Oregon Sweatfree Campaign

The Latest

April 21-- We hand-delivered the "Clearing the Hurdles" report to Nike at their Oregon headquarters on behalf of Play Fair 2008. The report shows gross worker rights violations in the production of sportswear and athletic footwear, and provides suggestions on steps sportswear companies can take to eliminate the exploitation and abuse of workers in the global sporting goods industry.

April 1-- We kicked off the Oregon Sweatfree Campaign on April 1, 2008, on the Capitol steps in Salem. The Oregon Sweatfree Campaign is encouraging Governor Kulongoski to pass an Executive Order for Sweatshop-Free Purchasing for Oregon. The policy will ensure that our tax dollars will not be spent on sweatshops.

Check out our press release and photos from the event.

Campaign Goals

In 2007 Portland City Hall unanimously passing a landmark resolution that set in motion a process to create a City of Portland Sweatshop-Free Procurement Policy for uniforms and clothing purchases. From this success evolved the Oregon Sweatfree Campaign.

Our mission is to educate, mobilize, and empower Oregonians to use their collective consumer power to resist the local effects of sweatshops and ensure their tax dollars are not being used to support sweatshop labor conditions.

We are asking Oregon to collaborate with other states across the nation to form the State and Local Government Sweatfree Consortium, which will pool resources for factory monitoring and coordinate enforcement of sweatfree purchasing policies.

Acting as an ethical consumer, the state of Oregon has the power to support fair and decent working conditions by adopting a sweatfree procurement policy.

Take Action

Tell Gov. Ted Kulongoski to make Oregon Sweatfree!

Send a letter using this sample:
Governor Kulongoski
160 State Capitol
900 Court Street
Salem, Oregon 97301-4047

Email:
Online contact form

Fax:
503.378.6827

Phone:
503.378.4582

Talking Points:

    * As an Oregon resident, I do not want my tax dollars to subsidize sweatshops.
    * Oregon should be a leader in ethical purchasing.
    * Here in Oregon we can show companies that we care about the conditions under which the products we buy are made by passing a sweatfree policy.
    * Join over 180 states, cities, counties and school districts in the United States that have adopted "sweatfree" procurement policies!
    * Pass an Executive Order for a sweatfree purchasing policy that will fund fair labor standards, not exploitation.

Sweatfree NW Campaign Endorsers List

Alliance for Democracy - Portland
Center for Intercultural Organizing
CWA-Local 7901
Enlace
Eugene-Springfield Solidarity Network / Jobs with Justice
Foundation Garments
Global Exchange
Graphic Communications Conference / International Brotherhood of Teamsters, Local 767M
ILWU-Local 5
ILWU Oregon Area District Council
Jubilee Oregon
Metanoia Peace Community United Methodist Church
National Association of Letter Carriers, Branch 82
Oregon Fair Trade Campaign
Oregon State Fire Fighters Council
Pacific Green Party
Portland Jobs with Justice
Portland Peaceful Response Coalition
PSU-Students for Unity
SweatFree Communities
VOZ
Witness for Peace Northwest