Urgent Action Alert
From: Maquila Solidarity Network
Date: November 6, 2007
Tell Tommy Hilfiger, Guess and Dickies:
Stop the firings of Mexican jean workers; support their right to a union of
their choice
Over a hundred workers at the Vaqueros Navarra factory in
Tehuacan, Mexico have been fired for supporting an independent union. Many
more have been harassed and pressured to sign resignation letters by
management. Vaqueros Navarra is owned by Grupo Navarra, which owns several
garment and laundry facilities in the Tehuacan area and is one of the
largest employers in the region.
Some brands that buy from Grupo Navarra, including American
Eagle Outfitters, Gap and Warnaco, have responded to the workers’ call for
action.
However, brands with the most production in those factories,
including Tommy Hilfiger, Guess and Dickies, which produces Workrite
uniforms, have so far failed to do so.
Write to the three hold-out brands today, demanding that
they join with other brands in pressing Grupo Navarra to stop the firings
and harassment, reinstate all dismissed workers, and support a free and fair
union representation vote without further delay.
Craig Birchfield, VP, Central Quality, Sourcing and
Compliance Tommy Hilfiger
cburchfield@tommy-usa.com
Merrett Cobb, Executive VP, Williamson-Dickie Mcobb@dickies.com
Larry Wise, Director of Operations, Workrite Uniform company
LWise@workrite.com
Stephen L. Pearson, Chief Supply Chain Officer Guess? Inc.
spearson@guess.com
cc. Lynda Yanz, Coordinator, Maquila Solidartity Network
vnresponses@maquilasolidarity.org
Sample Letter
Dear Misters Birchfield, Cobb, Wise and Pearson:
I am writing in response to disturbing reports that workers
at the Vaqueros Navarra factory in Tehuacan, Mexico are being harassed,
unjustly dismissed and/or pressured to sign resignation letters for the
“crime” of wanting to be represented by a democratic and independent union.
I understand that your company has failed to respond to the
workers’ call for action, despite the fact that a third-party investigation
carried out at the request of other brands doing business with Grupo Navarra
has verified that the violations were taking place.
I would therefore strongly urge your company to join with
the brand buyers that are taking positive action in demanding an end to the
harassment and unjust dismissals, demanding the immediate reinstatement of
all unjustly fired workers and calling on the state labour authorities to
hold a free and fair union representation vote without further delay.
