Local garment industry officials are pleased that members of US Congress are now aware of the real conditions inside Saipan garment factories despite continuous attempts by the CNMI\u2019s critics to malign the industry.<\/p>\n
Saipan Garment Manufacturers Association Executive Director Richard A. Pierce lauded a recent \u201cDear Colleague\u201d letter from US Rep. John T. Doolittle (R-California) recognizing the \u201coverwhelmingly positive\u201d improvements made in Saipan\u2019s garment companies over the last few years.<\/p>\n
Mr. Pierce at the same time took issue with criticism aired last month by Rep. George Miller (R-California) purporting alleged \u201congoing wage and labor rights violations in factories operating in some of our American territories.\u201d<\/p>\n
According to Mr. Pierce, Mr. Miller in a statement to the House, conveniently grouped Saipan with American Samoa as far as alleged labor abuses and worker exploitation are concerned, and chose to ignore whatever progress NMI factories have achieved in terms of labor reform.<\/p>\n
Mr. Miller\u2019s statements, which were entered into the Congressional Record last April 5 along with a March 31, 2001 Honolulu Star Bulletin article, raised concern about alleged sweatshop conditions, worker beatings, unpaid wages and indentured servitude in American Samoa\u2019s Daewoosa garment factory.<\/p>\n
Much of the conditions in Daewoosa were similar to the situation on Saipan, the article alleged, as it highlighted 1998 federal lawsuits that \u201caccused 32 Saipan contractors of beatings, forced abortions, and rat-infested quarters in essentially a prison environment surrounded by barbed wire and armed guards.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cIt is really funny that at the same time Rep. Doolittle, OSHA and others are saying good things about Saipan, Mr. Miller and (US.) Sen. (Daniel) Akaka have opted to ignore the true picture,\u201d said Mr. Pierce, as he protested the American Samoa experience is far from being \u201cremotely similar to that of Saipan today.\u201d<\/p>\n
SGMA officials last week started a series of in-house inspections of factories aimed at ensuring their compliance with federal safety and health regulations, as set forth under a partnership agreement between garment companies and US Labor\u2019s Occupational Safety and Health Administration.<\/p>\n
The voluntary inspections were meant to help factories shape up under the so-called Excellence 2000 Program. SGMA’s independent monitoring firm, PriceWaterhouseCoopers, will also begin a new round of monitoring inspections in mid-May of all SGMA factories.<\/p>\n
Saipan recently received praise from OSHA\u2019s Region IX Administrator Frank Strasheim for \u201cmaking improvements in a startling and impressive fashion.\u201d<\/p>\n
Mr. Doolittle for his part acknowledged the reforms in the local industry noting that \u201cThey\u2019re well on their way to becoming a model for the rest of the world.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThe progress made in the CNMI is worthy of our acknowledgment,\u201d Mr. Doolittle said in his March 13 \u201cDear Colleague\u201d letter. \u201cIt should serve as a reminder that Congress often acts best when it chooses not to act at all.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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