordinate the town hall meeting, said it's important for residents in communities that have welcomed Wal-Mart to understand the adverse affects the store has on smaller businesses in those areas.
Dabaja said Wal-Mart is able to stock their items for such low prices primarily due to the wages paid to workers like Leiton and Savin.
"When I found out the Dearborn Wal-Mart was going to be selling Arab-American foods, it set something off because I know they'll sell the items for much lower than other stores," Dabaja said. "It's important for people to shop local because the local businesses are put in jeopardy when Wal-Mart comes in."
Dabaja added that she and other concerned individuals have asked to meet with the people responsible for bringing Wal-Mart to Dearborn. She said she hopes to educate people through a consumer/business survey, publish ads stressing the importance of shopping local and make people aware of the treatment of employees who make and farm Wal-Mart products.
"We're not just picking on Wal-Mart, because other companies follow similar models, but Wal-Mart is the largest private company in the U.S., Canada and Mexico," said Trina Tocco, campaigns coordinator for the International Labor Rights Forum.
"It is essential that companies like Wal-Mart take seriously their responsibility for ending sweatshop conditions around the world. Wal-Mart must commit to paying a just price for its products so the workers who depend on the jobs can afford to pay for their most basic needs."
Contact News Editor Jason Carmel Davis at (313) 359-7820 or jadavis@heritage.com.
(Photo: The Phnom Penh Post)
