[psych-hr] Re: Endorse Intn'l Corp. Accountability Campaign

Friends:

In my view, the human rights clause is extremely weak.  Security forces are
used to prevent oranizing among the workers, to enforce repressive practices
and prohibit workers from expressing their needs for fair and dignified
treatment.  Hence I would recomend that this clause be amended by removing
the phrase "disclose the existence of" and replacing it with "discontinue".
While it is good to know who is shooting you, it is better still not to be
shot at..

Adrianne Aron,
Berkeley, California

----- Original Message -----
From: Anne Anderson <Psysrusa@cs.com>
To: <psychology-humanrights-l@hrea.org>
Sent: Friday, October 06, 2000 1:06 PM
Subject: [psych-hr] Endorse Intn'l Corp. Accountability Campaign


> Hello Friends,
>
> Here is a proposal that PsySR has been asked to endorse.  Since part of
ths
> proposal includes human rights issues, I invite your comments.  Please let
me
> know if there are any particular human rights issues that you would want
us
> to emphasize.  I am especially interested in any comments you may have on
the
> positive psychological impact this campaign might have in your part of the
> world.
>
> Thanks loads, Anne
>
> Anne Anderson
> National Coordinator
> Psychologists for Social Responsibility
> 2604 Connecticut Ave. NW
> Washington, DC 20008
> (202) 745-7084
> (202) 745-0051 fax
>
>
> ---------------------
> Date: Fri, 06 Oct 2000 11:52:09 -0400
> From: "Lisa Archer" <LArcher@foe.org>
> To: psysrusa@cs.com
> Subject: Marc Pilisuk /Endorse Intn'l Corp. Accountability
> Campaign/Friends of the Earth
>
> Dear Ms. Anderson,
>
> Marc Pilisuk recently received our email about the International
Right-to-Know
> campaign and he suggested I forward this information to you at
Psychologists
> for Social Responsibility. If your organization would like to endorse or
> if you have any questions, feel free to email me or give me a call at the
> number below.
>
> Many thanks,
> Lisa Archer
> International Program, Grassroots Coordinator
> Friends of the Earth
>
> 1025 Vermont Ave., NW
> Washington, DC 20005
> 202-783-7400 x111
> larcher@foe.org
>
>
> HOLD US CORPORATIONS ACCOUNTABLE
> ENDORSE INTERNATIONAL RIGHT TO KNOW CAMPAIGN
>
> Dear Friends,
>
> On behalf of a coalition of environmental, labor, social justice and human
> rights organizations, we're writing to ask for your support for important
> new legislation to hold U.S. multinational corporations accountable.
>
> Recent protests at meetings of the World Trade Organization, World Bank
and
> International Monetary Fund illustrate a growing concern about
> globalization and the actions of corporations.  The public is increasingly
> aware that trade and investment agreements enable big business to move
from
> country to country around the globe, but place no requirements on
> corporations to operate responsibly.
>
> US corporations should be held accountable for their impacts on the
> environment, human rights and workers around the world. A recent survey by
> the University of Maryland's Program on International Public Attitudes
> showed that nearly 90 percent of the American public expect US companies
to
> follow US environmental and safety standards overseas.
>
> A coalition of environmental, labor, social justice and human rights
> organizations has joined together to ensure that at a minimum, basic US
> right-to-know laws are applied to the overseas operations of US-owned
> companies. Groups working on this initiative include Earth Rights
> International, Friends of the Earth, Amnesty International, AFL-CIO,
> American Lands Alliance, and the Community Right-to-Know Working Group.
We
> believe that the public here and abroad has a right to know how US-owned
> corporations are treating their workers, local communities, and the
> environment.
>
>
> The coalition has developed a right-to-know legislative proposal that
would
> require US corporations to report on their operations in foreign
countries.
>  This proposal would extend key domestic right-to-know laws in the
> environmental, labor, and human rights areas to the overseas operations of
> US-owned companies.
>
>  The outline of this legislative proposal is attached below.  We are
> seeking the endorsement of your organization for this proposal, and we
> believe that together we can convince members of Congress to sponsor and
> pass international right to know laws.  Please join us in our effort to
> require US companies to disclose how they are operating around the globe
by
> endorsing the proposal and by forwarding it to others whom may wish to
> endorse it.
>
> Please return your endorsement as soon as possible to Friends of the Earth
> at larcher@foe.org.  If you have any questions regarding the right-to-know
> proposal and the coalition effort, please contact David Waskow at Friends
> of the Earth at dwaskow@foe.org.
>
> Please help us spread the word about this legislative proposal by
> forwarding the appeal for endorsements to other organizations, especially
> through listserves. Thank you for your participation in this important
> effort for global accountability.
>
>
>
>
> INTERNATIONAL RIGHT-TO-KNOW LEGISLATION
>
> PROPOSED COMPONENTS
>
>
> PURPOSE:  Right-to-know laws in the United States  such as the Emergency
> Planning and Community Right to Know Act (EPCRA) of 1986 that requires
> toxic release reporting  have provided communities and workers with
> essential information about the conditions they face. Moreover, many
> businesses have voluntarily improved their practices in response to
> right-to-know laws; for example, industries have reduced their toxic
> releases by almost 50% since the EPCRA program began.
>
> Given the critical role played by such disclosure requirements,
> right-to-know principles should be extended to the international
operations
> of U.S. companies.  Communities and workers throughout the world have the
> right to important information about corporate practices that will have
> significant impacts on their lives.  In addition, the American public
> expects that our international economic policy will reflect our country's
> best values, and not just commercial interests.  The time has therefore
> come to export our values by ensuring that U.S. firms operating abroad
> report on their practices in the critical areas of environment, labor and
> human rights.
>
> ENVIRONMENT
>
> · Toxic Release Inventory.  Apply current domestic toxic release inventory
> legislation to U.S. businesses operating abroad; this would require
reports
> to the U.S. EPA on toxic pollutants released into the air, land and water.
>
>
> · Resource Extraction Disclosure.   Require U.S. businesses to report the
> amount of natural resources  such as timber, minerals, etc.  that the
> company has extracted, processed, purchased, or bid to purchase abroad.
>
> · Emissions Permit Reports.  Require U.S. businesses to report when they
> have applied to a foreign government for the right to increase pollutant
> emissions from an overseas facility.
>
> LABOR
>
> · Occupational Safety and Health Reports.  Apply current domestic OSHA
> reporting requirements to U.S. businesses operating abroad by requiring
> that they report serious work-related injuries and deaths.
>
> · Hazardous Chemicals Disclosure.  As under current U.S. domestic law,
> require U.S. businesses operating abroad to inform workers about hazardous
> chemicals in the workplace.
>
>
> · Core Labor Standards.  Require U.S. businesses to report on their labor
> rights policies and any complaints received against them, and require them
> to post the ILO Declaration of Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work
in
> every domestic and foreign facility.
>
> HUMAN RIGHTS
>
> · Security Arrangements Disclosure.   Require U.S. companies operating
> abroad to disclose the existence of their security arrangements with state
> police and military forces or with third party military or paramilitary
> forces.
>
> · Human Rights Policy Reports.  Require U.S. companies operating abroad to
> report on their human rights policy, any complaints received from local
> communities, and any human rights lawsuits filed against them.
>
> FACILITIES, SUBSIDIARIES AND CONTRACTORS
>
> · Disclosure of Facilities, Subsidiaries and Contractors.   Because the
> reporting requirements above rely on having a clear picture of where U.S.
> companies are operating abroad, require U.S. businesses to disclose the
> name and location of all their facilities abroad and all facilities
> maintained by their subsidiaries or contractors abroad.  Such a reporting
> requirement builds on the current SEC disclosure requirement for the
> principal facilities of a corporation.
>
> · Disclosure by Facilities, Subsidiaries and Contractors.  U.S.
> corporations would be required to have their subsidiaries and contractors
> provide the information described above concerning their environmental,
> labor and human rights practices.
>
>
> MONITORING AND ENFORCEMENT
>
> · Accounting Requirements.  Require covered businesses to maintain
detailed
> records of the information reported.
>
> · Criminal/Civil Penalties for Non-Compliance.   Allow government
> prosecution of businesses or individuals that fail to comply with the
> reporting provisions.
>
> · Citizen Suits.  Allow private citizens and organizations to sue
violators
> and collect damages.
>
>
>
>