The Georgia Green Party
(404) 937-1847 * P.O. Box 1936; Decatur, GA 30031
ggp@georgiagreenparty.org * http://georgiagreenparty.org
Ecological Wisdom • Grassroots Democracy •Social Justice •Peace & Non-Violence
Decentralization • Community-Based Economics • Feminism • Respect for Diversity
Personal & Global Responsibility • Future Focus on Sustainability

On the 10th of February, women were brutally attacked by the police for daring to ask for better working conditions and a liveable wage. During two consecutive days, the National Society of Industrial Parks (SONAPI) brutally responded to a crowd of predominantly female workers because of their demand of 1,500 Haitian Gourdes ($14.53 USD) for a full day of work. The current salary is 550 Haitian gourdes ($5.33 USD) for a twelve hour work day. That is about .60 cents an hour. The workers were demanding less than $2.00 USD an hour, when they were met with live ammunition from the Haitian National Police (PNH) under the command of Frantz Elbé.We were happy to learn from journalist Herve Noel that citizen Minalda Pierre from Building 51 in DMS at SONAPI isn’t dead, but we are awaiting an update on the condition of her unborn baby.

The Georgia Green Party stands in solidarity with the workers of SONAPI in Haiti and all workers in the Republic of Haiti. Citizens and consumers in the USA should play a vital role in supporting Haitian workers as 80% of all Haitian exports are to the USA. Therefore, it must matter to us to support a liveable wage for workers and to boycott all merchandise created with slave labor.  Stores like Walmart and Target, and brands like Hanes are selling Haitian-made merchandise to consumers in the USA, while the workers are facing certain death to earn a liveable wage.  Among the list of companies operating in SONAPI are: Blanket America, Willbes, One Apparel, Gap, Jos.A Bank, FCGI, The Men’s Warehouse, Tommy Hilfilger, Nautica, Bureau Veritas CSCC, Fishman & Tobin, Fishman & Tobin Landau, Van Heusen.

Let us rally all our resources and allies to aid Haitian workers. Let not the workers of the world remember the silence of their friends.

In struggle,

David Josue, Co-Chair
Kweku Lumumba, Co-Chair
Denice Traina, Treasurer
Hugh Esco, Secretary

 

GGP-Statement-SONAPI-union_busting.pdf (708 downloads )