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Topic: Anita Roddick dies
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robbie_dee
rabble-rouser
Babbler # 195
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posted 10 September 2007 04:10 PM
CNN quote: NN) -- The founder of The Body Shop, which grew from one shop in southern England to an international chain, has died, the chairman of Body Shop International confirmed Monday. Anita Roddick, 64, died after suffering a major brain hemorrhage, her family said in a statement to the UK Press Association. Her husband, Gordon, and daughters, Sam and Justine, were all with her at St Richard's Hospital in Chichester, England. Roddick had revealed in February that she contracted hepatitis C through a blood transfusion while giving birth to a daughter in 1971, according to The Associated Press. Roddick and her husband stepped down as co-chairmen of the company in 2002, according to the AP. Still, she continued to contribute as a consultant. The Body Shop chain became a massive success selling "green" cosmetics as customers were becoming environmentally aware.
[Edited by Michelle to fix url.] [ 10 September 2007: Message edited by: Michelle ]
From: Iron City | Registered: Apr 2001
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robbie_dee
rabble-rouser
Babbler # 195
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posted 19 September 2007 06:14 AM
United Steelworkers: A 21st Century “Mother Jones” Passes Away quote: On September 10, 2007 the world lost one of the most progressive businesswomen of our time and the United Steelworkers lost a friend with the passing of Dame Anita Roddick.Anita is best known as the founder of the environmentally friendly Body Shop in the mid 1970’s. However, we know her for her dogged determination to forward the cause of human rights all across the globe. One of the most telling attributes of Anita was her financial devotion to the National Labor Committee (NLC) and Charles Kernaghan (www.nlcnet.org). Anita was a tireless soldier in the battle to bring justice to workers in the global economy. Her financial support for the NLC, coupled with that of USW Locals across the country, has helped workers around the world by exposing the corporations they work for and the sweatshops they work in. She was certainly the “Mother Jones” of the 21st century global economy. Anita personally traveled the globe with Charles Kernaghan and the media as part of her struggle to expose sweatshop conditions in places like Bangladesh and Central America. Every time it seemed the public focus was shifting away from exploited workers, Anita was there to highlight the atrocities and bring some level of justice to the millions of young women and children workers around the world. Anita was an icon; a modern day heroine to be sure. With her vast wealth, she could have turned her back on the poorest, weakest and most exploited and no one would have noticed. Instead, she chose to do the opposite. She used her money like she lived her life – doing what she thought was right, regardless of what all the skeptics had to say. Anita is survived by her husband Gordon and their two children. We will miss her and we pay tribute to our friendship with her and to what she stood for.
From: Iron City | Registered: Apr 2001
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Michelle
Moderator
Babbler # 560
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posted 19 September 2007 09:30 AM
Whoa, dude. Are you kidding me? The USW praises Roddick from a labour perspective?Wow. Imagine what they'd have to say about her, had they attempted to unionize her workforce. The Body Shop does not pay living wages. You start at minimum wage or slightly above. Certainly not the kind of money that would allow their vast majority female workforce to, say, leave an abusive partner and support themselves if they needed to, despite their campaigns calling for an end to violence against women. We can pay starvation wages to women, as long as no men beat them up. An oldie, but still relevant. quote: Anita Roddick, in an interview broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in Spring 1997, said that the company does not wish to have a dialogue with unions, and that they would do so only if forced by legislation. "The Company does not formally recognise any Trade Union as representing any of our employees, and has no plans to do so" - from document entitled "Employee Consultation and Representation" produced by Stuart Rose (Managing Director of Body Shop) and dated 20/3/96.
I mean, heck, they're not the worst of the lot or anything. I still shop there, because their products are decent and, well, there aren't a lot of retail operations who DO pay their staff well voluntarily. But I don't really think Roddick was a friend of labour, at least not in her own shops. I'm glad to hear she helped people in sweatshop zones, though. That's something good. [ 19 September 2007: Message edited by: Michelle ]
From: I've got a fever, and the only prescription is more cowbell. | Registered: May 2001
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