When It Comes to Exploiting Workers, Nobody Does It Like Sara Lee!

Garment workers at Sara Lee’s Confecciones de Monclova factory in Mexico have long suffered under exploitative working conditions including severe occupational injuries, low wages, and abusive management while making Hanes Her Way Products. One woman commented, "I went to the infirmary almost every day with a pain in my stomach. They said it was normal." The factory refused her requests for lighter work and soon afterward she miscarried. Unfortunately, this woman’s experience isn’t an exception; it’s the kind of mistreatment that has been occurring regularly at Sara Lee’s Monclova factory.

Workers at Monclova have responded by organizing for improved working conditions and demanding that Sara Lee respect their rights and take responsibility for abuses at the factory. Sara Lee has responded by deciding to dismiss the women who have been organizing and announcing the closing of the plant, which will leave over 1000 workers unemployed. According to management in Mexico, the layoffs are set to begin July 30, 2004!

Today we are asked to stand in solidarity with the workers of Confecciones de Monclova and demand that: Sara Lee not close the Confecciones de Monclova plant, that they accept full responsibility for all the women who have been injured and disabled working in their factories, and that they respect the human and worker rights of all Sara Lee employees. Please call C. Steven McMillan TODAY and let Sara Lee know that Sara Lee cannot just cut and run, they must respect worker rights.

Sara Lee isn’t just cheesecake. Sara Lee also is behind many household brands including: Hanes, Playtex, Champion, Bimbo, and Hillshire Farm. Sara Lee sells itself as a woman-friendly company but has failed to respect the rights of the women who make its clothes in Mexico.

Tell Sara Lee to stop using sweatshops and recognize workers’ right to organize for improved conditions! Call C. Steven McMillan today at (312) 558-8547 and send him the message below.

Sample Phone Script:
"Hello, my name is ______________ and I am a student at _________. As a member of United Students Against Sweatshops, I demand that Sara Lee not close the Confecciones de Monclova factory in Mexico. Additionally, Sara Lee must accept full legal, monetary, and moral responsibility for all the women who have been injured and disabled working in their factories, and respect the human and labor rights of all workers at its plants. I am shocked that a company who claims to be woman-friendly has taken such strong steps to deny it's workers the safety and freedom they deserve. I expect Sara Lee to ensure that Confecciones de Monclova is not closed, that all Sara Lee employees are guaranteed the right to organize, and that full responsibility is taken for all the women who have been injured and disabled working in Sara Lee factories."

Sample Letter for Campaign

Subject: Don't Close Confecciones de Monclova!

Dear [ Decision Maker ] ,

Sara Lee sells itself as a woman friendly company but the women who make its clothes in Mexico are being abused.

Confecciones de Monclova has operated in Ciudad Frontera, Coahuila, Mexico, for 12 years, producing garments for Sara Lee. The workers, a majority women, have collectively demanded that Sara Lee respect their human rights as workers. Many women have suffered from occupational injuries, low wages, and abusive management.

Instead of complying with its code of conduct and ensuring that workers' rights are respected at Confecciones de Monclova, Sara Lee has decided to punish the women who have stood up for their due respect and dignity by closing the plant and leaving over 1000 workers unemployed. Management at the plant has stated that Confecciones de Monclova will become a distribution center in September, and that they will begin letting workers go on July 30, 2004. This move is a blatant attempt to squash worker organizing and must not occur.

We stand with the workers of Confecciones de Monclova, and demand:

- That Sara Lee reverse its decision to close the Confecciones de Monclova plant - That Sara Lee accept full responsibility (legal, monetary, and moral) for all the women who have been injured and disabled working in their factories - That Sara Lee respect the human and labor rights of all workers at its plants

The workers at Confecciones de Monclova demand a written response from Sara Lee stating that it will not close the plant, and that workers' rights will be respected.

The workers are preparing a boycott of Hanes Her Way if the company refuses. We stand with them in this struggle and will take the necessary measures to ensure Sara Lee respects its workforce and complies with its code of conduct.

Sincerely,

Campaign Launched:
July 28, 2004

Background Information

On June 10, 2004 Sara Lee announced that in September it will close factories in Cuidad Frontera and Allende in Coahuila, Mexico. These factories, which produce Sara Lee’s Hanes Her Way among other brands, will be converted into distribution centers that will require only 50 workers. This will leave 2,290 people unemployed. Sara Lee claims that these factories are being closed due to "changing production requirements and preparedness for apparel trade restrictions" that are scheduled to be removed Jan. 1, 2005.

The reality however, is that these factories are closing because workers there are involved in campaigns to organize themselves to improve their working conditions. In fact, another nearby factory where workers are not attempting to organize will remain open.

Work-related health problems in these factories are common, yet these problems are not recognized as work related and as a consequence workers are not compensated accordingly. Confederación de Trabajadores de México (CTM) is the current union which represents workers. Unfortunately, this company union has not fought for workers rights or to improve health and safety conditions. Because of this, workers (65% of which are female) in the factory Confecciones Monclova of Cuidad Frontera have been leading a campaign to independently organize workers and fight for their rights. As a result of these efforts these workers may now lose their jobs.

For four years workers trying to organize have met abuse and constant violations of their rights. In 2002, twelve workers involved in the organizing campaign in the factories were targeted and unjustly fired. Now Sara Lee wants to close the entire factory and leave all of the more than 1000 workers there unemployed in a volatile job market. Sara Lee must not be allowed to cut and run from independent worker organizing!