Copyright 1996 Globe Newspaper Company, The Boston Globe
Read Labels, Learn Their Meaning, Voice Your Concerns
By Charles Sennott
December 22, 1996 On New York's Fifth Avenue, with shoppers lining up in front of the dazzling Christmas display at the Disney Store, you could feel the holiday spirit.
Except for the guy in the "101 Dalmatians" outfit with a protest sign that read "Mickey is a Rat."
Student, labor, religious and consumer groups in Massachusetts and the rest of the nation have staged a number of holiday demonstrations at Disney Stores like the one last weekend where 250 people gathered in New York. They've also been targeting department stores and shopping malls to protest sweatshop conditions in the toy and apparel industry.
On a recent evening at the Natick Mall, the mad Christmas shopping rush was in full gear at the Disney Store and gallery. Handing out leaflets titled "101 Sweatshops" was Becca Kronish, 17, a senior at Newton South High School, who has been organizing demonstrations: "I think Disney is incredibly hypocritical. Their image is that they are for families and for children. But they pay workers barely enough to live or support their children."
Shopper George Godfrey, 33, a father of two, summed up the way a lot of people feel: "The problem is it's real hard to know when there's child labor or abusive conditions. I think about it, but I don't have any idea what to do about it."
How can holiday shoppers avoid buying toys or clothing made with child labor, or in sweatshops, or under the leadership of a brutal dictatorship? How can you know a product's origin?
Here are some consumer hints:
1. Read labels carefully. Most manufacturers have a label that indicates where an article of clothing is made, and you can avoid those countries that specialists say are notorious labor and human rights violators, including Burma and Indonesia as well as China. You can also look for union labels that confirm that the product was made in the United States in compliance with labor laws.
2. Educate yourself. There are a number of organizations that can provide information on specific products for consumers. They include:
The Council on Economic Priorities. It publishes a consumer guide titled "Shopping for a Better World." The toll-free number is (800) 729-4237. The website, which lists more up-to-date information, is https://www.accesspt.com/cep.
The Department of Labor. Its web site is https://www.dol.gov/dol/esa/public/nosweat/trends.htm.
The National Consumers League, 1701 K Street NW, Suite 1200, Washington, DC 2006. The league will provide consumers handy postcards that can be sent to companies and that request information about working conditions in factories where the company's products are made.
3. Raise your concerns with the company. Many of these large companies, such as Disney, Mattel and Nike, rely on a positive public image to market their products, and therefore they listen closely to consumer complaints. You can find toll-free numbers for most large companies through information (800-555-1212). It can also be effective to ask a store manager to please inform the manufacturer of your concerns. You can also request copies of company policies to see if there is a corporate code of conduct, or sourcing policies.
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