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Dear Rosendo,
TOMORROW
IS THE LAST DAY TO PURCHASE A MOTHER'S DAY RAFFLE TICKET,
proceeds of which go to benefit ILRF's Fairness in Flowers
campaign!
Remember, you can win
roses that were produced on farms with strong labor standards
for your mom AND help flower workers around the world!
Last week, we brought you the story of Amanda, a Colombian
flower worker who finally decided to act because she could no
longer stand the humiliation that she was forced to suffer on
the job, and explained how a simple purchase of ILRF's
Mother's Day raffle can help female workers like Amanda fight
for their rights at work. Unfortunately,
Amanda is not alone in her struggle.
Women around the world overwhelmingly occupy the
lowest paid and most unstable jobs. Such job
opportunities for female workers in developing
nations often fail to support a decent way of life for women
and their families. This has often
been a result of the current free trade model that encourages
corporations to exploit weak labor laws.
This week, in light of Mother's Day, ILRF will be
featuring extraordinary working mothers who are trying to make
a difference in their workplaces on our website and
blog each
day. Here is a short preview of the stories
ILRF has collected from partners around the
world:
Rosemary, Peruvian Mother and Temporary
Fruit/Vegetable Farm Worker: "They fired me for
being pregnant. I know other companies where women have lost
their babies because they were lifting something heavy, fell
and kept working for fear of being fired. The company didn't
give us food and we couldn't bring food so we all had to buy
something inside, including water. Sometimes my co-workers
didn't eat or drink water in order to save money."
Ana, Filipina Mother and Sewing Machine Operator:
"My salary does not cover my expenses, the workload
is not always fair and men are always promoted ahead of women.
I am in the process of organizing a union but I am met with
constant resistance and threats that management will close
down the factory."
Nasreen, Pakistani Mother and Soccer Ball
Stitcher: "Sometimes I have no money to cook food.
Food and clothes are very expensive and when my children need
them, I cannot fulfill their wishes and it upsets me
greatly... I faced more difficulty when I couldn't pay their
school fees. Due to this, my children were treated badly and
dishonored in school."
Moni, Bangladeshi Mother and Sewing Machine
Operator "During the first four months of my
pregnancy, management would shout at me for needing to use the
bathroom. They used obscene language and threatened to fire
me."
Support
female workers like Rosemary, Ana, Nasreen, Moni and Amanda by
purchasing a Mother's Day raffle ticket. Show them
that they are not alone this Mother's Day, and that fairness
can be achieved in the workplace! | 
