Rapid Response Network

Tag: H&H Textile

  • UPDATES. Repression Mounting. Join Operation Arms Crossed.

    UPDATES. Repression Mounting. Join Operation Arms Crossed.

    Garment workers across Haiti have been striking and demonstrating to demand:

    1. A minimum wage adjustment from 350 Gourdes ($5.50 US) to 800 Gourdes ($12.60)per day, on top of meal, transportation and housing subsidies
    2. Social Services
    3. They demand that production quotas do not increase with the increased minimum wage

    They are under attack, but are not backing down. Stand with them!

    Solidarity with “Operasyon Bra Kwaze”, or in English, “Operation Arms Crossed.”

    The strike began Friday 5/19/17 in the capital, Port Au Prince, and spread quickly. Strikes and demonstrations are taking place in the north and south of Haiti in four main cities – Port Au Prince, Carrefour, Ounaminthe and Caracol.

    These workers receive the lowest wage in the western hemisphere. Garment workers live in debt, hunger and on the brink of homelessness, despite working 12-16 hour days.

    Meanwhile factory owners/manufacturers like the Apaid family, Alain Villard, Charles Baker, H&H Textiles, Sae-A and Grupo M, along with brands like Hanes, Gildan, Fruit of the Loom, Gap, and Walmart rake in billions of dollars in profit.

    Production quotas are set impossibly high. Factory owners and management do not respect the law, and often do not pay the existing minimum wage. Union members and organizers are constantly harassed and arbitrarily fired for exercising their legal rights.

    Garment workers have said, “Enough!” When you are drowning in debt; when there is not enough money for rent or food; when the company you work for is stealing your wages; there is only one option – STAND UP & FIGHT BACK.

    Now the factory owners and the government are attacking workers for fighting for their basic rights.

    HERE ARE THE MOST RECENT UPDATES from organizers with SOTA, SOKOWA & SOVAGH:

    PORT AU PRINCE – SOTA-BO UNION – SONAPI Industrial Park + factories outside the industrial park

    • Tues 5/23/17 – Workers left the streets and returned to work, but many participated in work stoppages in their factories. Haiti National Police riot division, CIMO, attacked workers in the SONAPI Industrial Park, with workers fleeing. Many workers had their phones stolen or destroyed by the police, because they were trying to document the attack. Factory owners do not want us to see their attacks on workers.
    • Thurs 5/25/17 – RRN receives reports that Premium Apparel factory, owned by the powerful Apaid family, has become a sort of central command for repression.  There is  a police occupation of the factory. Workers say the factory now resembles a military compound. Below are photos of the nearly empty factory floor at Premium Apparel.img-20170525-wa0002
      Premium Apparel Factory, nearly empty.Premium Apparel Factory, nearly empty.
    • Thurs 5/25/17 – Workers commit to “Operasyon Bra Kwaze,” or “Operation Arms Crossed,” meaning they will not back down. The RRN stands with them.
    • Thurs 5/25/17 – In the video below, workers demand that the police give back the phones they stole from them.

    • Thurs 5/25/17 – SOTA-BO shares schedule of mobilization for the coming days:
      • May 26 – March
      • May 27 – STRIKE
      • May 28 – rest
      • May 29 – March
      • May 30 – March

    img-20170526-wa0000

    • Fri 5/26/17 – RRN received word from Haiti that The National Police declared all marches blocking the road to the airport a matter of National Security. The Batay Ouvriye Workers Center, SONAPI Industrial Park, and Sewing Inernational, SA (SISA) factory all are located on this road – Boulevard Toussaint Louverture.

    industrial-park-google-maps

    • Fri 5/26/17 – RRN receives a translation of an official Notice sent out on 5/22/17 from the Ministry of Justice and Public Security commending the Haitian National Police for their efforts and encouraging them to block mobilizations by any means necessary.

    png-of-notice-6-the-directorate-general-of-hnp

    CARREFOUR – SOTA-BO UNION – Palm Apparel, H&H Textiles and other factories

    • Tues 5/23/17 – RRN receives reports that workers at Palm Apparel, owned by Alain Villard were under attack by CIMO division of the Haiti National police also.
    • Fri 5/26/17 – RRN receives report of a possible confrontation between workers and police. We are awaiting confirmation, and if there any victims.

    OUNAMINTHE – SOKOWA UNION – Codevi Free Trade Zone

    • Thurs 5/25/17 – workers at Codevi Free Trade Zone, owned and operated by Grupo M & Fernando Capellan, did a work stoppage. They went into the factory, but sat at their stations and did not sew.
    • Thurs 5/25/17 – RRN receives the below video from a street demonstration where workers are singing, “Go tell Jovenel we need the 800 Gourdes!” Jovenel Moise is the current president of Haiti.

    CARACOL – SOVAGH UNION – Caracol Industrial Park

    • Thurs 5/25/17 – workers at Sae-A factory, in the Caracol Industrial Park, also did a work stoppage. They went into the factory, but sat at their stations and did not sew.
    • Thurs 5/25/17 – workers at Caracol Industrial Park are shot with rubber bullets by the police.


    Thank you for the pressure you have put on factory owners, government and regulatory agencies!

    PLEASE DON’T STOP. LET’S INCREASE THE PRESSURE.

    Factory owners and the government are likely to double down their repression against workers. Let’s let them know the world is watching!

    Contact info for Port Au Prince & Carrefour:

    https://rapidresponsenetwork.info/2017/05/24/factory-owners-stop-attacking-workers/

    Contact info for Caracol Industrial Park:

    https://rapidresponsenetwork.info/2017/05/25/strike-on-keep-the-pressure-focus-on-caracol/

    Below is info for CODEVI Free Trade Zone in Ounaminthe:

    Grupo M  – company that operates CODEVI.

    Phone: 1-809-241-7171

    Website – http://www.grupom.com.do

    Twitter – @GrupoMCodevi – https://twitter.com/grupomcodevi?lang=en

    Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/grupom_codevi/

    Linked In – https://www.linkedin.com/company/grupo-m

    Fernando Capellan – President of Grupo M

    Email – fcapellan@grupom.com.do
    Twitter – @fcapellan1 – https://twitter.com/fcapellan1

    Christian Capellan – works for Grupo M
    Email –  ccapellan@grupom.com.do
    Twitter  – @ccapellan1 – https://twitter.com/ccapellan1?lang=en

     

    Last, please make a financial contribution to help these workers continue their fight.

    The act of striking is incredibly brave. It requires a serious sacrifice, and a level of cooperation and care for their collective interest.  Striking means no wages.  It means hungry families, no money for transit, for school, or for the market.  It means the rent will not be paid and the possibility of homelessness.  And yet, the textile workers continue on… because they recognize that the only path to justice is through their collective fight.  It’s their only alternative to starvation wages and further exploitation.

    Workers are determined to continue with the ongoing strikes. They are fierce and brave, but they are also hungry, and funds to continue the strike are low.

    Let’s stand with them!

    We must not passively accept the presence of products on store shelves without understanding—and actively opposing—the harsh conditions of exploitation and repression under which they are produced.

    Skip a few cups of coffee out and donate that money to Haitian garment workers.

    Make a contribution of any amount.

    CLICK HERE TO DONATE.
    SOLIDARITY FOREVER!

    ABA SALE MIZ! DOWN WITH MISERY WAGES!

    ABA EKSPLWATASYON! DOWN WITH EXPLOITATION!

    #800Gourdes
    #RRNsolidarity
    #HaitiStrike
    #RightToOrganize

     

     

  • H&H Workers Back to Work on Their Terms

    H&H Workers Back to Work on Their Terms

    After more than two weeks of striking, workers and union members of SOTA at H&H Textiles factory returned to work this morning.

    img-20170406-wa0000

    Tuesday 4/18/17, SOTA union members met with management to negotiate the workers’ demands.

    The workers went on strike because of incessant harassment, intimidation and arbitrary firings for union members. As part of this effort, management writes up workers with “derogatory letters” to justify unjust firings. For example, if a worker took a bathroom break, a manager could say, “You took too long,” and issue them a letter. Once a worker accumulates enough bogus letters, the letters are used to warrant firings.

    img-20170413-wa0002
    Production manager, Mrs. Khan, has been especially brutal in her harassment of union members, often headbutting workers. Many of the songs and chants during the strike included her, “We do not want Khan. She must go,” and “Down with Madam Khan.”

    Also, the production quotas at all the factories are set incredibly high. They are often unattainable and prevent workers from receiving the minimum wage… because they are often paid by how much they produce, rather than how many hours they work.


    Here is a direct message from SOTA after the negotiations:
    (Translated from Kreyol)

    “Ok, we reached a consensus to return to work tomorrow, Wednesday, April 19th. On Thursday we will meet with management to confirm their agreement with the minister of labor regarding:

    1. The reinstatement of the fired workers
    2. No firing after the strike
    3. Stop derogatory letters and dismissals
    4. Payment of the legal strike days
    5. Set reasonable quotas
    6. As for Mrs. Khan, she does not have the right to dismiss or fire workers anymore.”

    Initially H&H management refused to concede anything to the workers. So this is a big step for the workers!

    Now, we will see if H&H management follows through on the agreement.

    The reality is that words on paper often don’t come to life. For instance, unions and union rights are completely legal and recognized in state documents… but, this very strike and the reasons for it show us the reality.

    Garment workers continue to fight for for their most basic, legal rights.

    strike-sm-image-2

     

    So, as May Day approaches, and there are ongoing struggles at several other factories in Haiti, the RRN will continue to collect funds to support future strikes and mobilizations for these workers.

    See the bottom of this page for more info on garment workers’ May Day call to action & for an increased minimum wage; the ongoing wage tax fight; and a new union’s fight for existence at Quality Sewing.

    Here are ways you can give to the Strike Fund:

    * We’re working on a way to receive online donations, but don’t have 501(c)3 status.


    1.  Transfer money to the RRN through Venmo. We’ll wire those funds to Haiti.
    www.venmo.com/RRNsolidarity


    2.  Send a wire transfer donation directly to Batay Ouvriye towards the strike fund.

    Account’s name:
    ENTESENDIKAL PREMYE ME BATAY OUVRIYE

    Account No.:
    45-1100-989-8

    Bank’s name:
    SOGEBANK S.A. Route de Delmas, Port-au-Prince, Haiti (509) 2815 5595

    Swift Code for Sogebank:
    SOGHHTPP

    Corresponding banks in the US:
    BANK OF AMERICA/MERRILL LYNCH, New York, N.Y. USA
    Swift Code: BOFAUS3N
    Or
    Bank of New York Mellon, New York, USA
    Swift Code: IRVTUS3N


    3. Mail Checks to:
    Frantz Wainwright*
    35 NW 195 ST
    Miami, FL 33169
    * Please write check out to Frantz Wainwright & note Haiti Strike Fund.


    4. Email the RRN     if you’re in the Miami/Ft. Lauderdale area, and you’d like to send cash/check to be wired to Haiti – RRNsolidarity@gmail.com.


    5.     Follow, Like & Subscribe to the RRN for ongoing updates and campaigns to support independent and autonomous workers’ struggles.

    Twitter:  @RRNsolidarity

    Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/RapidResponseNetwork/

    Newsletter/updates sign up:  http://goo.gl/Me35SH


    Thank you for your solidarity!

    #RRNsolidarity
    #RightToOrganize
    #800Gourdes
    #DownwithMrsKhan
    #SolidarityForever

    ———————————-

    In case you missed it, here’s the May Day call to action from PLASIT-BO, the coalition of textile trade unions.

    Strike Fund for May Day!


    Links to the backstory on this recent H&H Textiles Strike:

    SOTA/H&H Textile Workers Strike. Which Side Are You On?

    Update: State officials try to pacify H&H workers… Not happening.

    Link to the ongoing fight for a new SOTA union chapter at Quality Sewing

    New Union Chapter Fights for Their Rights

  • Fired H&H Textile Workers Call for Support!

    Port Au Prince, Haiti – Four garment workers and union organizers affiliated with Batay Ouvriye (Workers Fight) were unjustly fired from H&H Textiles factory in the Palmiers Free Zone, in the Carrefour subdivision of Port-au-Prince.

    H&H management is trying to intimidate and eliminate workers fighting for their rights to a decent wage and their right to organize.

    Now these workers are calling for support!

    Give solidarity to the workers who produce the clothing we wear.

    Here’s what you need to know and how to take action.

    Who:

    Lucitha Julessaint , Jean Louis Marie Ederse, Olga Miallard , & Ruth Joseph – H&H Textile workers and Batay Ouvriye organizers who were unjustly fired.

    H&H Textile – the Haiti subsidiary of Seoul, Korea based Yujin Apparel.  Their factory in Haiti makes mostly t-shirts, shorts, and sportswear.  Some brands include Children’s Place, Avia, and Athletic Works. You’ll find these brands in stores like Walmart and Marshall’s.

    Batay Ouvriye (Workers Fight) – a Haitian movement of autonomous textile unions and organizations of peasants, small vendors, and neighborhoods.

    SOTA – textile trade union in Port Au Prince, affiliated with Batay Ourviye.

    May 1st Federation – a federation of all textile unions throughout Haiti.

     

    What:  Report from Batay Ouvriye on what took place

    Lucitha Julessaint , an organizer with Batay Ouvriye, was fired from H&H.  Two other workers – Jean Louise Marie Ederse & Olga Miallard – intervened and protested the firing on her behalf.  They were called into a meeting, with human resources director, Etienne Bernadin at about 4:20 pm.  The meeting ended at 5:15 pm. At that time, our comrades punched out and went home. The next day when Louise Marie & Hillard reported for work, H&H management fired them, because they punched out after meeting with management, accusing them of time theft and fraud.

    The May First Union Federation-Batay Ouvriye and the SOTA secretariat met with management to discuss and to charge that the three firings were illegal based on the law and the Labor Code. There was no agreement on the firings.

    While we were making attempts to meet with the labor mediator, management fired yet another comrade, Ruth Joseph, under the pretext that she did not complete the end-of-day report on daily production quotas in a timely manner. In fact, she was transcribing her notes on official worksheets.

    We made an appeal with the labor mediator. There was mediation. Once each side presented their case, the mediator concluded clearly there was no valid justification to fire the comrades and proposed to reinstate them in their posts; the firings were not based on the law.

    On the mediator’s proposal, the H&H representative gave his guarantee that he was going to report to his boss with a view to reconsider the firings and they will give a response in three days. Since then, it’s been a month and we haven’t heard anything from them.

    In this sense, we are calling for national and international solidarity to launch a campaign to compel the H&H Textile management to reinstate all the comrades they fired illegally.

    Why:

    The fight for a higher wage in Haiti has been ongoing.  This fight, as well as the basic right to organize, is constantly met with harassment, illegal firings, and often violent repression.  Manufacturers and the brands they produce for vehemently oppose workers’ rights because they interfere with their ability to extract as much profit out of the production process as possible.  This means exploitation is required, and it takes many forms.  Setting impossible production quotas to prevent workers from receiving the minimum wage, wage theft, and unpaid overtime are a few of these methods.

    How: 

    Here’s how these workers are asking you to take action!

    Email H&H to amplify the workers’ demands.
    You can copy and paste the message below, and feel free to add your own note!

    Email contact:  Jay@yjapp.com
    cc: batay@batayouvriye.org

    To Whom it May Concern at Yujin Apparel:

    I am emailing in support of workers at your H&H factory in Haiti – Julessaint Lucitha, Jean Louis Marie Edese, Hillard Olga, & Joseph Ruth.  Right now Haitian garment workers cannot survive on the starvation wage they are paid.  These workers were unjustly fired for exercising their right to organize.

    I insist on the following:

    1. Rehire Julessaint Lucitha, Jean Louis Marie Edese, Hillard Olga, & Joseph Ruth.
    2. Respect workers’ right to organize.
    3. Pay workers 500 gourdes ($7.83).  Stop profiting from exploitation!

    In solidarity with Haitian garment workers,

    Your Name
    City, State, or Country

    #RRNsolidarity
    #RightToOrganize
    #500Gourds