On January 14, U.S. lawyers filed two class action suits against 18 major U.S. apparel manufacturers and retailers, charging them with using indentured labour under sweatshop conditions to produce clothing on the island of Saipan in the U.S. Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands in the South Pacific.

The apparel giants linked to sweatshop abuses include the Gap, Tommy Hilfiger, Wal-Mart, The Limited, Oshkosh B’Gosh, and Sears. The law suits seeking more than $1 billion U.S. in damages were filed on behalf of more than 50,000 workers from China , the Philippines, Bangladesh and Thailand who were allegedly lured to Saipan with promises of a better life. Instead they found themselves working up to 12 hours a day, seven days a week without overtime pay in unsafe, unsanitary and abusive conditions. The predominantly young women were reportedly required to repay "recruitment fees" of $2,000 to $7,000, which were deducted from their pay cheques.

The Marianas are exempt from U.S. minimum wage and immigration laws. Garments made in Saipan may carry a "Made in USA" label. However, labels saying "Made in Saipan" or "Made in the Northern Mariana Islands" have been found on Eddie Bauer, Tommy Hilfiger, Calvin Klein and Dockers garments sold in Toronto and Vancouver.