Bridgestone Firestone Liberia owns the world's largest rubber plantation. In 2019, Firestone management terminated the employment of almost 2000 plantation workers who had been unionized and required them to sign employment contracts with third-party labor contracting agencies in order to keep working. Over 90% of percent of plantation contract workers voted to re-join the union as Firestone employees this past September. A recent white paper on international labour law and violations of labour rights standards on the plantation (see link below) stated that "a strong case can be made [that Bridgestone Firestone’s transfer of employees] from direct employment status to third-party labor agency contractor status, and the resulting effects on their living and working conditions, amount to violations of international labor standards on forced labor and occupational safety and health.” Watch the webinar to hear from a contract worker in Liberia, the trade unions representing workers and white paper-co-author Deborah Greenfield. You will also hear from Martin Buttle, who spoke about investor engagement on modern slavery.
Associate Director - Responsible Investment Leadership at Shareholder Association for Research and Education (SHARE) | The Global Unions' Committee on Workers' Capital (CWC)
I had the privilege of moderating a Committee on Workers' Capital webinar on labour rights risks at Bridgestone Firestone Liberia, which owns the world's largest rubber plantation. In 2019, Firestone management terminated the employment of almost 2000 plantation workers who had been unionized and required them to sign employment contracts with third-party labor contracting agencies in order to keep working. Over 90% of percent of plantation contract workers voted to re-join the union as Firestone employees this past September. A recent white paper on international labour law and violations of labour rights standards on the plantation (see link below) stated that "a strong case can be made [that Bridgestone Firestone’s transfer of employees] from direct employment status to third-party labor agency contractor status, and the resulting effects on their living and working conditions, amount to violations of international labor standards on forced labor and occupational safety and health.” Watch the webinar to hear directly from a contract worker in Liberia, the trade unions representing workers and white paper-co-author Deborah Greenfield. You will also hear from Martin Buttle, who spoke about CCLA Investment Management's investor engagements on modern slavery. White paper link: https://lnkd.in/gUzsBjAw https://lnkd.in/g5GggRAW