You no doubt heard about the military coup in Honduras. Here is a recent BBC story describing it. Yesterday, several major American apparel companies, including Nike, the Gap, and Addidas, published a letter sent to Hillary Clinton, the U.S. Secretary of State, condemning the coup. Each of these companies source their products from Honduras, so they have an interest in economic stability there. In the letter, the companies call for the restoration of democracy and fundamental freedoms, including freedom of association.
Toronto-based Maquila Solidarity Network, an NGO that fights for labour rights, praised the letter, but noted too that many of the companies that source from Honduran factories have elected to remain silent, continuing business as usual following the military coup. One of those companies in Montreal-based Gildan Activewear, which sources a large volume of its t-shirts from Honduras. Gildan has a long (and somewhat sorry) history of problems in Honduras, including having its participation in the Fair Labor Association repealed for its participation in unlawful labour practices there. I described this story in an earlier piece. Nevertheless, Macleans-Jantzi just named Gildan to its top 50 most socially responsible companies!
Do you think companies operating in Honduras have a responsibility to speak up against a military coup that ousts a democratically elected government, as did the Gap, Nike, and Addidas? Or should companies ‘remain silent’ and go about their business, the tactic of Gildan and others?
