January 2007
Newsletter #13
We are writing to wish you a happy new year, to reflect on the major accomplishments of the U.S. sweatfree movement in 2006, and to update you on our plans for 2007.
Many thanks to all who helped in small and large ways to achieve the following in '06:
* In February, Governor John Baldacci of Maine sent a letter to all governors inviting them to join together in a multi-state coalition for the enforcement of sweatfree procurement policies.
* In April, our annual conference brought together 150 participants from a variety of backgrounds and eight countries. Participants came away from the conference motivated and with new skills, information, and stronger connections to more sweatfree campaigners and organizers working in related worker justice movements. (Our next conference will be April 27-29 in New York City. Register now!)
* In September, Governor Jon Corzine of New Jersey and Governor Ed Rendell of Pennsylvania signed on to Baldacci's proposal for joint independent monitoring in supplier factories and sourcing from sweatfree suppliers.
* Several public entities adopted new sweatfree procurement policies: Albany NY, New Paltz NY, Port of Los Angeles, and Providence RI.
* Both Maine and New York strengthened existing sweatfree procurement laws.
* Los Angeles signed a contract with the Worker Rights Consortium for a one-year pilot project to investigate labor conditions in apparel factories that produce uniforms worn by city employees.
* New campaigns started in several cities - Austin, Berkeley, Missoula, and Portland - and are continuing to go strong. Austin activists are planning meetings with the city for January. The Berkeley Sweatfree Campaign got the city to allocate $25,000 for independent monitoring and passed the policy through the labor commission. The Portland Sweatfree Campaign has received support from city officials and hopes to pass the policy early this year.
* Lots has happened on the sweatfree schools front this year. A survey in New York returned that over 100 school districts in the state have adopted sweatfree purchasing policies. Students in St. Paul, Minnesota, passed a sweatfree policy in their school district. Students organized to get the first three high schools in the U.S. to join the Worker Rights Consortium. We have been following United Students Against Sweatshops' campaign for a Designated Suppliers Program with great interest. The program requires university licensees to source from worker-organized factories that pay living wages. Thirty universities have signed on already.
For more information on our campaign victories, see "campaign news" on our website.
Our big goal for 2007 is to launch the State and Local Government Sweatfree Consortium with enough states and cities to create a $100 million dollar sweatfree apparel market. Help us win this campaign by organizing to get your city or state on board with the effort. Please contact us to learn how to bring the campaign to your community or to join an effort in your area.
Maryland, Massachusetts, New York, Vermont, Washington, and Wisconsin all have sweatfree campaigns aiming to get their State to join the Consortium. Campaigns in many other states and cities are emerging to push for sweatfree policies and joining the Consortium this year.
We are planning our 2007 Annual Conference together with the Alliance for Fair Food to promote justice in factories and fields and learn from each other. Make sure to save the date now -- April 27-29 in New York City -- and visit our conference website for online registration or to propose a workshop.
We are also planning a worker tour for the spring, which we'll be in touch about later.
Finally, a big thank you to all returning and new donors in 2006. Your donations help to make SweatFree Communities a sustainable organization and allow us to spend our time and energy on campaigns for worker justice and fair trade. If you haven't yet given, please do so now online or send a check to 30 Blackstone St, Bangor ME 04401. Thank you for your commitment to supporting our work!
We also gratefully acknowledge the support of the following foundations without which SweatFree Communities would not be possible: Arca Foundation * Dudley Foundation * Frost Fund at Maine Initiatives * General Service Foundation * Presbyterian Hunger Program, Presbyterian Church (USA) * Tides Foundation * United Methodist Church, General Board of Global Ministries * Woodbury Fund.
Wishing you all the best in 2007,
Bjorn Claeson and Liana Foxvog
