[PEN-L:2700] Life in the Global Toy Factory: 3/3 (fwd)

[D Shniad <shniad@xxxxxx>]

>     Report on International Toy Campaign
>     (Fight for Right to Health and Safety for toy workers)
>
>                                                      25th
>    October, 1995.
>
>
>      Dear friends,
>
>                             Toy Campaign Up-date
>
>    Greetings from Hong Kong.  Thank you for your support of our
>    international Toy Campaign.
>
>    Let me report the progress of the Toy Campaign first.  In late
>    September, we sent posters and pamphlets as well as an appeal
>    letter to concerned groups and individuals all over the world.
>    The feedback was very encouraging.
>
>    On 10th October, we made a petition to the Hong Kong Trade
>    Development Council(TDC), which is a semi-government body to
>    promote trade and the organiser for the 1996 Hong Kong Toy
>    Fair.  We requested them to promote toy industrial safety and
>    workers' rights as well as toy trading.
>
>    On 11th October, when the 3rd annual Toy Fair launched by TDC
>    took place in Shengzhen, China, we placed an advertisement on
>    a HK newspaper to arouse public concern on toy industrial
>    safety.  54 organizations and 30 individuals co-signed.
>
>    A report on the working conditions of the Chinese toy workers
>    is now ready in Chinese, and the English version will be ready
>    by the end of Nov.
>
>    One member team of our coalition, Apo visited and attended
>    several meetings in Europe.   A strong link has been built.
>
>    A Christmas card is being designed at this moment.  It should
>    be available by the end of October.  For the toy campaign in
>    your country, we can provide either the printed Christmas
>    cards or the film to print.  Please let us know which you
>    prefer.  Donations are appreciated.
>
>    19th November will be the 2nd anniversary of Zhilli Fire.  It
>    is a date to remind us that workers will always be deprived of
>    their rights if we cannot build up a solidarity among workers
>    and NGOs in the world.  We are planning a worldwide action on
>    this day.  Recently the spokesman of TDC said on the media
>    that it is NOT their responsibility to promote toy industrial
>    safety when they promote foreign trade.  So we invite your
>    organization to launch petition against the TDC branch office
>    in your country around 19th November.  An attachment is a list
>    of correspondence of TDC offices in overseas.  For your
>    reference, the following items are our requests to TDC:
>
>      1. to take the lead to endorse the "Charter on Safe
>         Production of Toys";
>      2. to pressure Hong Kong Toys Council to endorse the
>         Charter;
>      3. to arrange a booth at the Toy Fair in January, 1996 to
>         promote toy industrial safety.
>
>         Moreover, we encourage you to express your opinions and
>    concerns on safe production of toys to any government
>    departments, councils, associations and individuals in your
>    country which are related to the manufacturing and trading of
>    toys.  Up to this moment our campaign also targets on three
>    big toy manufacturers for their unsafe manufacturing
>    practices in the Third World: Mattel (USA), Bandai(Japan) and
>    Hasbro(USA) .  Please help pressure them also.   We would
>    appreciate if you could inform us about any action you take.
>
>    "International Meeting for Toy workers' health and safety"
>    will be held in Hong Kong during 8-12th January, 1996.  If you
>    are interested to attend, please feel free to contact us(our
>    fax no.: 852/ 27245098).  We are looking forward to hearing
>    from you.
>
>    Lastly, we welcome your comments and ideas.  If you need more
>    background information such as country papers on the campagin,
>    please contact us.
>
>    Best regards,
>    in solidarity,
>
>
>                             Venus Cheng
>                             Executive Secretary
>                             Coalition for "Charter on
>                             Safe Production of Toys"
>
>
>    You can also contact Asian Monitor Resource Centre (AMRC) via
>    the following email address for more information:
>    AMRC@xxxxxxxxxxxx
>
>      TDC offices in Overseas
>
>      Europe
>      Amsterdam: Prinsengracht 771, G/F., 1017 JZ Amsterdam, The
>    Netherlands.
>      Phone: 31-(020)-627-7101    Facsimile: 31-(020)-622-8529
>
>      Frankfurt: Kreuzerhohl 5-7, 60439 Frankfurt, Germany.
>      Postal Address: P.O. Box 500551, 60394 Frankfurt, Germany.
>      Phone: 49-(069)-586-011     Facsimile:  49-(069)-589-0752
>
>      London: Swire House, G/F., 59 Buckingham Gate, London SW1E
>    6AJ, England. Phone: 44-(0171)-828-1661
>    Facsimile:  44-(0171)-828-9976
>
>      Paris: 18 rue d'Aguesseau, 75008 Paris, France.
>      Phone: 33-(01)-47-42-41-50  Facsimile:  33-(01)-47-42-77-44
>
>      North America
>      New York: 219 East 46th Street, New York, NY 10017, U.S.A.
>      Phone: 1-(212)-838-8688        Facsimile: 1-(212)-838-8941
>
>      Toronto: Suite 1100, National Building, 347 Bay Street,
>    Toronto, Ont. M5H 2R7,   Canada.
>      Phone: 1-(416)-366-3594       Facsimile: 1-(416)-366-1569
>
>      Vancouver: Suite #620, 1500 West Georgia Street, Vancouver,
>    B.C. V6G 2Z6,  Canada.
>      Phone: 1-(604)-685-0883       Facsimile: 1-(604)-662-8569
>
>
>      Asia
>      Bangkok: 14/F., Sintorn Building, Tower 2, 130-132 Wireless
>    Road, Lumpini,   Patumwan, Bangkok 10330, Thailand.
>      Phone: 66-(2)-263-2292      Facsimile:  66-(2)-263-2293
>
>      Seoul: 720-721 KFSB Building, 16-2, Yoidodong,
>    Youngdeungpoku, Seoul,   Korea.
>      Phone: 82-(02)-782-6115/7    Facsimile: 82-(02)-782-6118
>
>      Taipei: 10/F., 315 Sung Chiang Road, Taipei, Taiwan.
>      Phone: 886-(2)-516-6085     Facsimile:  886-(2)-502-2115
>
>      Tokyo: Trusty Kojimachi Building, 6/F., 3-4 Kojimachi,
>    Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo 102,   Japan.
>      Phone: 81-(03)-5210-5850    Facsimile: 81-(03)-5210-5860
>
>      Australia
>      Sydney: 71 York Street, Sydney, NSW 2000, Australia.
>      Postal Address: G.P.O. Box 3877, Sydney, NSW 2001,
>    Australia. Phone: 61-(02)-299-8343 Facsimile: 61-(02)-290-1889
>