Haiti Action Alert!

Call Levi's, Protest Its Labor Abuses In Haiti!

[Information in this alert is from United Students Against Sweatshops.]
Posted March 26, 2005

Phone in to Michael Kobori, Director of Global Code of Conduct, of Levi and Strauss and Co.

Michael Kobori's phone number: 415-501-1459

As folks might know, workers at the CODEVI factory in Haiti just recently reached an agreement with Grupo M who own the factory. However, Levi's is refusing to increase orders now that there has been a resolution-something that the union (SOCOWA) has been pushing them to do even before workers reached an agreement. We must continue to pressure Levi's until they do this- and the first step is putting in a friendly call to Michael Kobori, head of Global Code of conduct for Levi's. Please email jessica@usasnet.org if you are able to take 3 minutes to leave a message on Kobori's voicemail.

Below is a script you can use when you call.

Hi Michael, my name is ____ and I am from _____. I understand that Levi's is not increasing orders at the CODEVI factory in Haiti at this critical moment. Levi's must take leadership if CODEVI is to receive orders from other brands. As you know, we hold Levi's responsible for the well being of the factory and expect that Levi's will increase orders immediately. Otherwise, we will be forced to take action. I would like to discuss these matters further- so please call me back at _______.

Responiding to Levi's Excuses

Levi's insists on backsliding on the commitment it made to the workers and community in Ounaminthe , Haiti . Despite progress in negotiations between Grupo M and SOCOWA, Levi's continues to evade the public commitment they made to increasing orders to the organized factory. Levi's is keeping 150 union supporting workers out of their jobs and their refusal to increase orders has recently resulted in the suspension of 39 more workers.

Here are a few of Levi's excuses for why they won't increase their orders at Codevi and our responses:

Levi's Excuse #1: Levi's claims that it wants other brands to have their products made at CODEVI so Levi's is not the only brand there.

Our response: This is not acceptable, considering that Levis didn't mind being the sole client when CODEVI opened. They were happy to reap the benefits of the factory and now they are avoiding responsibility by invoking this business babble. The fact of the matter is that if Levi's makes a public demonstration of their confidence and commitment to this union shop, it is much more likely that other brands, such as Sara Lee, which previously produced at the facility, would place production at the plant.

Levi's Excuse #2: Levi's claims that they would have to take orders away from other factories in order to increase orders at CODEVI.

Our response: Levi's must understand that this is part of supporting a union shop. They should make sure to support a factory where the workers have a representative union. Turning workers against each other is unacceptable scapegoating and we don't buy it.

Levi's Excuse #3: Levi's claims that they are not doing well financially as a basis for not increasing orders.

Our response: If this is even true, Levi's will do even worse if they don't do the right thing. Bad publicity will take care of that. They will be responsible for hundreds of workers and their families starving in Haiti . Students and others who buy their jeans will not want to wear a brand associated with starving Haitian workers.