Corporate greed triumphs over patient need
How they took the care out of our health care system
Also in this issue
- Victory in the sweatshops
- Congress reaches out to families
- Casualties of war
- Bogging down in colombia
- Put the "public" back in pbs
What the hell's happening here? Why is my bank in the tank? And my house and job? And my retirement money? Even my state's teetering on the brink of broke! Who did this to us? Fair questions, but we're not getting honest answers. 
Victory in the sweatshops
Good news is finally coming to the dismal sweatshops in the Northern Mariana Islands, where imported Asian workers slave away making designer clothes for U.S. manufacturers—with labels that boast "Made in the USA." (See the full story in the April 1999 Lowdown.) A class action lawsuit has forced four of the apparel-making corporate criminals to the bargaining table where they agreed to make changes, respect human rights, and have it all independently monitored.
The settlement with Nordstrom, Cutter & Buck, J. Crew, and Gymboree establishes a $1.25 million fund to finance independent monitoring of Marianas contractors to insure compliance with U.S. labor laws and international human rights treaties. The settlement also establishes strict employment standards for the contractors, including the payment of overtime, providing safe food and drinking water, and guaranteeing employees basic civil rights. The use of worker "recruitment fees"—a modern day form of indentured servitude—will also be prohibited.
But the fight isn't over. The Gap, which does the most business in the Northern Marianas, has not settled. Call 'em up at 1-800-333-7899 and tell them to settle the suit.