From: harelb@math.cornell.edu (Harel Barzilai)
Subject: Maquiladoras in America: Factory in Berkeley poisons labor
Followup-To: alt.activism.d
Originator: daemon@pencil.cs.missouri.edu
Organization: ?
Date: Sun, 6 Sep 1992 02:17:14 GMT

[Via misc.activism.progressive from LaborNet's labor.toxics]
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Topic 93        Factory in Berkeley poisons labor 
ecologycntr     Resources for labor re:toxics   10:13 am  Sep  4, 1992 
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	 M A Q U I L A D O R A S ?   I N   B E R K E L E Y ?
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Berkeley firm gets rich while poisoning workers. You can help by 
calling the company (510) 843-8910, and filling up their fax (510) 
843-5906. Tell them you'll buy no rubberstamps until you hear that 
they've spent some of their profits on worker safety. 

Rubberstampede, at 2542 Tenth Street, in Berkeley CA, is a rapidly- 
expanding rubber-stamp manufacturer in Berkeley's industrial 
western area. A multi-million dollar enterprise, Rubberstampede 
produces novelty rubber stamps of characters such as the Simpsons 
and other similar popular designs. Rubberstampede has been so 
successful, in fact, that it plans a move to an expanded location, 
in Oakland. 

This success is due in no small measure to management's refusal to 
spend any capital on worker protection. Rubber stamps are made of 
rubber and wood, joined by an adhesive. The adhesive that is used 
at Rubberstampede contains toluene, a potent carcinogen, teratogen, 
and nerve toxin. The workers are exposed to other solvents, 
contained in inks, cleaning fluid, etc. (The adhesive is the only 
substance the Ecology Center has been able to get a label for.) 

Workers at the plant are provided with no protective wear 
whatsoever.  

Ventilation is wholly inadequate to the number of employees on 
site,  

Management has removed all warning labels from cans of adhesive, 
ink, and other solvents. They are obligated, under California law, 
to provide warning in English and Spanish regarding the toxic 
nature of the substances workers are exposed to. They have not done 
so. 

Workers have suffered health impairment directly due to exposure to 
these chemicals. Skin rashes are commonplace. Fainting spells are 
commonplace. Impaired respiratory function is commonplace. 

When a worker (who has asked not to be publicly identified) took 
the initiative to distribute info from New Jersey Fact Sheets 
regarding the health effects of toluene exposure (provided by the 
Ecology Center and RTKNET), her employment was terminated, on the 
grounds that she was a "temporary worker" and that there was no 
work for her to do.  

At a meeting subsequent to her termination, workers were told that 
most of them would be laid off due to the activism of this one 
worker. 

Call Rubberstampede at (510) 843-8910.  Tell them you will not buy 
any of their products until they provide adequate safety training 
and equipment to their workers. 

For more info call Chris Clarke @ the ecology Center 
(510) 548-2220 

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