Date of publication: February 3, 2009
Source: TheSequitur.com
» http://www.thesequitur.com/content/view/4211/28/ [1]
By Jared Leone
The Super Bowl was a super platform for an international rights group to raise awareness about poor working and living conditions at an American tire company's rubber plantation in Liberia, according to a press release from the International Labor Rights Forum [2].
Coming on the heels of Firestone [3]paying millions for Super Bowl advertising for its Bridgestone Tire Company and sponsoring the halftime show, Washington, D.C.-based International Labor Rights Forum started an e-mail campaign [4] to raise awareness about workers' rights in Liberia.
Firestone Natural Rubber Company has operated a rubber plantation since 1926 [3]. Liberia is the largest rubber producer in the world, according to the company.
Workers negotiated for better working conditions, but according to the International Labor Rights Forum, Firestone has not implemented elements of the new contract, including health and safety improvements.