Green America: Encourage Hanes to Support Worker Rights

We need you to take action to protect workers’ rights.

In late 2006, non-unionized workers at the TOS Dominicana factory (a facility owned by Hanesbrands, Inc., and with Wal-Mart as one of its main customers) in the Dominican Republic say they were coerced into signing an egregiously unfair contract, which violated several provisions of Dominican Labor Law.

The Workers Rights Consortium, a labor rights monitoring organization, issued a highly critical report on the TOS Dominicana factory in 2007. According to WRC, workers were told by factory management, “If you don’t want to sign this [new contract], there’s not a place for you in this company.” Consequently, workers were stuck with an agreement which decreased their salary by 13.5 percent, removed regular salary increases, stripped healthcare and life insurance benefits, and altered their workday to include mandatory, unpaid overtime in 12-hour shifts.

In response to these egregious new contracts, workers began calling a “resource [telephone] line” made available by Hanes to report complaints about factory management. Receiving no response to their calls, several of the garment workers began working to establish a union.

Because of their efforts to organize, workers at TOS Dominicana were verbally abused, put under surveillance, and eventually 29 union supporters were fired the week before the union was scheduled to hold its first public general assembly.

Hanes has denied the extensiveness of worker abuse at the factory and that it engaged in retaliation against union supporters through a report written by an employer-friendly law firm. WRC rejects Hanesbrand’s findings and advocates in the peace and justice community continue to call on Hanes to negotiate in good faith with the union and pay workers a reasonable wage.

“I affiliated with the union so that we can move forward. We are fighting for better treatment with fair wages and hours.” says Elvys Abreu, a worker at the factory, who was injured on the job, but had to continue working, since he cannot afford unpaid sick leave. “I want Hanes to know what is happening here ... they should come here to find out for themselves what is really going on.”

Sign our letter to Jessica Mathews, President of the Carnegie Endowment for Peace and member of Hanes Board of Directors, saying that you support workers’ rights to organize a union, and that you want her to use her voice as a Director to move Hanes to negotiate fairly with the union. Your message will also be sent to Hanes’ Executive Vice President and Vice President of Social Responsibility.

Subject: Support Workers Who Make Clothing for HanesBrands

Dear Ms. Mathews,

I am writing regarding worker rights violations at the TOS Dominicana factory in the Dominican Republic, which is owned and operated by Hanesbrands. The Workers Rights Consortium provides extensive evidence that serious abuses have taken place at this facility. As President of the nation's leading endowment which supports peaceful conflict resolution, I urge you to use your position on the Hanesbrands Board of Directors to encourage Hanesbrands to do the following: 1) Negotiate in good faith with the union formed at the factory to reach a collective bargaining agreement that increases inflation-adjusted wages and benefits for the workers. 2) Rehire the 29 fired union members at their previous positions, with back pay and no reduction in seniority 3) Train all managers and supervisors on appropriate behavior and take disciplinary action against those who engage in harassment and abuse As a highly respected expert on peace and justice, I trust that you will take action to improve conditions at TOS Dominicana.

Sincerely,
Your Name
Your City and State

CC: Joia Johnson, Hanesbrands, Inc., Chris Fox, Hanesbrands, Inc.