Background Fact Sheet on Almond Ltd.

Background Fact Sheet on Almond Ltd.

Almond International and its subsidiary Almond (Thailand) Ltd. operate a jewelry factory in Bangkok, Thailand which employs roughly 600 workers and produces gold jewelry, including religious designs.

Many of the products manufactured in the Almond (Thailand) factory are marked "Made in Israel." Unlike Thailand, Israel has a free trade agreement with the United States covering exports of gold jewelry.

On January 2, 2001, Almond signed an exclusive U.S. marketing and distribution agreement with Mt. Vernon, NY-based Michael Anthony Jewelers, Inc.

Michael Anthony is a leading designer and marketer of gold jewelry with over $145 million in sales in its 2000 fiscal year. The company's chief executives are Michael and Anthony Paolercio.

Michael Anthony markets gold jewelry with religious and other designers to such major retailers as J.C. Penney and the Home Shopping Network.

Workers at Almond (Thailand) Ltd. earn as little as 165 Thai baht [US$4] per day, and work a 6-day week. Workers say they are exposed to burns and dangerous fumes from molten metal and acids and are not provided with protective equipment or proper medical treatment when injured.

In December 2000, after the company took away from workers customary compensation equal to two months pay, workers at Almond Thailand formed a union.

Almond has refused to recognize the union. Immediately after workers registered the union with the Thai government, the company illegally fired 40 union leaders and other employees.

On April 19, the Thai government's Labour Relations Commission ordered Almond to reinstate the terminated workers, but the company has so far defied the order. See http://www.thailabour.org/campaigns/almond/LRCorder.html

On August 14, 2001, Almond filed a lawsuit against 20 Almond workers and their union for 46 million Thai Baht ($1 million) alleging damages caused by employees' attempts to publicize violations of worker rights at the factory, and threatening the elimination of 250 jobs at the plant.

On August 23, Almond workers requested the Thai Labour Ministry to investigate the unjust suspension of nine workers from the union committee who management disciplined for failing to tuck in their shirts --an alleged safety violation. The union claims that Almond has done little to address the real health and safety hazards to workers in the plant.

The Almond Workers and their union are supported by the Thai Labour Campaign, a private non-profit organization based in Bangkok. For more information see: http://www.thailabour.org/campaigns/almond/factsheet.html