"Occupy the Port" Protests Walmart's Sweatshops in Bangladesh

"Block the Boat"  Photo: Marty Goodman/Socialist Action

By Marty Goodman, Socialist Action
December 18, 2012

Related story: Longshoremen shut down S.C. shipping terminal in protest over deadly fire at Bangladesh Walmart supplier

These are some photos of the protest Dec. 18 against Walmart at the Port of Newark, New Jersey. A ship transporting Walmart T-shirts from Bangladesh was to dock there that day. Some 60 protesters gathered at about 8 AM at the Port to draw attention to Walmart’s procurement of T-shirts from sweatshops that violate basic safety codes in Bangladesh and elsewhere.




Remembering the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire
Photo: Marty Goodman/Socialist Action



The horrific fire at the Tazreen apparel factory in Bangladesh, which killed 112 workers in November, was making clothes for Walmart leaked documents prove, despite denials (NY Times, Greenhouse, Dec. 5, 2012). A Walmart director of ‘ethical sourcing’ said in minutes leaked to The Times that correcting glaring fire and electrical safety issues at 4500 factories was not “financially feasible for the brands to make such investments.”

Spelling it out: Walmart kills
Photo: Marty Goodman/Socialist Action

The ship destined for the Port of Newark Tuesday carried clothes from a sweatshop not far from the deadly fire in Bangladesh. There were hopes that workers would not unload the ship. Unfortunately, that didn’t happen. There are no details.

Truckers honked in support when they saw the signs
Photo: Marty Goodman/Socialist Action

Thisanjali Gangoda read a solidarity message from Bangladeshi workers in NYC Photo: Marty Goodman/Socialist Action

Sweatshops in Haiti also make clothes for Walmart. The wage is now about $4.80 A DAY, less than the new mandated minimum wage of about $7.00. Haiti is under a US/UN occupation, increased in 2010 by the Obama administration in the immediate aftermath of the January 12th earthquake. There will be a forum on Haiti in NYC on Saturday, January 12:

HAITI Reconstruction 3 Years after the 2010 Earthquake

Saturday, January 12 - 6 PM

CWA Local 1180

6 Harrison Street (basement), Manhattan

(Bet. Hudson St and Greenwich St)

#1 to Franklin St or A,C, E, 2 or 3 to Chambers St



A Report-Back from a Labor Solidarity Delegation
• What happened to $Billions in aid?
• Why build only sweatshops?
• Why is Haiti still under US/UN Occupation?
• Why is the minimum wage so low in Haiti?
• How is the labor movement fighting back?
• How do those struggles relate to workers struggles here and around the world?

Speakers / Photo projection:
Marty Goodman former TWU Local 100 executive board member
David Wilson Weekly News Update on the Americas
Tony Savino Photojournalist

=