Sweat freely

September 24, 2008  San Antonio Current

By the San Antonio Current News Team

San Antonio is no stranger to sweatshop-like conditions. We’re thinking pecan shelling here. Many companies have made a home in San Antone because of the “cheap” labor (and left for even cheaper; think Levi Strauss).

Local fair-labor advocates Fuerza Unida (Stood up to those blue-jean bastards) and others have been after city officials to adopt a “sweat-free” ordinance that would require the City to revoke contracts with companies found to be using or subcontracting to sweatshops overseas.

Which could end up requiring some government officers and civvies to change clothes. Union-busting Cintas, one of San Antonio’s contracted providers for uniform and laundry services has also been accused of making use of the sweatshop circuit. Sweating in your Fire Department mechanics uniform is bad enough; the wo/men who support the wo/men who save lives don’t need the added stress of worrying that their dress code could be causing someone else to “sweat” to an early grave.

Fuerza tells us the cost of monitoring City contracts for sweatshop offenders would calculate to about 40 cents per SA resident, and the cost of changing uniform providers would be minimal thanks to the old tradition of accepting the lowest bid —SAPD contracts excepted, of course. Five City Council members — including Current Vice Squad members Lourdes Galvan, Jennifer Ramos, and Philip Cortez — are scheduled to appear September 24 at a San Antonio Against Sweatshops Campaign press conference at City Hall. Legislation to follow: Cortez is one of at least two council members who’ve pledged to bring the issue before the full council.