Ralph Lauren Pulls out of Burma

[nicanet@xxxxxxxxxxx]

/* Written 12:37 PM  Jul 14, 1997 by nicanet in igc:labr.announcem */
/* ---------- "Ralph Lauren Pulls out of Burma" ---------- */
 
Labor Alerts/Labor News
a service of Campaign for Labor Rights
Action Update:  Ralph Lauren and Warnaco End Manufacturing in Burma!
 
Summary:  Polo Ralph Lauren Company has stopped doing business in 
Burma "until conditions have changed" according to a company 
spokesperson.  Warnaco, which owns and manufactures the Chaps Ralph 
Lauren Label that was produced in Burma, confirmed the end to all of 
its production in Burma.  The Burmese National League for Democracy, 
which won over 82 percent of the popular vote in 1990 in an election 
that was overturned by the military, is calling for a total economic 
boycott against the country.
 
Background:  A previous Action Alert noted that Ralph Lauren and 
Warnaco were manufacturing in Burma while grave labor and human rights 
violations were (and are still) occurring at the hands of the brutal 
military dictatorship of the country.    As the repression escalated, 
there was an increase of U.S. apparel imports from Burma, and Ralph 
Lauren was in a position to earn hundreds of millions of dollars. 
Warnaco had recently pulled out of the White House Task Force to 
Eliminate Sweatshop Abuses because they were afraid independent 
monitoring of factories and contractors would damage them 
competitively if trade secrets became public (this in a company that 
makes garments, not spy satellites).  
 
Concerned individuals were asked to write to Polo Ralph Lauren about 
the abuses of the Burmese government and urge the company to take a 
stand for democracy by removing their company's name from any 
association with the dictatorial government there.
 
Along with refusing to do business in Burma until democracy is 
restored, the Polo Ralph Lauren Company has recently been 
participating in discussions with the White House Task Force to 
Eliminate Sweatshop Abuses. They are not yet a participating member.
 
[Unfortunately, J. Crew, Lee, and Arrow Shirts are still producing in 
Burma.]
 
Action for Consideration:  You may wish to write or fax the Polo Ralph 
Lauren Company congratulating them for their removal of their business 
from Burma and encouraging them to better monitor their business 
practices in the future.
 
Letters or faxes can be sent to:
 
Mr. Ralph Lauren, Chairman
Polo Ralph Lauren
650 Madison Avenue
New York, NY 10022
fax: 212-888-5780
 
For more information contact Maggie Poe at the National Labor 
Committee, 275 7th Ave. New York, NY 10001, (212) 242-3002.  For 
information about the Burma democracy movement, contact the Free Burma 
Coalition at (608) 256-6572, e-mail: zni@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx


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