March 2005
Newsletter #1
Welcome to the new SweatFree Communities newsletter
To stay in touch, SweatFree Communities is starting a periodic newsletter with updates from local campaigns, events and developments important to all of us. This newsletter is for you. Share it with your members, submit articles for it, and let us know what you think.
SweatFree Communities National Conference
Join us in Denver, May 6-8. Remember to register by April 15. Gather with organizers from across the country to learn organizing skills and grow the sweatfree movement. This conference is for both new and experienced sweatfree campaigners. We are asking that every sweatfree campaign send at least a couple representatives. Download the registration form at http://www.behindthelabel.org/campaigns/sfc/conference.asp
Exciting new developments in sweatfree policies
The Worker Rights Consortium (WRC) is now exploring ways to do independent monitoring for states, cities, school districts, and individual high schools. The City of Los Angeles was the first local government to win funding for independent monitoring. Current campaigns demanding independent monitoring include San Francisco, Madison, and Connecticut. Organizers in Maine have submitted a request for the State Division of Purchases to meet with WRC staff.
California and Los Angeles both have a policy that applies to everything the government buys. Campaigns pushing for comprehensive scope include San Francisco and Madison.
No Sweat Connecticut is working for a policy that not only covers state purchases, but also licensing AND purchasing by the three public university systems.
Local Campaign updates
Connecticut: In the wake of a Hartford Courant article examining UConn's enforcement of its sweatfree policy, the No Sweat Connecticut campaign started in 2005. The proposed sweatfree law would cover purchasing of apparel and laundry services by the state AND purchasing and licensing of apparel and laundry services by all the public universities in Connecticut. It would also provide funding for the Worker Rights Consortium to do independent monitoring in factories supplying to the state and universities. This past week the Labor Committee held two hearings on the bill. In addition to leadership from labor unions, the No Sweat Connecticut coalition has strong student leadership. In the past two weeks, the campaign has received news coverage from the Hartford Courant, Associated Press, Journal Inquirer, and WTNH Channel 8. Currently a former sweatshop worker from Saipan and a current maquila worker from Nicaragua are on tour in Connecticut to raise awareness about their experiences and help grow the campaign mobilization.
For more info, contact Kath Golub at katjecita@yahoo.com
Madison, Wisconsin: A campaign has recently started for a sweatfree city policy. Students at University of Wisconsin are active in strengthening their school policy and are helping with the City of Madison campaign. The city recently adopted the fourth-in-the-nation local minimum wage, which will climb to $7.75/hour by 2008. This month, Alderperson Austin King, a leader in the minimum wage campaign, will be introducing a resolution to adopt a sweatfree policy. To help out, contact district8@cityofmadison.com
Milwaukee, Wisconsin: Early in 2005, the Milwaukee Clean Clothes Campaign won a sweatfree policy to cover the Milwaukee Public Schools District. Now the campaign is starting to organize for a county policy. For more info, contact Mike Howden, mikejudyhowden@sbcglobal.net
Pittsburgh: After four years of organizing through media, education, and direct action, sweatfree baseballers have finally gotten a meeting with the Pirates. Good luck with the meeting, and keep up the pressure! For more info, contact the Pittsburgh Anti-Sweatshop Commmunity Alliance at nosweatshopsbucco@yahoo.com
San Francisco: The campaign hopes to win a city and county sweatfree policy this spring. Organizers are aiming for a policy that covers EVERYTHING the city buys, a preference for organic - when the cost difference is no higher than 10% more, and funding for independent monitoring through the Worker Rights Consortium. For more info, contact Valerie Orth at Global Exchange, valerie@globalexchange.org or 415-255-7296.
Many more campaigns are out there doing amazing work. These are just a few highlights for this month. Stay tuned for news from more campaigns.
[Insert your campaign here! Please be in touch with Liana with the latest news from your campaign.]
