I received an anonymous although very well-meaning email today from someone hawking some org called the The One Campaign which says it "fights global Aids and poverty - one person and one vote at a time". I was asked to sign a declaration and also purchase a bundle of plastic wristbands. I hate these bands (see one reason below). I did sign the declaration.
Anyway, I'm really grateful someone recognized I care about such things but I certainly wish they would have owned up to having sent it. I would have thanked them for thinking of me and that would have been that. Anyway, here's a an interesting take on the little rubber dealies. There is no reason on earth that anyone should know this stuff unless they've been educated about it, BTW. No judgement here, just education.
Anti-poverty wristbands produced in sweatshops
FASHIONABLE wristbands worn by pop stars, actors, top athletes and celebrities to publicise the Make Poverty History campaign are produced in appalling “slave labour” conditions, damning evidence has revealed.
Chinese factory workers producing the white rubber bracelets are forced to toil in conditions that violate Chinese law and the Ethical Trading Initiative (ETI) set up to establish international standards for working conditions.
And what might those conditions be?
According to a report on the Tat Shing Rubber Manufacturing Company in Shenzhen, near Hong Kong, dated 12 April 2005, the company uses “forced labour” by accepting “financial deposits” from new workers - against both Chinese law and the ETI.
The report also revealed a category of weaknesses including inadequate health and safety provision, lengthy hours, seven-day weeks, employees cheated of their pay, inadequate insurance, no annual holidays and no right to freedom of association.
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