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- From: harelb@math.cornell.edu (Harel Barzilai)
- Subject: Maquiladoras in America: Factory in Berkeley poisons labor
- Message-ID: <1992Sep6.021714.5464@mont.cs.missouri.edu>
- Followup-To: alt.activism.d
- Originator: daemon@pencil.cs.missouri.edu
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- Organization: ?
- Date: Sun, 6 Sep 1992 02:17:14 GMT
- Approved: map@pencil.cs.missouri.edu
- Lines: 93
-
- [Via misc.activism.progressive from LaborNet's labor.toxics]
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
- 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 ?
- =====================================================
-
- 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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