[Peace-discuss] More Haitian workers attacked

[Ricky Baldwin]

[FYI, this follow-up to previous discussions about
Haitian workers attacked by US-backed "rebel" troops
and the climat of repression in haiti since the
US-backed coup.  Please note the list of clients,
particularly the nearby university! - RB]

BATAY OUVRIYE                           

URGENT ACTION ALERT
ANTI-UNION VIOLENCE AT HAITIAN INTERNATIONAL
MANUFACTURING 
 

April 29th, 2004

 

On Wednesday, April 21st, 3 Batay Ouvriye members were
distributing leaflets in the industrial sector when
they were brutally attacked by management at “Haitian
International Manufacturing S.A.”. As soon as they
were spotted by a supervisor, Chavannes, he initiated
an aggression, calling a gang of thugs from the
factory to beat up the Batay Ouvriye members. Teeth
were broken, a bag and money stolen…

 

This is the accurate image of the state of workers’
democratic rights in Haiti today, the revolting
bosses’ impunity to do as they wish, trampling the
people’s rights at every moment.

 

Please find, following, our letter to Mr. Albert
HANDAL, the company’s owner, reporting this incident
and urging for remedial measures.

 

We want to point out, in addition, that Haitian
International Manufacturing S.A., licenced to Dynasty
Apparel Industries, but a client, also, for Crystal
Brands (Izod Sportswear, Lacoste), Fun-Tees, Hilton
Corporate Casuals, produces university garments for
the following institutions: 


Univ. of Missouri 
Columbia 
Purdue 
U. of Ohio 
U. of Washington 
U. of Wisconsin, Madison 
U. of Illinois 
Urbana Campaign 
Arizona State 
St Joseph Univ. 
Georgetown 
UMASS 
Northwestern 
U. of Arizona 
U. of North Carolina, Chapelhill 
U. of Michigan 
U. of Connecticut 
U. of Minnesota

Also, that this is an extremely repressive and
antiunion factory and that this sort of reaction there
was predictable. Work conditions are terrible which
also explains why most of the workers there were
totally upset after witnessing this incident. We urge
for all sorts of pressuring actions, amongst which
letter campaigns, to : Albert HANDAL, Haitian
International Manufacturing S.A. : 

 

Haitian International Manufacturing, S.A.
Delmas 29, No. 20 (P.O. Box 1250)
Port-au-Prince, Haiti
011.509.246.4382/8140
fax: 011.509.246.1066
Albert Handal, President, haitian_int at hotmail.com

------------------
Attached:
-----------------



 
BATAY OUVRIYE			

Port-au-Prince, May 29th, 2004

Mr. Albert HANDAL
Owner
Haitian Industrial Manufacturing
Delmas 29, # 20
Haitian_intl at hotmail.com

Mr. Handal :

This letter is to inform you of a very serious
incident that occurred in front of your factory on
Wednesday, March 21st, 2004.
On that day, three Batay Ouvriye members were
distributing a leaflet in front of your factory when
one of the supervisors, a certain CHAVANNES, initiated
an attack against us. Shortly after, he called a team
of thugs from within the factory to come help him and
that is when we underwent the worst of treatments from
this gang. The Batay Ouvriye members received terrible
blows all over their bodies, teeth were broken, a bag
was taken and money stolen. 

Batay Ouvriye is revolted by these violent anti-union
and anti-democratic practices and we’ve decided to
take the case very seriously, just as the majority of
the factory workers who were terribly upset witnessing
this aggression before their very eyes.  

For us:
Management must take appropriate measures immediately
in the light of this incident, and, amongst them,
clearly this ruthless supervisor, Chavannes, should be
fired without hesitation, together with his gang of
thugs.
The Haitian Industrial Manufacturing factory, which is
notorious for the terrible work conditions prevailing
there although they produce for many universities in
the USA where the students have already demonstrated
their concern for ethics in production, must begin to
respect workers’ rights, particularly union rights. We
have decided to take measures for this.
A meeting is in order between management and
ourselves, Batay Ouvriye, and we are taking the
opportunity of this letter to solicit it, while we are
taking all the other appropriate measures that
correspond with the situation, at the same time. 

Receive, Sir, our salutations:
								Yannick Etienne
cc : 
·1	Minister of Social Affairs, M. Pierre Claude
CALIXTE
Labor Office, Ministry of Social Affairs & Labor
Board, Ass. Of Haitian Industries (ADIH)
Gen. Assembly, Ass. Of Haitian Industries (ADIH)
MEHU  Lawyers Cabinet
National Coalition for Human Rights
Haitian Platform of Human Rights Defense - POHDH
Independent Organization of Haitian Workers - OGITH
Jistis and Peace
The Press, Haiti
National Labor Committee
Workers’ Rights Consortium
United Students Against Sweatshops
Global Sweatshops
UNITE
Maquila Solidarity Network
Clean Clothes Campaign
American Center for International Labor Solidarity
IFCTU / ITGLWF Headoffice
Réseau-Solidarité, Peuples Solidaires
Haïti Support Group
Batay Ouvriye Solidarity Network






	
		
__________________________________
Do you Yahoo!?
Win a $20,000 Career Makeover at Yahoo! HotJobs  
http://hotjobs.sweepstakes.yahoo.com/careermakeover