PICKET SARA LEE CORPORATE HEADQUARTERS THURSDAY!

Stand in Solidarity with Sara Lee workers protesting against emminent layoffs in Frontera, Mexico!

Thursday, July 29th 11:30 AM - ?
Sara Lee Headquarters
Madison Ave. between Clark & State


Sara Lee plans to close the Confecciones de Monclova garment factory to avoid worker organizing. Join us for a picket as we present a letter demanding the factory remain open.

For more information contact: 773 363 1925 agoldenb (at) uchicago.edu

When it comes to exploiting workers,
Nobody does it like Sara Lee!

Garment workers at Sara Lee’s Confecciones Monclova factory in Mexico have suffered sweatshop conditions, including occupational injuries, low wages, and abusive management. One woman commented, “I went to the infirmary almost every
day with a pain my stomach. They said it was normal.” The factory refused her requests for lighter work and soon after she miscarried. Unfortunately, this one woman’s experience isn’t an exception, it’s the kind of mistreatment that has been occurring regularly at Sara Lee’s Monclova factory.

The Monclova workers have responded by organizing for improved working conditions. They have demanded that Sara Lee respect their worker rights. Sara Lee responded by deciding to dismiss the women who have been organizing for improved conditions by announcing the closing of the plant, which will leave over 1000 workers unemployed. The layoffs are set to begin July 30, 2004.

We are here to stand in solidarity with the workers of Confecciones Monclova, and demand that Sara Lee does not close the Confecciones Monclova plant, accepts full 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.

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

Tell Sara Lee to stop using sweatshops and recognize workers’ right to organize for improved conditions!

Take Action!
Contact Sara Lee President & CEO Steven McMillan, at Tel: 312 558 8547 / Fax:
312 345 5730 demanding that Sara Lee:
• Not close the Confecciones Monclova plant.
• Accept full responsibility (legal, monetary, and moral) for all the women who have been injured and disabled working in their factories.
• Respect the human and labor rights of all workers at its plants.

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For Immediate Release: July 26, 2004

For More Information: Alex Goldenberg (773) 363 1925

Picket Line Outside of Sara Lee Corp. Head Quarters:
Students and Workers Demand that Sara Lee keep open factories in Mexico and that Sara Lee respects worker’s rights to organize.

Chicago- Students and Workers of Chicago will unite and form a picket line on Thursday July 29 in solidarity with workers in Cuidad Frontera and Allende, in Coahuila, Mexico, who may lose their jobs due to organizing campaigns in the factory.

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 which 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; however, these problems are not recognized as work related and consequently workers are not compensated accordingly. Confederación de
Trabajadores de México (CTM) is the current union which represents workers; however, it has not fought for workers rights or to improve conditions such as worker’s health. Because of this, workers (65% of which are female) in the factory Confecciones Monclova of Cuidad Frontera have been leading a campaign to organize workers and fight for their rights. As a result of these efforts these workers may now loose their jobs.

Sara Lee Corp. CEO Lee S. Chaden claims that “whenever decisions affect employees’ positions, they are made with careful consideration. It is imperative, however, that we deploy resources to maintain and enhance our long-term competitive position.” It seems that careful consideration includes considering whether workers are trying to organize themselves and that Sara Lee views this as counterproductive to long term growth.

On July 12 workers from Confecciones Monclova called a meeting and rally where workers publicly read their demands that 1.) Sara Lee does not close their factories in Coahula 2.) Sara Lee accepts responsibility (legal, monetary, and moral) for all the people (mainly women) who have been injured and disabled working in their factories, and 3.) The state labor authority helps negotiate between Sara Lee and the workers to allow an independent union with secret votes and clean elections.

For four years now workers trying to organize have been met with abuse and constant violations of their rights. In 2002, twelve workers involved in the organizing campaign in the factories were targeted and unjustly fired. The workers resolve remains strong and thanks to international solidarity organizations like Servicio, Desarrollo y Paz A.C. (Sedepac) based out of Cuidad Frontera, Enlace based out of Oregon, and United Students Against Sweatshops (USAS), the workers will be heard in Chicago at the headquarters of Sara Lee. In addition, students at the University of Chicago and Northwestern are trying to meet with members of their board of trustees who are also members of the board of directors of Sara lee to discuss the demands of the workers.


United Students Against Sweatshops: www.usasnet.org

Enlace: www.communitiesunitedforpeople.org/

Servicio, Desarrollo y Paz A.C. (Sedepac):
www.sedepac.org.mx/

Chicago Student Labor Action Project:
www.chicagoslap.org

Chicago Jobs with Justice: www.chicagojwj.org

U.S. Labor Education in the America's Project:
www.usleap.org