Unpack Your Solidarity--Fight Union-Busting in Thailand--Workers Making Luggage for Samsonite, Ricardo, Atlantic Need Your Help!

Dear [ Decision Maker ] ,

I am writing to express my concern over news of labor rights violations taking place at the Light House Industry Co. manufacturing plant in Thailand, which supplies luggage to your company. I believe that corporations like yours, that put their own brand names on goods sold to American consumers, have a responsibility to ensure respect for the basic rights of the workers in developing countries who make these products.

What I have heard about recent events at this plant is shocking. In October 2001, Light House reportedly laid off over 600 workers and slashed benefits and wages for its workers by 25% to $3.60 per day--far below a living wage in Thailand. Then in June 2002, the company fired 849 workers for protesting the unfair termination of their elected union representatives at the plant.

In response to these abuses, on July 14 over 200 workers from the factory presented a letter written in their own blood to Thailand's parliament calling on the company to end its mistreatment of its workforce and violations of basic human rights.

We have heard that today, despite many efforts to reach a fair resolution of this case, seventy-three (73) of the fired workers still remain camped on a picket line outside the factory. Lighthouse reportedly refuses to rehire these workers despite having promised to reinstate the fired workers, and even though it continues to hire new employees.

I urge you to contact the owner of Light House, Mr. Chee Cheng Chiang (P.O. Box 67-1407, 10th Fl., No. 208, section 3, Nanking E. Road, Taipei, Taiwan, Tel: 011-886-2-7406255), and ask that his company immediately reinstate the 73 locked-out workers. I am hopeful that your company will play a fair and responsible role in helping to resolve this dispute. Thank you for your attention to this urgent situation.

Sincerely,

Campaign Launched:
September 06, 2002