Governor Rendell Signs Declaration Against Government Spending on Sweatshop Goods
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Chuck Ardo, 717-783-1116
July 11, 2008
Another Step to End Taxpayer Support of Sweatshops
HARRISBURG – Continuing his efforts to end taxpayer support of sweatshops, Governor Edward G. Rendell today said Pennsylvania will participate in a state and local government “sweatfree consortium.”
“Taxpayer funds should not be used to support sweatshops that profit from the sale of goods while workers are denied basic human rights,” Governor Rendell said. “State and local governments represent a major consumer block, by committing to stop the purchase of goods made in sweatshops we can drive companies to improve working conditions.”
Governor Rendell signed an executive order in 2004 barring commonwealth agencies from entering procurement contracts for apparel and laundry services with companies that put people to work in sweatshop conditions. The sweatfree procurement policy requires all vendors to certify that their products and services are produced consistent with sweatfree policies where workers are protected by laws and, at a minimum, core labor rights defined by the International Labor Organization.
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EDITOR’S NOTE: Text of the Governor’s resolution is attached.
RESOLUTION
DECLARATION OF INTENT OF THE COMMONWEALTH OF PENNSYLVANIA TO JOIN A STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT SWEATFREE CONSORTIUM
Ending Taxpayer Support for Sweatshops
WHEREAS, Sweatshop conditions in apparel and other industries around the world are well documented; and
WHEREAS, workplace abuses cause untold human suffering for workers and their families across the globe; and
WHEREAS, taxpayers believe that ethical consumption requires that States do not purchase goods from sweatshops; and
WHEREAS, sweatfree conditions mean workers are protected by laws of the jurisdiction and, at a minimum, core labor rights defined by the International Labor Organization; and
WHEREAS, working conditions generally improve when workers have a meaningful right to freedom of association, because it is workers who have the greatest incentive and opportunity to monitor working conditions on a day-to-day basis; and
WHEREAS, States, acting as any other consumer in the marketplace, may lawfully choose to buy goods that are not made in sweatshops; and
WHEREAS, the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania has adopted a sweatfree procurement policy and requires all vendors to certify that their products and services are produced consistent with sweatfree policies.
THEREFORE, I, Edward G. Rendell, Governor of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, do hereby commit the Commonwealth to participate in a State and Local Government Sweatfree Consortium for the purpose of pooling purchasing power and resources to monitor supplier factories and coordinate enforcement of sweatfree procurement standards.
The Commonwealth will require all companies in the supply chain producing goods sold to the Commonwealth to be responsible for ensuring that the workers producing those goods do not work under sweatshop conditions.
The Secretary for the Department of General Services or his/her designee will serve as the Commonwealth’s liaison to the State and Local Government Sweatfree Consortium and will have authority to coordinate with other states for the purpose of pooling purchasing power and resources for adhering to and monitoring sweatfree procurement standards.
GIVEN under my hand and the Seal of the Governor, at the City of Harrisburg, on this eighth day of July in the Year of our Lord two thousand and eight, and of the Commonwealth the two hundred and thirty-third.
EDWARD G. RENDELL
Governor
