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May 09, 2006
Sweat Free Communities Campaign Updates
Berkeley, California
At the April 18 city council meeting, the City of Berkeley unanimously approved the development of a sweatfree ordinance that will include provisions for independent monitoring of factory suppliers and coordination with other cities and states to enforce the ordinance. Learn more about the campaign.
Brattleboro, Vermont
Child Labor Education and Action, a student organization at Brattleboro Union High School in Vermont and a board member of SweatFree Communities, has received significant press attention after students presented a proposal at the April 3 school board meeting. Students hope that the high school will be the first in the nation to join the Worker Rights Consortium and are building momentum for the May 15 school board meeting. Look for /Brattleboro Reformer's coverage of the campaign on our media page.
Maine
Demonstrating support for Governor Baldacci's proposal for a state sweatfree procurement coalition, the Maine legislature has strengthened the state's sweatfree procurement law, making it easier for worker rights advocates to call attention to human rights violations at state supplier factories and adding tougher sanctions for violators. Listen to a report from the bill signing ceremony.
Providence, Rhode Island
On April 20 the Providence City Council passed a sweatfree procurement ordinance modeled on those recently adopted in San Francisco and Madison. The Providence ordinance creates a sweatfree procurement advisory group and commits the city to join a future consortium of local governments for independent monitoring of supplier factories.
Toronto, Canada
Canada's largest city voted to protect worker rights in the apparel industry when the Toronto City Council passed a sweatfree purchasing policy at its April 25 meeting. Similar to the new Providence policy, the Toronto ordinance instructs city staff to investigate collaboration with other public jurisdictions in a verification program. See the news release.
Posted by cat at 10:59 PM