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Protest slams Dell's use of prison labor
LAS VEGAS, Nevada (AP) -- Some environmentalists dressed in prison uniforms say they are a high-tech chain gang. They demonstrated Thursday outside the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas to protest Dell Computer's use of inmates to recycle computers. "I lost my job. I robbed a store. Went to jail. I got my job back," chanted five mock prisoners wearing "Dell Recycling Team" signs and linked by chains. The Silicon Valley Toxics Coalition says Round Rock-based Dell's computer recycling program is a sham. And the coalition says Dell is putting prison workers in danger because they aren't protected by federal safety standards. "Dell is an environmental laggard," said protester Fred Kirsch, 26. Saving moneyThe coalition also complains that instead of using cheap prison labor, Dell could provide others with jobs. A Dell spokesman acknowledges that the prison labor does save the company money, but says inmates meet all standards. Dell's computer exchange program lets owners of obsolete Dell machines pay shipping costs to return their computers. Ted Smith, executive director of the coalition, said Dell doesn't do much to promote the program. Hilton said the protest was partially the result of miscommunication, and said his company and the coalition have the same goal. "I think our challenge now is educating our customers about what their options are," he said. "I think there's a lack of awareness of what to do with an old computer." Lagging foreign rivalsVictor Ramirez, 30, who uses a Dell computer at his job as a graphic designer for the Chicago Transit Authority, laughed as he watched the protest. "They'll throw everything in a landfill," Ramirez said of Dell. "They don't care. They're all about the money." Also Thursday, a new report by the coalition said U.S. technology companies lag foreign rivals in reducing hazardous materials in electronic devices, exposing gadget-hungry Americans to toxins whenever they use computers. The Computer TakeBack Campaign assigned poor or failing grades to Hewlett-Packard, Micron Technology, Gateway and Dell in its third annual report card. Copyright 2003 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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