Past Campaigns to
Support Worker Rights!

Workers fired at Chentex in Nicaragua! (2000)

Chentex in Nicaragua

After eight months of trying to negotiate a salary increase, 1800 workers of the unionized Chentex factory stopped working for one hour on May 2, 2000. Management took advantage of the stoppage to fire 150 union members including all nine elected leaders. The management subsequently filed criminal charges against the union leadership. Chentex produces for Kohl's, Target, Wal-Mart and JCPenny. Mass firings of union supporters have been reported in all unionized plants of the Las Mercedes free trade zone. Human rights advocates believe there is a systematic attempt to eradicate the unions in the apparel-for-export sector in order to secure more investment. For more information on the Chentex campaign and union busting in the Nicaraguan apparel-for-export sector, check out www.nlcnet.org or Campaign for Labor Rights. For information on basic conditions in the Nicaragua free trade zone, see our Links to Friends & Allies page.