Rights Group: Sean Combs Clothing Used 'Sweatshop'
Tue Oct 28, 7:11 PM ET
By Chris Reese
NEW YORK (Reuters) - Workers' rights activists said on Tuesday that hip-hop music and fashion entrepreneur Sean Combs' trendy clothing line used a "sweatshop" in Honduras where women sew expensive garments for pitifully low pay.
Combs called a news conference to say he was "shocked"(yeah right!) at the revelations and promised an investigation that would have "zero tolerance" for any labor law violations in factories producing his Sean John clothing line.
Factory managers cursed at workers, refused to pay overtime, fired them when they became pregnant and blocked efforts to form a union, the New York-based National Labor Committee said at their own news briefing.
The group said it believed Combs, who performs as "P. Diddy" and became one of hip hop's most successful stars as "Puff Daddy," may not have known what his suppliers were doing.
Combs said he grew up among working people and appreciates their struggle. "I'm as pro-worker as they get," said Combs, elegantly dressed in an off-white linen suit.
"We are shocked at this information," said Combs, who said his company's compliance officer had made five inspections of the plant this year. "We are launching an investigation into this matter, and if there is any proof of wrongdoing, we will terminate our relationship with this factory immediately."
Former factory worker Lydda Eli Gonzalez, 19, told reporters through outside a Sean John clothing store to be opened next Spring on Fifth Avenue that she was dismissed after 13 months for speaking out.
"The supervisors go around every hour, every day, every second screaming at us," she said. "The women who were there were not allowed to look at each other. You go in with black hair and come out with red hair or whatever color shirt you are working on. You breathe this dust, you have no protection."
"This is a fixable problem, and if he fixes it, P. Diddy can be a hero," committee leader Charles Kernaghan said.
Over the past eight years, Kernaghan has targeted several big names in the garment industry, including U.S. TV presenter Kathie Lee Gifford (news), The Gap and Liz Claiborne for using "sweatshops" in Central America.
In a report on Southeast Textiles factory in Choloma, Honduras, Kernaghan's group said between 380 and 400 workers earned only 15 cents for sewing Sean Jean long sleeved T-shirts that sold for $40 in the United States.
I'm sorry but not knowing this was going on--you can't make me believe that! I mean,for someone who says he is so involved he should have known where everything was going to and coming from. I suppose though,that's what happened when you have so much money,start a clothing business without knowing much about it except for wearing it. I hope it goes under. I'm sick of him and the narcissistic idea that he's brilliant.
Of course, there are a couple of exceptions. The point is that you have to really work to find them. Just walking into your average store is not enough. Also, even when something is marked "Made in the USA." you have to explore what that means. It doesn't have to mean that all parts of the outfit or the fabric are made in the USA. It might just be assembled in the USA...
It's your right to support slave labour toocoolforyah.
S.C. fashions or his so called success (we dont even sell his trash in europe)
