Media Advisory: WITNESS Urges B&H Photo to Listen to Warehouse Workers Demands | #BHExposed

October 14, 2015, Brooklyn, NY – WITNESS urges the owners and management at B&H Photo to heed the demands of its warehouse workers as outlined in a campaign launched on October 11th. As an international nonprofit organization harnessing the power of video, WITNESS is a frequent customer of B&H Photo.

“The equipment we purchase at B&H Photo is used directly by us and our partners worldwide to tell stories about human rights abuse. We can’t in good faith continue to support the company if the standards for their team do not match basic human rights principle of ‘do no harm’ and upholding human dignity. As of today, we will stop purchasing from B&H until the workers’ issues have been addressed,” said Yvette Alberdingk Thijm, WITNESS’ executive director.

The Laundry Workers Center and the United Steelworkers launched their #BHExposed campaign last Sunday “calling for the NY-based photo and video giant to fix dangerous workplace conditions, end discrimination against Latino employees, and stop wage theft at their two Brooklyn warehouses.”

WITNESS stands in solidarity with the warehouse workers affected by unsafe conditions.  We call upon B&H Photo to treat all of its workers ethically and with respect. As a leading marketplace for photo and video equipment, B&H has an opportunity and responsibility to inspire other companies with warehouses in the New York area to follow suit.

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WITNESS is a nonprofit organization based in Brooklyn with a mission to support and train people around the world to use video safely and effectively in their fight for human rights.

Media contact:
Matisse Bustos-Hawkes
matisse@witness.org
@matissebh
718.783.2000 ext 306