Hopefully, some modicum of justice for the dismissed workers can be wrested from the situation. Whatever the outcome for them, international human rights activists must not sit quietly by, allowing PVH and its apparel industry cohorts to bask in the glow of praise for their participation in the White House task force on sweatshop issues. Sooner than we had expected, the reality of the Apparel Industry Partnership has been demonstrated. We in the labor rights movement are obliged to make sure that the public gets the message. Even a protest action involving as few as 2-4 people would be helpful.
Demonstrators can raise their visibility through the use of picket signs or a banner.
Such high-visibility techniques can be effective, even when participants are confined to the public sidewalk around the perimeter of a shopping mall parking lot. The protests are against Phillips-Van Heusen. Where they take place at JC Penney stores, we want to take care not to convey an anti-JCP message, since the latter company has been somewhat cooperative in other sweatshop disputes. Due to shortness of time, we will not be mailing out action packets. And please send us a report on your action afterward.