18th June

Gap Inc. launches sweatshop enquiry

A major international clothing chain has launched an enquiry into claims that its suppliers are using child labour. Gap Inc, which sells its branded clothes worldwide, is meeting with suppliers to investigate allegations of children being used in sweatshops. The company has already terminated a contract with one Indian factory. Gap president Marka Hansen told reporters: "It's deeply, deeply disturbing to all of us…I feel violated and I feel very upset and angry with…the subcontractor who made this very, very, very unwise decision." Gap said it will not sell the garments made in this factory in its stores. There are fears that some of the abused children are as young as ten. Reports are that the children work 16 hours a day, often without pay. Factory bosses supposedly beat them with rubber pipes and put oily cloths in their mouths when they cry.

The chain has 3,000 shops across the globe and is keen to keep its image clean. Senior executive Dan Henkle said: "Our team in India is conducting a full investigation and we have already made sure the products will never be sold. Although violations of our strict prohibition on child labour are extremely rare, we are calling for an urgent meeting with all suppliers in this region to reinforce this policy." Hansen, meanwhile, wanted the world to know she was taking the matter seriously. She told CNN: "Gap has a history of addressing challenges like this head-on, and our approach to this situation will be no exception.” She added: "In 2006, Gap ceased business with 23 factories due to [Code of Vendor Conduct] violations. We have 90 people located around the world whose job is to ensure compliance with our code."

a)	What did you think when you read the headline?
b)	What do you know about sweatshops?
c)	How can you be sure that child labour was not used in the manufacture of the clothes you buy?
d)	What do you think of Gap’s actions in launching an enquiry?
e)	Do you think multi-national companies turn a blind eye to child labour and child abuse until it hits the headlines?
f)	How can companies like Gap ensure its suppliers do not employ or abuse children?
g)	What do you think the Indian authorities should do to the sweatshop owner who employed children?
h)	Do you think child labour will ever disappear?
i)	What questions would you like to ask the sweatshop owner??

IKEA 'deeply regrets' forced prison labour (17th November, 2012)

One of Sweden's most famous companies has apologised for selling products made in communist prisons. The furniture giant IKEA said it "deeply regrets" buying furniture that was made using forced labour in prisons in East Germany over twenty years ago. IKEA is famous for its modern, clean designs and reasonable prices. However, few people knew about a dark period in its history. The company now admits that political prisoners in communist East Germany were forced to make some of the furniture sold in IKEA stores across the world. This was before the fall of the Berlin Wall, when Germany was split in two. IKEA manager Jeanette Skjelmose told reporters: "We deeply regret that this could happen." IKEA said it checks working conditions at its suppliers very carefully. They also checked suppliers 20 to 30 years ago, but their checks did not find the use of forced labour in prisons. Ms Skjelmose said: "The use of political prisoners for manufacturing was at no point accepted by IKEA….[30 years ago] we didn't have the well-developed control system that we have today. We clearly did too little to [stop those] methods." Many of the prisoners now want compensation – they want IKEA to pay them for their work. Human rights campaigner Rainer Wagner said many western companies used cheap, forced, prison labour in East Germany. He said: "IKEA is only the tip of the iceberg." IKEA STORY DISCUSSION a) What did you think when you read the headline? b) Do you think compnies should check their suppliers more'? c) What do you think about IKEA selling furniture that was made using forced labour? d) What do you know about the communist countries of Europe before the fall of the Berlin wall? e) What do you think of IKEA? f) What other companies do you know about that have been in the news about working conditions? g) Do you think all companies have dark histories? h) Do you think IKEA is a better company because it apologized about its past? i) Are governments around the world doing enough to make sure workers' human rights are respected? j) " Why do you think IKEA is more famous than other furniture companies? What questions would you like to ask human rights campaigner Rainer Wagner? Video on APPLE factory http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sEm7nsD-xBk Suffixes and prefixes most common comprehensive list