Foreign Affairs Committee on March 9th, 2011

[Bertha Oliva]

We believe that the teachers are being targeted because they're a very well-organized group and are unionized also. It can be said that teachers have a bit of a leveraging effect, if you will. They're in the schools and it's bit of a mission, in a way. It's not surprising to us at all that these individuals would be targeted. They're being targeted, but the youth are being targeted as well. Young people in the colleges and universities, as well, are being targeted. This is a very strong segment of society, and we think it's sort of the bedrock behind this popular resistance movement in our country asking for the constituent assembly. This is the only way in which Honduras could get new a constitution, through this constituent assembly, which of course is something that was lost on June 28. That's what we were seeking then.

[The Chair, Conservative, Dean Allison]

Thank you.

That's all the time we have. I apologize. I'm trying to fit everyone in here.

Mr. Goldring, you have five minutes.

[Peter Goldring, Conservative, Edmonton East, AB]

Thank you, Mr. Chairman, and thank you for appearing today, ladies and gentlemen.

I'd like to talk a little bit about Gildan, as it's featured in some of the reporting, but first I want to relate my experience. When I was in Haiti in 2006, I specifically asked to see the Gildan factory there, to talk to employees, to talk to the management, to ascertain the situation for myself. We all hear rumours of sweatshops and abuses. They had one plant, and they had plans for two more. I hope that in the study of Haiti we will have an opportunity to talk to them on that too, if the plants are still standing and operating.

I had experience in my previous life with manufacturing, and I had my own factory on a small scale. The factory in Haiti was clean and well organized, with a well-organized cafeteria. I talked to the employees. It was air-conditioned. I talked to the employees about whether they were happy with it. They have practically zero turnover in employment and they seem very happy with the work.

I was there with Alexa McDonough, and I'm sure she would have said something if she had noticed anything awry. I was also there with Bloc MP Thierry St-Cyr, and he concluded that this was important for the country of Haiti. It was 5,000 family-sustaining jobs. They were paying the equivalent of double the minimum wage, which here in Canada would be $20 an hour. That's what I determined. Maybe I didn't drill deep enough or look into all of the facts, but my experience runs quite counter to what I'm reading in the reports and hearing.

Have you done comparable studies of other factories in Haiti, Honduras, Canada, and the United States? Have you looked at the injury rates for this type of manufacturing in a variety of countries?

As unfortunate as it is, injuries do happen. They happened in my factory. They happen in all factories, but as to numbers of injuries in various countries, do you have any stats? Is this exceptional? How does it relate?

[Prof. Craig Scott]

I think this is best answered by Maria Luisa, who's on the phone.

[Maria Luisa Regalado]

Here in Honduras, the situation is concerning. It's quite a negative situation for the workers. From time to time, workers come together, and people who have about 30 years' worth of work are injured. They can no longer work in their own homes. They can no longer support their families.

Some people have shoulder injuries and can't do the work. They're experiencing many difficulties. These employees have consulted doctors. They've been getting shoulder injections, and then they're sent back to work. In some cases, it's taken six months to a year before they were able to see a doctor and have the right tests done.

Workers work as a team, and they can't go see doctors. The company doctor has to provide a document—

[Peter Goldring, Conservative, Edmonton East, AB]

I'd like to make a comment. Some of this seems to be hyperbole. Certainly it calls for a countering or a balancing comment from the company itself on what their opinion is. I think all these factors are very relative. Are the injury rates relative to similar types of manufacturing?

On the bottom of this report, I see a complaint saying that each piece of Gildan clothing that we wear is manufactured through the fractures, back injuries, shoulder injuries, and arm and hand injuries of the workers.

[Maria Luisa Regalado]

The company is violating the labour code. Working hours are supposed to be eight hours Monday to Friday and four hours on Saturday. In other words, it is 44 hours. We're actually working up to 69 hours a week. There is no air conditioning. Workers would need good working conditions. These workers have to produce 400 to 550 dozen items of clothing, and then they have 15 minutes to eat, barely, and then come back as soon as possible to the work stations.

[Witness speaks in Spanish]

[Technical difficulty--Editor]

[The Chair, Conservative, Dean Allison]

I think we have the system overloaded, because nothing is working. Sorry.

We'll go to Mr. Julian now, but we're out of time. Why don't we start? I hope the system works.

Peter, why don't you go ahead now?

[Peter Julian, Burnaby—New Westminster]

Mr. Chair, I believe the witnesses have their own translator. With your permission, what I'll do is give the question first--

[Technical difficulty--Editor]

[The Chair, Conservative, Dean Allison]

Once again I apologize for the system. It appears that it will not reboot.

The meeting is adjourned.