Date of publication: April 17, 2009
Source: The Daily Gazette (Schenectady, NY)
Author: Kathleen Moore
Excerpt from article:
The Honduran workers who make most of Schenectady's firefighter uniforms are finally being paid minimum wage, after a year of pressure from the state and a national textile union.
Workers at the Alamode Plant in Honduras also received back pay for all the years in which they were illegally paid less than the Honduran minimum wage. And, for the first time, their company obeyed Honduras law and enrolled them in the country's social security system, which provides access to health care, injury leave and other benefits.
The success was announced Wednesday by Sweatfree Communities, which revealed the conditions in Honduras and other overseas factories last year. Lion Apparel, which uses the Alamode Plant and holds the Schenectady contract for most firefighter apparel, was the only company that took action in response to the report...