Disney/Nike Contractor Leaves Haiti for China

Labor Alerts/Labor News, [9 August 1997]

Background

H.H. Cutler (a division of VF Corporation, one of the world's largest apparel companies) has sewn clothing in Haiti for the last several years under contract with the Walt Disney Company and Nike. H.H. Cutler now says that, at the height of the busy season in September, it will pull production out of Haiti and relocate most of the work to Asia (China, Indonesia, Pakistan and the Philippines). Wages there are even lower than in Haiti and their operations will not be bothered by human rights and religious organizations monitoring plant conditions, nor by labor unions.

Just six months ago, H.H. Cutler had subcontracts with ten assembly plants in Haiti, where more than 2,300 workers sewed clothing for export to the U.S. If H.H. Cutler is allowed to cut and run from Haiti, these desperately needed jobs will be lost.

Until we can pressure H.H. Cutler to clarify which of its U.S. contractors will be severed, we have no idea how many jobs will be lost in the United States. At present 75% of H.H. Cutler's production is already offshore. Over the last several years, H.H. Cutler has slashed its direct employment in the U.S. by 75%, laying off 2,550 employees.

According to a July 9, 1997, article in the Grand Rapids Press, H.H. Cutler closed its Grand Rapids, Michigan, plants (where workers made an average of $6.50 per hour) a few years ago to move to Haiti (where sewers earn an average of $0.30 per hour) and will now contract its garments in China (where sewers earn $0.13 per hour).

The National Labor Committee is working with Batay Ouvriye, the Haitian workers' organization, and the Washington Office on Haiti to alert the Haitian people and to plan a joint campaign to keep these jobs in Haiti. Before we can even alert the U.S. workers who are also about to lose their jobs, we must first pressure Cutler to release the current list of contractors they intend to let go.

H.H. Cutler says it is pulling out of Haiti and the U.S. because of a downturn in sales. However, H.H. Cutler's sales figures for this year are no different from last year's during this same period. Even if it is likely that there has been a slight decline in the market for Disney clothing based on poorer movie performance, this would not necessitate massive relocation out of Haiti and the U.S. At most, there would be a slight dip in production.

Action suggested:

Write, fax, call and send delegations to Disney and H.H. Cutler urging them not to pull out of Haiti and the U.S. They cannot be allowed to just cut and run. If Disney and Cutler go ahead with their plans to pull out of Haiti and the United States, the National Labor Committee promises that they will make themselves targets of the October 4th National Day of Conscience and the Holiday of Conscience.

Sample letter to H.H. Cutler:

Tom Austin, President
H.H. Cutler
120 Iona Avenue, SW
Grand Rapids, MI 49503-4115
Fax: (616)459-2135

Dear Mr. Austin:

I urge you not to pull your contract production from Haiti or the U.S. Thousands of desperately needed jobs are at stake. Cutting and running is the wrong thing to do. These Haitian and U.S. workers who have for years produced goods for H.H. Cutler deserve better treatment than this. Human rights and human values should be every bit as important for a corporation as the bottom line.

I want to work with you to keep these jobs in Haiti and the U.S. This means a great deal to me. Please advise me of what corrective actions you intend to take.

Sincerely,

Your name

Sample letter to the Walt Disney Company:

Walt Disney Company
500 South Buena Vista Street
Burbank, CA 91521
Fax: (818) 846-7319
e-mail: <eisner@disney.com>

Dear Mr. Eisner:

I urge you not to allow the production of Disney garments to be pulled from Haiti and the U.S. by your licensee and longstanding contractor, H.H. Cutler. Thousands of desperately needed jobs are at stake. These workers who have sewn Disney garments for years deserve better treatment than this. Human rights and human values should be every bit as important to a corporation as its bottom line.

The Walt Disney company has a tremendous power to influence where H.H. Cutler produces Disney clothing. I urge you to use this power to stop H.H. Cutler from cutting and running, which would have a devastating effect in Haiti and in the U.S. If H.H. Cutler refuses to keep production of Disney garments in Haiti and the U.S., I request that you sever relations with them and find another contractor who will.

This means a great deal to me. It is something I intend to follow up on. I want to work with Disney to keep these jobs in Haiti and the U.S.

Please advise me of what you are doing to help protect the livelihood of these workers and their families. Thank you.

Sincerely,

Your name

For more information about this campaign and to obtain brochures on the National Day of Conscience as well as petitions, contact Maggie Poe at the National Labor Committee, 275 Seventh Ave., 15th fl., New York, NY 10001; Tel: (212) 242-3002; Fax: (212) 242-3821.