Samsonite Corporation is headquartered in Denver,
Colorado USA. Its CEO is Luc Van Nevel. (11200
East 45th Ave Denver, CO 80239 USA, TEL. 1-303-373-2000)
The principal owner is French billionaire, Francois
Pinault, who is also the principal owner of Pinault-Printemps-Redoute.
-
Samsonite is a designer, manufacturer &
distributor of luggage & consumer products
such as Black Label women's shoes and clothing.
-
Samsonite distributes its merchandise in 100
countries through department stores and 200 Samsonite
specialty retail outlets.
-
In 2001 Samsonite had sales of $300million in
Europe and $358 million in the Americas. Its fast
growing sales were in Korea which increased sales
25.5 % in 2001.
-
In 2001 Samsonite closed its last production
facilities in the USA. It has production factories
in Belgium, China, France, Hungary, India, Italy,
Mexico, the Slovak Republic and Spain with 5,900
workers.
-
Samsonite also contracts out production in Thailand
to Light House Industry Co, a Taiwanese-owned
operation.
-
The majority of Light House workers are women
who have more than 10 years of tenure with the
company.
-
In October 2001, the company dismissed 600 workers,
increased the workload on the remaining 800 workers,
slashed wages 13 % to $4 per day, and cut overtime
benefits.
-
In June 2002, the company terminated the employment
of all 20 elected union representatives. When
849 workers stopped working to protest this act,
all were immediately dismissed.
-
The Thai workers are represented by:
Light House Labour Union
Mr. Jaturong Somrung, President
c/o 166/23 Mooban Nattakarn 3, Phaholyothin
52,
Klongthanon, Saimai, Bangkok Thailand 10220
Phone/Fax: (66-2) 9727035
Email: clist2@loxinfo.co.th
