Curardian, 20/1/70
ADVERTISEMENT
The following advertisement by four American trade unions is appearing in the Washington (U.S.A.) Post during the visit of Prime Minister Harold Wilson to the
capital of the United States of America
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An Urgent Memorandum For Prime Minister Harold Wilson
Hong Kong Sweatshops Imperil American Jobs!
The Right Honourable Harold Wilson has always shown himself alert and sensitive to the problems of working people. During the Prime Minister's visit to Washington we publish this memorandum concerning the serious impact of textile and apparel exports from Hong Kong on jobs in this country, in the hope that he will read it and move to correct a most
serious situation.
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Long Kong is a British Crown Colony, a
favorite mecca for tourists, a valuable window opening on Communist China . . and a sweat- shop haven of serious proportions.
The situation is simply this:
Hong Kong manufacturers, paying wages of 2/3d an hour (compared to U.S. wages averaging £1 an hour), are flooding the American market with textiles and garments of every description.
The rising quantity of these sweatshop imports are robbing American textile and clothing workers of jobs and placing heavy burdens on local governments in the affected areas.
Between 1962 and 1969, Hong Kong exports of textiles and garments to the United States rose by 55% in cottons, 359% in wools and 2,353% in the case of man-made fiber products!
While shipments of cotton textiles and apparel are regulated by the terms of international agree- ments, imports of textiles and garments made of wool and man-made fibers remain unchecked.
We cannot understand why the Labour Govern-
ment headed by Prime Minister Wilson fails to negotiate a solution to the problem of Hong Kong's low-wage exports. These exports raise serious economic problems for our two countries.
Workers in the United States cannot sit idly by while low-wage imports continually undermine the American market and deprive them of decent jobs at reasonably fair wages.
The Prime Minister should know, if his advisors
have not told him, that this is a matter of serious consequence to the affected American workers.
Since no solution has been found so far through governmental negotiations, we shall find it neces- sary to seek legislation and to take direct action— through picket lines and demonstrations-to enlist the support of the American people against these products of the Hong Kong 2/3d-an-hour sweatshops.
We hope that the Prime Minister, a wise and astute statesman, will heed our call and arrive at a mutually satisfactory solution.
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International Ladies' Garment Workers' Union
1710 Broadway, New York, N.Y. Louis Stulberg, President.
Amalgamated Clothing Workers of America
15 Union Square, New York, N.Y. Jacob S. Potofsky, President.
Textile Workers Union of America
99 University Place, New York, N.Y. William Pollock, President.
United Textile Workers of America
44 East 23rd Street, New York, N.Y. George Baldanzi, President.
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