WRC Report: Star, S.A. (Honduras)
October 12, 2012
Dear Colleagues,
Please find here a report on the Star, S.A. factory in El Progreso, Honduras. Star was acquired in May 2012 by Gildan. Adidas, Nike, All Team, VF Imagewear Inc., New Agenda, and J America report that Star is one of their suppliers of collegiate licensed apparel.
A WRC investigation revealed the following violations of workers’ rights:
- Star managers have allowed certain workers to threaten and harass union members with impunity, including threats of violence.
- Star managers have colluded with these anti-union workers in their efforts to harass the union leaders.
- Star management has failed to provide accurate, timely information to the union about changes at the factory that impact workers, in violation of its contractual and legal obligations.
In addition, these actions, coupled with Gildan’s past violations of freedom of association in El Progreso, have led to a climate of fear of either a renewed campaign against the union or an anti-union factory closure. Since the past actions of Gildan and of Star management created a legitimate basis for such fears, and since management has failed to consistently take steps to allay these fears, this constitutes an additional set of violations: the creation and maintaining of a climate of fear in the factory that prevents the free exercise of associational rights, with a failure by management to take ameliorative steps.
The WRC has outlined our findings and recommendations to Gildan and the company has now pledged to take corrective action. It is imperative that the appropriate actions be taken promptly and in coordination with the union representing the workers. The WRC will monitor the situation at Star and report to universities as to whether the violations are effectively remedied.
As always, please contact us with any thoughts or questions.
Best,
Scott
Scott Nova
Worker Rights Consortium
5 Thomas Circle NW
Washington DC 20005
ph 202 387 4884
fax 202 387 3292
[email protected]
www.workersrights.org