If you were the richest man (Warren Buffett) in the world, what kind of factory would you operate?

[Omaha Steve]

http://laborrightsblog.typepad.com/international_labor_right/2008/12/take-action-to-provide-working-families-in-honduras-with-something-to-celebrate-this-christmas.html

By Beth Myers, Executive Director, STITCH

If you were the richest man in the world, what kind of factory would you operate?

Would it pay a decent wage?
Would it have water for workers?
Would workers feel safe to talk to one another?

http://laborrightsblog.typepad.com/.a/6a00d8341bf90b53ef01053680af47970b-800wi


One of the richest men in the world invests in a sweatshop in Honduras. What are conditions like in Honduran sweatshops?
Terrible. The factory is dirty; the floors are filthy. They hardly ever run the air conditioning so it’s always really hot. In the sewing section, which has more than 300 women, there are only eight bathrooms. There’s supposed to be water in the taps but they only connect the water when there are visitors in the factory. Otherwise we have no water. The only time management ever has things cleaned up is when they know that someone from the Ministry of Labor or a foreign delegation is coming to look the place over. (from an interview with a maquila worker.)

We need you to take action today to force Russell Corporation -- a Berkshire Hathaway company – to treat its workers with dignity and respect.

Russell Corporation, the apparel manufacturer owned by Berkshire Hathaway Corp., the Nebraska-based investment firm headed by Warren Buffett – world’s wealthiest man,– has been linked to some of the most egregious violations of workers rights seen in Central America in recent years.

Last year, Russell Corporation fired huge numbers of workers at its apparel plants in Choloma, Honduras– in all; the company fired nearly 150 workers in retaliation for exercising the basic right to join a union. In response to pressure from United Students Against Sweatshops and activists from universities and colleges whose logo apparel Russell produces, the company agreed to give workers their jobs back, offer them back pay, and to recognize a union at its Jerzees de Honduras plant.

This victory for workers is under attack!!

FULL story at link.