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Lisa is in Buenos Aires, Argentina for the UNI Walmart Global Union Alliance meeting. Here is her account:

25 June 2013 - Day two

8:15 Breakfast with Alke Boessiger and Sadia Kaenzig at the hotel. We are all excited for this big day!

9:30 Meeting with Nick Rudikoff to discuss and help prepare his presentation for Wednesday on the supply chain challenge. What we aim at is to make all participants to the UNI Global Alliance grasp the importance of a coherent code of practice to influence health and safety, working hours, wages, and labor rights namely in developing countries and throughout the world.

10:00 Start of our UNI Global Alliance Walmart. We have over 120 people. The place is packed. A separate report on this will be posted later on.

11:00 Quick visit to the UNI Americas Women meeting. Alke Boessiger, UNI Head of Commerce, speaks to scores of participants from around the Americas. Among the few topics presented, she raises the Bangladesh story and how UNI Women must become increasingly engaged in advocating for change in the garment industry. Why so? Simply because most workers in this sector are also women and they deserve nothing less. It gets me thinking that even at the other end, consumers like me, are also women who shop at high-street clothing chains… Women power, in a concerted and global effort, can indeed get us to a more equitable and ethical trade.

Alke reminds the audience that there can be no excuses for Walmart not to join the safety pact on Bangladesh. Their absence again and again shows irresponsible, unethical and abusive stance. Hear her here – a must watch!

We quickly leave this venue but not before reminding our highly motivated and engaged ladies that we will catch up with them later on today. They promised to come in high numbers to join us demonstrate our anger and outcry at Walmart’s main store in Buenos Aires.

12:30 Along with Alke, lunch with Adriana Rosenzvaig, UNI Americas regional secretary and Ruben Cortina, President of UNI Americas.

15:00 Public outcry at Walmart on stage. The photos hereunder speak for themselves. Hundreds of workers show up. Solidarity from workers from other retailers in Argentina who feel the Walmart downward pressure.

Celebration of the reinstatement of "Chippy", chief shop steward at the Constituyentes Walmart store. Walmart had fired him for his union activities. He had recently won a more than 2-year long court case against the company and returned to work.

What an exciting day and memorable moments!

   

21:00 Dinner at Papas Fritas with our whole group, UNI Americas Women Committee and FAECYS colleagues!