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Hi all, Please pass on the info. about the Marriott Hotels to other geography lists in the UK. Also, on a related note, although focused more on the US-Mexico border, some of you may be interested in the protests being taken against Hyundai. Listed below, these protests are being coordinated by the Support Group for Maquiladora Workers, who have successfully filed lawsuits against various maquiladora firms for a wide range of worker's rights violations, e.g., receiving no pay for several months, being allowed no breaks (leading to a miscarraige on the line in one instance). There's more info. about the reasons for the boycott halfway through the message. cheers, Susan Mains. *************************=2A************************=2A********************** SUSAN MAINS DEPT. OF GEOGRAPHY UNIVERSITY OF KENTUCKY LEXINGTON, KY 40506-0027 U.S.A. TEL: (606) 257 6992/2931 FAX: (606) 323 1969 ----------------------------Original message---------------------------- From: Mike Rhodes <[log in to unmask]> Subject: Hyundai boycott local contacts Sender: [log in to unmask] Labor Alerts: a service of Campaign for Labor Rights To receive our email labor alerts, send a message to [log in to unmask] Phone: (541) 344-5410 Web site: http://www.compugraph.com/clr Become a member and receive our (hard copy) newsletter. Send $35.00 to Campaign for Labor Rights, 1247 "E" Street SE, Washington, DC 20003. Sample newsletter available on request – include your postal address. In this alert: 1) Hyundai Boycott Local Contacts 2) Information on ordering "Boycott Hyundai" bumper stickers 3) Requested actions, includes: National Call-In Day: Monday, December 1 National Day of Demonstrations: Saturday, December 6 Hyundai Boycott Local Contacts These contact people have expressed interest in or already have organized activities. Have we missed you? Let us know if you would like to be added to the list of local contacts for organizing activities in support of the Han Young workers. CANADA: NATIONWIDE CONTACT Lynda Yanz Maquila Solidarity Network [log in to unmask] LONDON, ONTARIO Lukas Neville [log in to unmask] UNITED STATES: ARIZONA: PHOENIX Andy English JWJ [log in to unmask] TUCSON Kate Griffith AFSC [log in to unmask] CALIFORNIA: LONG BEACH John Gibson 213-664-3440 LOS ANGELES Dave Campbell OCAW [log in to unmask] RIVERSIDE Ralph Armbruster [log in to unmask] SACRAMENTO Rudy Preston SILR [log in to unmask] SAN DIEGO Mary Tong SCMW [log in to unmask] SAN FRANCISCO Medea Benjamin Global Exchange [log in to unmask] SANTA MARIA Amber Rogers [log in to unmask] COLORADO, DENVER Rick Clifford [log in to unmask] CONNECTICUT, NEW LONDON George Klinck Clarke [log in to unmask] DC, WASHINGTON Sara Anderson [log in to unmask] GEORGIA, ATLANTA George Nikas Atlanta-IWW [log in to unmask] Beth Lavoie Atlanta-IWW [log in to unmask] ILLINOIS, CHICAGO Hannah Frisch [log in to unmask] KANSAS: LAWRENCE/KANSAS CITY Judy Ancel [log in to unmask] KENTUCKY, LOUISVILLE Nancy Jakubiak [log in to unmask] MASSACHUSETTS, BOSTON Grassroots International 617-524-1400 MICHIGAN, DETROIT Brad Markell 313-565-0791 (h) 313-769-4141 (w) Fred Chase Ypsilanti-IWW and JWJ [log in to unmask] MINNESOTA, MINNEAPOLIS Larry Weiss Resource Center of the Americas [log in to unmask] MISSOURI: KANSAS CITY Judy Ancel [log in to unmask] NEW HAMPSHIRE Arnie Alpert AFSC [log in to unmask] NEW JERSEY: RIDGEWOOD Robert Newton [log in to unmask] TRENTON John Kirkland [log in to unmask] NEW MEXICO: ALBUQUERQUE Tina Faulkner Borderlines [log in to unmask] SANTA FE Harry Smith [log in to unmask] NEW YORK: BUFFALO Leslie Rockenbach [log in to unmask] ITHACA Peter Mott Interconnect 716-381-5606 NEW YORK CITY Grace Hong [log in to unmask] OHIO, CINCINNATI Dan La Botz [log in to unmask] OREGON: ASHLAND Wes Brain OPEU [log in to unmask] EUGENE Dan Goldrich CISCAP [log in to unmask] PORTLAND Chris Ferlazzo PCASC [log in to unmask] PENNSYLVANIA: PHILADELPHIA Mitch Chanin [log in to unmask] John Bracken [log in to unmask] Andrea Saenz [log in to unmask] PITTSBURGH Myron and Nancy Arnowitt PLANTA [log in to unmask] TEXAS: AUSTIN Cristine Neuman Ortiz and Jeff Rowell Border Voices 512-264-0834 EL PASO Debbie Nathan [log in to unmask] SAN ANTONIO Marta Ojeda Coalition for Justice in the Maquiladoras [log in to unmask] UTAH, SALT LAKE CITY Dayne Goodwin [log in to unmask] VIRGINIA, RICHMOND Wes Hare [log in to unmask] WASHINGTON, DC see: DC, WASHINGTON WISCONSIN, MILWAUKEE Rick Kissell [log in to unmask] WYOMING, LARAMIE Ryan Van Bibber [log in to unmask] BUMPER STICKERS AVAILABLE: "Boycott Hyundai" bumper stickers!!! Printed in a union shop, with the union "bug." $1.00 each or $6.00 for 10. Add $2.50 per order for shipping and handling. Order from: Labor/Community Alliance P.O. Box 5077 Fresno Ca 93755 If you have questions about the bumper stickers, call (209) 226-0477 or e-mail [log in to unmask] REQUESTED ACTIONS: NATIONAL CALL-IN DAY: Monday, December 1 will be a national call-in day to Hyundai Motors. Call Chris Hosford, National Manager of Government Affairs and Public Relations for Hyundai Motors USA, (714) 965-3470. Emphasize that the workers will have been on an hunger strike for 12 days by that point and this is giving Hyundai an image nationwide of blatant disregard for human life. If you get a machine, please leave a message expressing your concerns. Sample message: I am calling to express my concern about the treatment of the Han Young workers near Tijuana, Mexico. These workers receive less than $1 per hour doing dangerous work such as arc welding, for which they are not provided even the most basic safety equipment. The Mexican government and Han Young management continue to deny them the right to be represented by the union of their choice. The Han Young factory where these workers are employed produces exclusively for Hyundai. Under Mexican law, that makes Hyundai responsible for violations of these workers' rights. I intend to support a boycott of Hyundai Motors until the Han Young workers are represented by the union of their choice. I'm telling my friends and associates about the boycott of Hyundai Motors. Hyundai spokespeople may seek to distance Hyundai Motors from the Tijuana operation, Hyundai Precision America. The following information is relevant to that issue: The Hyundai plant near Tijuana makes tractor trailers. Hyundai Motors and the Tijuana plant are both part of the same Hyundai corporate structure. The various divisions of Hyundai work closely together in financing and other aspects of business. The president of the entire Hyundai conglomerate used to be in charge of Hyundai Precision America and was in Tijuana in recent weeks, meeting with management of Hyundai Precision America about the Han Young situation. Also, his son-in-law, Ted Chung, is the current president of Hyundai Precision America. NATIONAL DAY OF DEMONSTRATIONS: Saturday, December 6 will be another national day of demonstrations and leafleting outside Hyundai car dealerships. Please organize actions in your community. We especially encourage the building of local coalitions including peace & justice, labor, students and other concerned citizens. If there is a Korean American population on your campus or in your community, it would be helpful to meet with representatives of local organizations, to explain the basis for the Hyundai boycott. In all outreach, please clarify that nothing in this struggle should be construed as anti-Korean. Concerned citizens, especially clergy and laity, might consider doing a one-day fast on December 6 in support of the Han Young hunger strikers and in coordination with local demonstrations. OTHER REQUESTED ACTIONS: 1) Call your local Hyundai dealerships today. Look in the Yellow Pages under "Auto Dealers – New Cars." See the sample statement under "National Call-In Day." 2) Continue to organize leafleting at Hyundai dealerships on any dates which meet local needs. Leaflet masters are available in the Hyundai action packet. If your city has an upcoming car show, this would be an excellent venue for leafleting. You might want to call ahead to determine whether Hyundai will be an exhibitor at the show in your community. Remaining 1997 car shows: Anaheim, CA: November 22-30; Convention Center; (800) 345-1487. Phoenix: November 26-30; Civic Plaza; (800) 345-1487. Orlando, FL: December 3-7; Convention Center; (800) 345-1487. Washington, DC: December 26-January 3; Convention Center; (301) 670-1110. Indianapolis: December 27-January 4; Convention Center; (317) 266-8455. 3) Organize a delegation of clergy and laity and progressive local business representatives (people in suits) to schedule a meeting with: the management of Hyundai dealerships and, if your city has any of these: administrative offices for any division of Hyundai, a Mexican consulate, a Korean consulate. 4) If there is a Hyundai administrative office in your city, please organize a leafleting action when employees are likely to be entering or leaving the building. It would be helpful to include in your leaflets an invitation to Hyundai employees who feel that they have been unfairly treated by the company to come forward with their stories. Give a local contact number for Hyundai employees to call. DELEGATIONS OF CLERGY AND HUMAN RIGHTS GROUPS REQUESTED: Religious leaders and representatives of human rights groups are asked to come to Tijuana to visit the hunger strikers and then to carry their testimony back to U.S. communities. These are to be working delegations. Clergy will be meeting with their counterparts in Tijuana to urge them to contact the governor of Baja California. Catholic clergy are especially urged to come. Participants will have to pay their own transportation to and from San Diego. Costs on the ground will be negligible. If you are considering participating in such a delegation, call the Support Committee for Maquiladora Workers to make arrangements: (619) 542-0826. %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%