Bear with me for a moment, please...

---In April 2003, a federal court on the Pacific island of Saipan approved a $20 million settlement on a class action lawsuit filed against Target and 21 other companies. The lawsuit charged that the companies contracted sweatshop labor on Saipan, a U.S. Commonwealth and should be held accountable for worker treatment and conditions in foreign-owned factories operating on U.S. soil. According to the complaint, the more than 13,000 garment workers in Saipan regularly worked 12-hour days, seven days a week, often times "off the clock" without receiving any pay or overtime. The lawsuit also accused Levi Strauss and other companies of operating a "racketeering conspiracy" through which workers, who are mostly young women, sign contracts waiving their basic human rights and pay recruitment fees of up to $10,000 to secure sweatshop jobs. By agreeing to the settlement, the companies admitted no wrongdoing.
---Lee Kil-Soo, owner of the Daewoosa factory in American Samoa, was convicted in February 2003 of human trafficking for illegally confining workers in "involuntary servitude," holding their passports, and threatening deportation in retaliation for any acts of non-compliance. A US Department of Labor (DOL) investigation reported that workers at Daewoosa were often beaten, deprived of food, and forced to work without pay. Clothing produced by the Daewoosa factory was sold with the "Made in the USA" label, because American Samoa is a US territory. Before Mr. Lee's arrest and the closing of the factory, Daewoosa supplied clothing to J.C. Penney, Kohl's, Sears, Target, and Wal-Mart. According to the Manchester Guardian Weekly, only J.C. Penney has paid back wages to the Daewoosa workers.
---According to CorpWatch, Target is one of several U.S. corporations employing 40 thousand factory workers in Jordan’s Qualified Industrial Zones. Posited as a product of Jordan’s 1994 peace agreement with Israel, which permitted Jordan to export products duty free to the United States,provided at least eight percent of their industrial inputs come from Israel, these newly established factories have yet to establish standards for treatment of workers. Of the 40 thousand workers in the Qualified Industrial Zones,fewer than half are Jordanian. Ninety percent are women under the age of 22, and almost all of them are paid the minimum wage, about $3.50 a day.
---As of March 2001 Target was selling clothing produced at the Leader Garment factory in El Salvador. The Leader facility has been cited by the National Labor Committee as a facility that enforces mandatory pregnancy tests--women who test positive are immediately fired, obligatory overtime of 6 working days a week 13 hour shifts, and workers are paid 60 cents an hour - less than one-third of the cost of living.
---In Feb. 2003 Target paid $95,000 to settle case case bought by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) on behalf of a worker who had been diagnosed with multiple sclerosis. The case included claims that Target wrongfully refused to transfer the worker to a different job and unlawfully disclosed disability-related information to a prospective employer. In accordance with the settlement Target also agreed to provide American with Disabilities Act-related training to its management level personnel. In addition, it agreed to abide by federal recordkeeping requirements and maintain a policy barring workplace harassment. Target disputed the charge that its actions violated the ADA.

What's even more interesting, is that Target has always sold their version of affordable "quality" coffees, but this year they made the highest bid for the #2 and #3 Guatemala Cup of Excellence.

Cup of Excellence was established in 1999, in an attempt to excite American buyers about Brazilian specialty grade coffee. It has always been about highlighting the best coffees and rewarding the farmers. Why now, then, would a corporation like Target inc. want to help these farmers when it seems to have a disdain for human rights around the globe?


"The second and third place coffees were both purchased by Coffee Bean International to be roasted for Target Inc. The second place coffee, La Benedicion, was purchased for $17.05 and the third place coffee, San Guayaba, for $21.05..."

I'm sorry, and I don't mean to be outspoken, but I have a serious problem with a corporation like Target stepping in to our industry. Any thoughts??

Please correct me if I'm wrong.

PS. Sorry to be so negative. Way to go El Injerto. 80$ a pound!

***Information from: Successful Job Accommod. Strategies, Mar. 3, 2003
KnowMore.Org, 23 May 2008.
Cupofexcellence.com