SLAVERY TODAY .....

is that my problem?

Section 2: What difference can we make?

Are our lives on the Isle of Man linked in any way with those caught up in slavery

Q

Q

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We are all part of a consumer society, but do we know where the products come from, or who makes them?

What does this image mean to you?

Materials = 13%Transport = 1%

The government =17.5 %

The shop =50%

The brand = 25%

The true cost of a pair of jeans ........

Workers =1%

A real life story:

Debesh is 10 years old and works in a denim factory in Bangladesh. He works from 8am until 8pm, though sometimes he does a double shift working until 2-3am. He can work about 15hrs a day, seven days a week for just £4 - that’s about 4p an hour. Often he has to wait up to two months to receive his wages.

His working conditions are cramped, sitting hunched on the floor sewing small beads onto denim jackets. He strains his eyes, his fingers are bruised, he is not allowed a break and can be fined for talking.

He lives in a slum dwelling, sharing the space with 5 others, they have open sewers, no electricity and no access to clean water.

The factory he works in produces 15,000 items of clothing a day.

Debesh is paid. Would you still consider this to be an example of slave labour?

Sweat shops ...•Tens of millions of people sew the clothes we wear, often in

cramped and dangerous conditions with no job security.

•They are prevented from forming unions to help change the conditions they work in. If they complain they are sacked as they have no contract.

•These situations exist right across the garments industry. Many workers are abused, they work with dangerous chemicals without adequate ventilation or safety procedures.

•Sweatshop workers earn as little as a quarter of what they need to provide for basic nutrition, shelter, energy, clothing, education and transportation. They work long hours but still live in poverty.

What difference can we make?

Take a stand on fashion.

See: www.labourbehindthelabel.org

Fashion companies can improve working conditions if they take workers rights seriously ...... What’s stopping them?

They don’t believe it’s worth it.

Make your voice heard!

• Write directly to the head office of the retailers you shop with.

•Ask them for proof that all the people who make the clothes they sell have their rights respected.

We are all part of a consumer society ........Each day we consume these things but do we know if the producers got a fair deal?

What does this image mean to you?

Retailers 30%

Shippers &

roasters 55%

Export 10%

Growers 5%

Tax 14.8%

Supermarkets 34,1%

Overheads & other

ingredients 36.8%

Brand 10.4%

Growers 3.9%

The real price of that cup of coffee

The real price of that box of chocolates.

Profit 17% / Taxes 15%

Distribution & retail 39%

International transport 11%

Import License 9%

Grower 5% / Export 4%

The real price of that banana

The cocoa industry is worth around £3.6 billion a year. 43% of all cocoa comes from the Ivory coast in Africa. It is estimated that there are more than 109,000 children working in the Ivory coast cocoa farms and that 10,000 are victims of human trafficking and enslavement

Large coffee estate owners usually sell at market prices set by the New York Coffee Exchange. However, most small farmers sell directly to middlemen exporters who may pay below market price for their harvests. It estimated that is 125 million people, could be affected this way.

In the past 25 years, 103 former plantation workers in Nicaragua and their offspring have reportedly died and 22,000 are seriously ill as a result of regular contact with the toxic fumigant,

Drissa was forced to spend long days tending the cocoa plants and collecting the pods. The heat was oppressive, the biting flies constantly swarmed around them. The slave holder gave them little to eat and many times only braised banana for months on end. If they slowed in their work, they were beaten. At night, the slave holder locked them all in a small room with only a tin can to use as a toilet.

A real life story ......

Drissa and the other slaves on that farm were eventually rescued by an official of the Malian Govt.

How does this make you feel about buying your next bar of chocolate? ..............

Teresa Sandol is 38 years old and has 5 children, all under 16. She has been working in a banana pack house starting at 6am and finishing at 6pm. She does not get paid properly for her overtime, so earns about $5.50 a day.

Her wages cannot meet her basic needs so Teresa has recently had to withdraw her eldest son, who is only 11 years old from school so that he can go out to work at another plantation nearby. The other children are not at school and stay at home helping to prepare food for four other workers at the same plantation; Teresa also takes in washing when she gets back from her work to make ends meet for her family.

A real life story ......

Look out for the logos..... become an ethical consumerThere is a direct connection between what

consumers in developed countries buy and the use of slavery.Products like chocolate, coffee, bananas, cotton and hand-knotted rugs use labour forces that are easily exploited. Transnational companies can improve working conditions if they take workers rights seriously ...... What’s stopping them?

They don’t believe it’s worth it.

Make your voice heard!Call Nestle at 800-225-5570 and ask that they take their responsibility for ending child slavery on their farms seriously by using Fair Trade Certified cocoa 

What difference can we make?

Buy Fairtrade products; if you don’t see them, ask for them...

Fairtrade means that goods are produced without using slave labour; decent working conditions are assured and producers are guaranteed a fair price for their goods. Producers also receive a premium that is invested in development projects in the community to help combat poverty.

To ask for Fairtrade shows transnational companies that consumers are committed to ethical purchasing, and care about human rights.

What is Fairtrade?

Do you know where you can get Fairtrade products on the Isle of Man?

Outlets on the IoM where Fairtrade items are available ........Supermarkets

Manx Co-op, Duke Street, DouglasWoodbourne Road, Douglas The Parade, Castletown, Michael Street, PeelMain Road, LaxeyStation Road, Port ErinBay View Road, Port St MaryChristian Street, RamseyParliament Street, RamseyMain Road Onchan

TescoLake Road, Douglas

M&SStrand Street, Douglas

ShopriteChester Street, Douglas Victoria Road, Douglas, The Precinct, Onchan, St Paul’s Square, RamseyStation Road, RamseyBridson Street, Port Erin, Arbory Street, CastletownMichael Street, PeelDerby Road, Peel

Clothes and Crafts

Shakti ManParliament Street, RamseyRural Arts and Craft shopArbory Street, Castletown OxfamStrand Street, DouglasWell Christian BookshopBroadway, DouglasTopshopDuke Street, DouglasManx National Heritage Convenience stores

NathansRamseyNewbysBallaquayle Road, Douglas Wessex garageAlexander Drive, DouglasWessex Convenience storeBallawattleworth Estate, PeelFoxdale Post OfficeMain Road, Higher Foxdale Station garage Petrol Station,Victoria Road, Castletown

Cafes & Restaurants

The SanctuaryVictoria Street, DouglasCosta CoffeeStrand Street,DouglasM&S Café ReviveStrand street, DouglasBean Bar RamseyThe RefineryDuke Street, DouglasCrushNorth Quay, DouglasGreensNorth Quay, Douglas Heath food shops

Mother NatureParliament Street, RamseyCastletown Health StoreMalew Street, CastletownGood HealthChurch Road, Port ErinHolland & Barrett Strand Street, DouglasIoM Health Food CentreBucks Road, DouglasJulian Graves LtdDuke Street, Douglas

Suppliers

TraidcraftMargaret NewtonMann VendSpring Valley Industrial Estate, DouglasBridson & HorroxHills Meadow, Douglas  BusinessesManx Co-opDLGESteam PacketIoM Post OfficeCharterhouseDouglas Police  Methodist churches OnchanColbyBallabegBallakilphericKerrowkeilCroit-e-Caley Ballafesson, Glen Maye, Crosby

Anglican churchesAll Saints, DouglasBallaugh Parish ChurchBallaugh Old ChurchBraddanCastletownSt. James’FoxdaleKirk MichaelMalewMarownOnchanPatrick St German's PeelSt John'sSt Mark'sSt Ninian's, St Paul's RamseyChrist Church Dhoon Kirk MichaelCooil Catholic churches St Mary's , St Columba's St Patrick’s  Quakers Salvation Army

Mothers' Union  

Tourism is the world’s biggest industry .......

Do you feel that tourism always has a positive benefit on the local community?

Consuela doesn’t earn a living wage as a hotel cleaner in the Dominican Republic. She works a minimum of 9 hours each day cleaning 21 hotel rooms, but her wages are so low she cannot afford to buy milk for her children. She gets no payment for overtime or holidays. She cannot join a trade union because her employer refuses to allow a union on the premises.

In 1948 the United Nations created the Declaration of Human Rights. Do you think that the violation of these rights creates situations of slavery?

Article 23. Everyone has the right to form and join a trade union.

Article 24. Everyone has the right to rest and leisure, including limitation of working hours and periodic holidays with pay

A real life story ......

Mari is on medication for stress related to her poor working environment. She and her colleagues work in a laundry in Gran Canaria with an average temperature of 40C. Their heavy workload for a group of hotels includes ironing 3,000 sheets, 5,000 towels, 3,000 napkins and up to 2,000 tablecloths every day.

•What do you know of the International Labour Convention (ILO) , and why do you think it was set up?

ILO : 1981 Employers must provide a safe and healthy working environment

• Do you think it is exploitation if employers do not provide a safe and healthy working environment?

A real life story ......

There are abusive labour conditions in holiday destinations sold by the four major tour operators in the UK. These break international and national labour laws around the world. The Tourist industry can improve working conditions if they take workers rights seriously...... What’s stopping them?

What Difference can we make?

As a holiday maker you can be a powerful voice to ensure fair and legal labour conditions in the tourism industry.

Join the campaign by Tourism Concern email campaigns@tourismconcern.org.uk

See: www.tourismconcern.org.uk

Sun, Sand, Sea and..... Sweatshops

They don’t believe it’s worth it.

Make your voice heard!

1807, ordinary people helped to bring about the abolition of the Transatlantic slave trade

2007 you can be a part of a movement to end slavery today

Add your voice to postcard campaigns, find out more:

www.antislavery.org

www.stophumantraffik.org

www.ilo.org

news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/in_depth/world/slavery/default.stm

www.cleanupfashion.co.uk

www.ethical-company-organisation.org

www.labourbehindthelabel.org

www.ethicalconsumer.org

www.nosweat.org.uk