FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
SAN FRANCISCO 10/18/00

Contacts:
Mary Bull
Save the Redwoods Boycott the GAP Campaign
(415) 731-7924    www.gapsucks.org

Leila Salazar
GAP Campaign Cordinator, Global Exchange
(415) 255-7296    leila@globalexchange.org

Jonah Zern
Student Alliance to Reform Corporations (STARC)
(510) 893-1554    jzern1@yahoo.com

****Come out and support and GET NAKED WITH US !!!****

Tomorrow, Thursday October 19, at 12 noon at the Gap Inc. Headquarters, One Harrison at Embarcadero Gap Vigil participants and supporters will be stripping down in a "We'd rather wear nothing than wear Gap" action to bring about the social and environmental issues surrounding the Gap Inc.'s use of sweatshop labor at home and abroad and the clear-cutting of redwood forests in Mendocino and Sonoma Counties.

"The dramatic decline we're seeing in Gap stock prices may indicate that the destruction of redwood forests and the use of sweatshops for sewing Gap clothes are not good business, and that investors and consumers are signaling their disapproval," said Mary Bull of the Save the Redwoods - Boycott the Gap Campaign. Bull stated, "The Gap Boycott, launched in November 1998, is going into high-gear, garnering national and international media attention (e.g., WSJ 2/23/00, BBC 6/8/00, LA Times 8/13/00) and supporters worldwide. We're reaching critical mass, and we won't stop until the Gap Fishers put their ravaged redwood holdings into a conservation land trust and pay their workers a living wage!"

Regarding Gap's labor policies, activists are demanding the following of Gap Inc. and the Fisher family: Settle the Saipan lawsuit; include a Living Wage clause in Gap's Vendor Code of Conduct; agree to independent monitoring in their factories; support worker's rights to organize unions; and disclose information about their factory locations and conditions.

Regarding the 235,000 acres of Mendocino and Sonoma County redwood forestland that the Fisher family bought in July 1998 and have been liquidating ever since, activists are demanding the following: Stop all logging immediately; put all holdings in a conservation land trust, in which commercial logging will be completely prohibited until all threatened and endangered species have fully recovered in each watershed; as part of the reparations for the damage they have done, establish and pay for a public oversight committee for each watershed that includes public-interest representatives, and employ local displaced timber workers and fisher people in ongoing watershed and forest restoration.



FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
SAN FRANCISCO 10/16/00

Contacts:
Mary Bull
Save the Redwoods Boycott the GAP Campaign
(415) 731-7924    www.gapsucks.org

Leila Salazar
GAP Campaign Cordinator, Global Exchange
(415) 255-7296    leila@globalexchange.org

Jonah Zern
Student Alliance to Reform Corporations (STARC)
(510) 893-1554    jzern1@yahoo.com

Vigil Site: 650-303-8831 or 415-509-1188; Check out www.gapsucks.org for pics
and daily updates!

*******GAP VIGIL: THEY'RE INTO WEEK THREE!!!********
****FISHER OLD-GROWTH STUMP ARRIVES AT GAP HQ!!!****
***ACTIVISTS INVITE EMPLOYEES TO HAPPY HOUR***
------ It's All Happening at One Harrison & Embarcadero -----

That's Right! Now into its 16TH DAY, the ongoing Gap Vigil to pressure Gap Inc. to pay its sweatshop workers a living wage and to pressure the Fisher family, founders and major shareholders of Gap, Inc., to put their ravaged redwood forest holdings into a conservation land trust, is STILL GOING STRONG!

Protestors plan a special surprise for Gap Execs and Employees on Monday Morning, Oct 16th: a FIRST HAND LOOK at FISHER FAMILY DESTRUCTION OF OLD-GROWTH REDWOOD! They're wheeling an old-growth redwood stump, FIVE FEET in diameter, 700 lbs, and over 200 years old to the entrance of Gap Headquarters, One Harrison at Embarcadero! The redwood stump is from an old-growth tree that local residents had begged the Fisher logging company to preserve for rare wildlife habitat--but the Fisher frontman said "No, we're running a business," and sawed it down anyway. Once the majestic giant was cut, the Fisher logging company decided it was too difficult to mill and left it lying there.

"We have found this type of callous disregard of anything that stands in the way of profit, typical of the Fishers. They are determined to take the last stick of merchantable timber from their holdings no matter what the price in extinguished species and watershed devastation!" said Mary Bull, founding member of the Guardians of Elk Creek Old Growth, one of many groups determined to stop the Fishers of Gap, Inc from destroying their watersheds-- The Fishers' raked-over redwood holdings span 350 square miles and 28 watersheds.

With the announcement that Gap, Inc.'s same-store sales dropped 8% in September (SF Chronicle 10/5/00) and with Gap stock prices plummeting (SF Chronicle 08/31/00; SF Examiner 08/11/00), human rights and environmental activists continue a 24-hour presence at Gap, Inc. Headquarters, One Harrison Street, San Francisco. The Vigil started Sunday, Oct 1. The protestors' aim: To close the clearcut gaps in the redwood forests owned by the Fisher family, founders and major shareholders of Gap, Inc., and to close the wage gap between Gap Inc.'s rich executives and shareholders and their workers.

Activists leaflet Gap employees by day, while at night they strategize, dance, drum, make art by the light of Gap Inc.'s foyer, and devise creative pastimes, such as Monday's stump action and Wednesday's Happy Hour with Gap employees. "Things have been going amazingly!" said Zern, "Our numbers are building, and the employees who almost growled at us the first day are now smiling, saying good night, bringing us water, and taking our literature!  And several said they'd join us to discuss the issues at 6PM on Wednesday at the cafe on the corner."

"The dramatic decline we're seeing in Gap stock prices may indicate that the destruction of redwood forests and the use of sweatshops for sewing Gap clothes are not good business, and that investors and consumers are signaling their disapproval," said Mary Bull of the Save the Redwoods - Boycott the Gap Campaign. Bull stated, "The Gap Boycott, launched in November 1998, is going into high-gear, garnering national and international media attention (e.g., WSJ 2/23/00, BBC 6/8/00, LA Times 8/13/00) and supporters worldwide. We're reaching critical mass, and we won't stop until the Gap Fishers put their redwood holdings into a conservation land trust and pay their workers a living wage!"

In 1999, Gap Inc., including Gap, Old Navy, and Banana Republic stores, earned $1.1 billion in profits, yet Gap workers in Tehuacan make $0.28 an hour. Workers say they need just $1.00 an hour to provide for their families. Here in the U.S. on the Pacific island of Saipan, the women in Gap sweatshops make only $3.05 an hour and often must pay exorbitant fees just to get their jobs and then sign contracts that take away their basic rights.  Global Exchange among other labor and human rights organizations filed a class-action suit on behalf of Saipan workers in January 1999. Leila Salazar of Global Exchange said this about the lawsuit, "17 companies have agreed to treat their workers with dignity and improve working conditions, but Gap has not.  We demand that they settle the Saipan lawsuit and pay all of their workers a living wage!"

Regarding Gap's labor policies, activists are demanding the following: Settle the Saipan lawsuit; include a Living Wage clause in Gap's Vendor Code of Conduct; agree to independent monitoring in their factories; support worker's rights to organize unions; and disclose information about their factory locations and conditions.

Regarding the 235,000 acres of Mendocino and Sonoma County redwood forestland that the Fisher family bought in July 1998 and have been liquidating ever since, activists are demanding the following: Stop all logging immediately; put all holdings in a conservation land trust, in which commercial logging will be completely prohibited until all threatened and endangered species have fully recovered in each watershed; as part of the reparations for the damage they have done, establish and pay for a public oversight committee for each watershed that includes public-interest representatives, and employ local displaced timber workers and fisher people in ongoing watershed and forest restoration.

Zern explained, "We feel it is our responsibility to end the environmental devastation and human rights violations caused by a corporation whose headquarters is in our community.  This vigil is about students, labor and human rights activists, environmentalists, and community members banding together and calling on Gap Inc. to stop exploiting its workers and to stop destroying some of the last remaining redwood forestland in California."



FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
SAN FRANCISCO 10/11/00

Contacts:
Mary Bull
Save the Redwoods Boycott the GAP Campaign
(415) 731-7924    www.gapsucks.org

Leila Salazar
GAP Campaign Cordinator, Global Exchange
(415) 255-7296    leila@globalexchange.org

Jonah Zern
Student Alliance to Reform Corporations (STARC)
(510) 893-1554    jzern1@yahoo.com

*******SFPD RAID GAP VIGIL SITE!**********
***PROTESTORS SAY THEY WON'T QUIT! RALLY TODAY!***
***ACTIVIST/SINGER, DARRYL CHERNEY, TO JOIN VIGIL!***
**Close-the-Gap RALLY & OLYMPIC GAMES, 5PM Today 10/11, 1 Harrison, SF**

Now into its 11th Day, the ongoing Gap Vigil to pressure Gap Inc. to pay its sweatshop workers a living wage and to pressure the Fisher family, founders and major shareholders of Gap, Inc., to put their redwood forest holdings into a conservation land trust, is still going strong--despite a police raid yesterday.

At about 3 PM yesterday, SFPD officers arrived at Gap, Inc. Headquarters at 1 Harrison, San Francisco and began photographing the protest vigil site and protestors in front of the main entrance. Citing vargarncy laws, the police informed protestors that they would be arrested and their property confiscated if they did not clear out within an hour. The protestors immediately mobilized the National Lawyers Guild (they were joined by attorney Adam Arms), the media (KGO, KPFA via phone, and Dan Zoll of the San Francisco Bay Guardian), and activists from Global Exchange, Rainforest Action Network, and Save the Redwoods-Boycott the Gap Campaign. The situation was diffused when protestors removed their sleeping gear from the site and the police departed.

"For the past 10 days we have completely complied with all requests to keep the sidewalk clear for employees--we've been polite to everyone coming and going, and have kept the vigil site neat and clean. We've broken no laws and I view this move as unconstitutional on the part of the SFPD," said Mary Bull of the Save the Redwoods - Boycott the Gap Campaign. Jonah Zern of Student Alliance to Reform Corporations stated, "I think it's ironic that the Gap corporation used a law aimed at attacking the poor to try to end our vigil in solidarity with desperately poor workers and defenseless redwood forests. It also shows how much power Gap Inc. wields in San Francisco.  However, their attack on us will only make us stronger. We will not back down."

Today, Wednesday, October 11, the protestors will host a "Close-the-Gap" Rally at the vigil site: Gap HQ, One Harrison, SF. They will be joined by forest activist and singer DARRYL CHERNEY. Festivities will include "Close-the-Gap" OLYMPIC GAMES, in which Corporate Greed will challenge People and Planet. "We're going to win the games--and this campaign!"  declared Mark Hilovsky, one of the Gap protestors.

With last week's announcement that Gap, Inc.'s same-store sales dropped 8% in September (SF Chronicle 10/5/00) and with Gap stock prices plummeting (SF Chronicle 08/31/00; SF Examiner 08/11/00), human rights and environmental activists continue their 24-hour presence at Gap, Inc. Headquarters, One Harrison Street, San Francisco. The Vigil started Sunday, Oct 1. The protestors' aim: To close the clearcut gaps in the redwood forests owned by the Fisher family, founders and major shareholders of Gap, Inc., and to close the wage gap between Gap Inc.'s rich executives and shareholders and their workers.

Activists leaflet Gap employees by day, while at night they strategize, dance, drum, make art by the light of Gap Inc.'s foyer, and devise creative pastimes, like today's rally. "Things have been going amazingly!" said said Zern, "Our numbers are building, and the employees who almost growled at us the first day are now smiling, saying good night, bringing us water, and taking our literature!

"The dramatic decline we're seeing in Gap stock prices may indicate that the destruction of redwood forests and the use of sweatshops for sewing Gap clothes are not good business, and that investors and consumers are signaling their disapproval," said Mary Bull of the Save the Redwoods - Boycott the Gap Campaign. Bull stated, "The Gap Boycott, launched in November 1998, is going into high-gear, garnering national and international media attention (e.g., WSJ 2/23/00, BBC 6/8/00, LA Times 8/13/00) and supporters worldwide. We're reaching critical mass, and we won't stop until the Gap Fishers put their redwood holdings into a conservation land trust and pay their workers a living wage!"

In 1999, Gap Inc., including Gap, Old Navy, and Banana Republic stores, earned $1.1 billion in profits, yet Gap workers in Tehuacan make $0.28 an hour. Workers say they need just $1.00 an hour to provide for their families. Here in the U.S. on the Pacific island of Saipan, the women in Gap sweatshops make only $3.05 an hour and often must pay exorbitant fees just to get their jobs and then sign contracts that take away their basic rights.  Global Exchange among other labor and human rights organizations filed a class-action suit on behalf of Saipan workers in January 1999. Leila Salazar of Global Exchange said this about the lawsuit, "17 companies have agreed to treat their workers with dignity and improve working conditions, but Gap has not. We demand that they settle the Saipan lawsuit and pay all of their workers a living wage!"

Regarding Gap's labor policies, activists are demanding the following: Settl e the Saipan lawsuit; include a Living Wage clause in Gap's Vendor Code of Conduct; agree to independent monitoring in their factories; support worker's rights to organize unions; and disclose information about their factory locations and conditions.

Regarding the 235,000 acres of Mendocino and Sonoma County redwood forestland that the Fisher family bought in July 1998 and have been liquidating ever since, activists are demanding the following: Stop all logging immediately; put all holdings in a conservation land trust, in which commercial logging will be completely prohibited until all threatened and endangered species have fully recovered in each watershed; as part of the reparations for the damage they have done, establish and pay for a public oversight committee for each watershed that includes public-interest representatives, and employ local displaced timber workers and fisher people in ongoing watershed and forest restoration.
 



FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
SAN FRANCISCO 10/6/00

Contacts:
Mary Bull
Save the Redwoods Boycott the GAP Campaign
(415) 731-7924    www.gapsucks.org

Leila Salazar
GAP Campaign Cordinator, Global Exchange
(415) 255-7296    leila@globalexchange.org

Jonah Zern
Student Alliance to Reform Corporations (STARC)
(510) 893-1554    jzern1@yahoo.com

*** GAP VIGIL INTO ITS 6TH DAY ***
*** Protestors Maintain 24-hour Presence at Gap, Inc. HQ, San Francisco
*** PRESS CONFERENCE, 10 PM Tonight, Oct 6, at Vigil Site, One Harrison, SF

With yesterday's announcement that Gap, Inc.'s same-store sales dropped 8% in September (SF Chronicle - B1) and with Gap stock prices plummeting (SF Chronicle 08/31/00; SF Examiner 08/11/00), human rights and environmental activists continue their protest vigil at Gap, Inc. Headquarters, One Harrison Street, San Francisco. The vigil started last Sunday, Oct 1. The protestors' aim: To close the clearcut gaps in the redwood forests owned by the Fisher family, founders and major shareholders of Gap, Inc., and to close the wage gap between Gap Inc.'s rich executives and shareholders and their workers.

Activists leaflet Gap employees by day, while at night they strategize, dance, drum, make art by the light of Gap Inc.'s foyer, and devise creative pass-times, such as a scavenger hunt scheduled for this Monday at 8 PM.  "Things are going amazingly!" said Jonah Zern, one of the vigil organizers, "Our numbers are building, and the employees who almost growled at us the first day are now smiling, saying good night, bringing us water, taking our literature -- and I'm going to dinner with two of them tonight!"

The protestors plan a lively press conference--with a local marching band scheduled to entertain--at the vigil site, littered with colorful banners and props, this evening, Oct 6, at 10 PM.

"The dramatic decline we're seeing in Gap stock prices may indicate that the destruction of redwood forests and the use of sweatshops for sewing Gap clothes are not good business, and that investors and consumers are signaling their disapproval," said Mary Bull of the Save the Redwoods - Boycott the Gap Campaign. Bull stated, "The Gap Boycott, launched in November 1998, is going into high-gear, garnering national and international media attention (e.g., WSJ 2/23/00, BBC 6/8/00, LA Times 8/13/00) and supporters worldwide. We're reaching critical mass, and we won't stop until the Gap Fishers put their redwood holdings into a conservation land trust and pay their workers a living wage!"

In 1999, Gap Inc., including Gap, Old Navy, and Banana Republic stores, earned $1.1 billion in profits, yet Gap workers in Tehuacan make $0.28 an hour. Workers say they need just $1.00 an hour to provide for their families. Here in the U.S. on the Pacific island of Saipan, the women in Gap sweatshops make only $3.05 an hour and often must pay exorbitant fees just to get their jobs and then sign contracts that take away their basic rights.  Global Exchange among other labor and human rights organizations filed a class-action suit on behalf of Saipan workers in January 1999. Leila Salazar of Global Exchange said this about the lawsuit, "17 companies have agreed to treat their workers with dignity and improve working conditions, but Gap has not.  We demand that they settle the Saipan lawsuit and pay all of their workers a living wage!"

Regarding Gap's labor policies, activists are demanding the following: Settle the Saipan lawsuit; include a Living Wage clause in Gap's Vendor Code of Conduct; agree to independent monitoring in their factories; support worker's rights to organize unions; and disclose information about their factory locations and conditions.

Regarding the 235,000 acres of Mendocino and Sonoma County redwood forestland that the Fisher family bought in July 1998 and have been liquidating ever since, activists are demanding the following: Stop all logging immediately; put all holdings in a conservation land trust, in which commercial logging will be completely prohibited until all threatened and endangered species have fully recovered in each watershed; as part of the reparations for the damage they have done, establish and pay for a public oversight committee for each watershed that includes public-interest representatives, and employ local displaced timber workers and fisher people in ongoing watershed and forest restoration.

Zern explained, "We feel it is our responsibility to end the environmental devastation and human rights violations caused by a corporation whose headquarters is in our community.  This vigil is about students, labor and human rights activists, environmentalists, and community members banding together and calling on Gap Inc. to stop exploiting its workers and to stop destroying some of the last remaining redwood forestland in California."



FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
SAN FRANCISCO 10/1/00

Contacts:
Mary Bull
Save the Redwoods Boycott the GAP Campaign
(415) 731-7924    www.gapsucks.org

Leila Salazar
GAP Campaign Cordinator, Global Exchange
(415) 255-7296    leila@globalexchange.org

Jonah Zern
Student Alliance to Reform Corporations (STARC)
(510) 893-1554    jzern1@yahoo.com
 

Environmental, human rights, and student activists come together in "Close the GAP" protest and vigil to force GAP to commit to environmental, human rights, and political influence demands.

Protesters will congregate in front of the GAP flagship store at 1PM on Sunday, October 1, 2000 for a rally, involving activist speakers and musicians.  At 4PM, protesters will march to GAP regional headquarters for a vigil, where they will submit demands.

Solidarity actions are planned in cities across the nation throughout the month of October (see www.gapsucks.org).

Environmental and human rights activists are the key players in the GAP public pressure campaign, which has been building momentum.  The pressure is leading to a turning point in closing the gaps in the redwood forests and the wage gap between the rich corporation and its employees.  "We feel it is our responsibility to end the environmental devastation and human rights violations caused by a corporation whose headquarters is in our community," said Jonah Zern, Oakland resident and founding member of the Student Alliance to Reform Corporations (STARC).

Gap stock and sales are plummeting ("August doldrums for GAP", SF Chronicle page C1 08/31/00; also, "GAP stock price falls to a year low" SF Examiner B1 08/11/00.) Mary Bull of the Save the Redwoods - Boycott the Gap Campaign had this to say, "The dramatic decline we're seeing in Gap stock prices may indicate that the destruction of Redwood forests and the use of sweatshops for sewing Gap clothes are not good business, and that investors and consumers are signaling their disapproval."  Bull continued, "The Gap Boycott, launched in November '98, is going into high-gear, garnering national and international attention (e.g., WSJ 2/23/00, BBC 6/8/00, LA Times 8/13/00).  We're reaching critical mass, and we won't stop until the Gap Fishers put their redwood holdings into a conservation land trust and pay their workers a living wage."

In 1999, GAP Inc., including GAP, Old Navy, and Banana republic, earned $1.1 billion in profits, yet GAP workers in Tehuacan make $0.28 per hour.  Workers say they need just $1.00 per hour to provide for their families.  Here in the U.S., on the Pacific island of Saipan, the women in GAP sweatshops make only $3.05 an hour and often must pay exorbitant fees just to get their jobs and sign contracts that take away their basic rights.  GAP has yet to commit to a living wage.  Leila Salazar, GAP Campaign Coordinator for Global Exchange says, "17 companies have agreed to treat their workers with dignity and improve working conditions, but GAP has not.  We demand that they settle the Saipan lawsuit and pay all of their workers a living wage!"

Also, GAP Inc. and the Fishers have influence over local, state, national, and world politics.  Donald Fisher is the largest campaign contributor to Mayor Willie Brown, has given $20,000 to Grey Davis and gave $381,000 to candidates and PAC's between the years of 1995 and 1999.

Our demands are as follows:

Regarding the 232,000 acres of Mendocino and Sonoma County redwood forestland that the Fisher family bought in July 1998, and have been liquidating ever since, we demand:
 

  • Stop all logging immediately; put all holdings in a conservation land trust, in which commercial logging will be completely prohibited until all threatened and endangered species have fully recovered in each watershed.
  • As part of the reparations for the damage they have done, establish and pay for a public oversight committee for each watershed that includes public-interest representatives, and employ local displaced timber workers and fisherpeople in ongoing watershed and forest restoration.
  • Regarding working conditions for GAP employees, we demand:
     
  • Settle the Saipan Lawsuit. 17 other companies have already agreed to ban the shadow contracts that make workers waive all their basic rights, reduce recruitment fees, stop union busting, pay workers owed overtime etc.  It's time for the GAP to do the same!  (For more info, see www.globalexchange.org/economy/corporations/saipan)
  • Include a Living Wage in GAP's Vendor Code of Conduct (see www.GAPInc.com)
  • Agree to independent monitoring in their factories
  • Support worker's rights to organize unions (The first GAP store on Ocean Ave was unionized.)
  • Disclose information about their factory locations and conditions