Subsidizing Sweatshops

How our tax dollars fund the race to the bottom,
and what cities and states can do

Subsidizing Sweatshops is the first report of its kind. By revealing severe human rights violations in factories that make public employee uniforms for the federal government, states, and local governments, the report shows how governments inadvertently use tax dollars to increase the downward pressure on labor rights, wages, and working conditions.

Order a copy of Subsidizing Sweatshops

Mail a check for $5 per copy to SweatFree Communities, 140 Pine St., Suite 10, Florence, MA 01062. Call 413-586-0974 with any questions regarding your order.

Download Subsidizing Sweatshops

Released July 1, 2008

High Resolution:  Full Color (7.5MB)   Grayscale (5.3MB)

Low Resolution:  Full Color (2.8MB)   Grayscale (1.7MB) 

Companies Respond and We Reply 

We have received detailed responses from five companies and culled reactions from three other companies from a variety of media reports. This is our reply.

Released July 30, 2008: Download here (360KB)

National Media Release 

7/1/08: Tax dollars fund sweatshops, new study says
State and local governments pledge to end practice as momentum builds for ‘sweatfree’ purchasing

Factsheets

Austin, Texas Illinois  Maryland Massachusetts Michigan Milwaukee  New Jersey

Ohio Oregon Pennsylvania Seattle, Washington Vermont Washington Wisconsin

In the News

• Report: Maryland spends $8M a year on sweatshops
  The Gazette - July 9, 2008
• Group tells Vt.: No sweat
  Brattleboro Reformer - July 7, 2008
• Group rallys against sweatshop labor
  Arab American News - July 4, 2008
  
• Rally links state to foreign sweatshops
  Lansing State Journal - July 4, 2008
• Report: Bosses ordered workers to lie
  Daily Gazette - July 4, 2008
• Companies respond to sweatshop allegations
  The Capital Times - July 3, 2008
  
• Group alleges labor abuse
  Baltimore Sun - July 3, 2008
• Coalition of labor organizations urges Maryland to sever ties to sweatshops
  The Examiner - July 3, 2008
• Groups urge Strickland's support of anti-sweatshop policy for state
  The Daily Reporter - July 2, 2008
  
• Groups: State lax on sweatshops
  Chicago Tribune - July 2, 2008
• State responds to report alleging sweatshop contracts
  The Capital Times - July 2, 2008
  
• Rally against sweatshops at State Capitol
  WLNS - July 2, 2008
• Labor, Human Rights Groups Call on Strickland to Drop Contracts with 'Sweatshops
  Gongwer Ohio Report - July 1, 2008
• Rally at Capitol denounces sweatshops
  Lansing State Journal - July 1, 2008
• Wisconsin asks contractors to look into labor abuses
  Associated Press - July 1, 2008
• New study shows Oregonian's tax dollars are supporting a sweatshop
  Portland Mercury Blog - July 1, 2008
  
• State of Wisconsin admits police/fire uniforms come from sweatshops (listen)
  WORT-FM Madison - July 1, 2008 
• Milwaukee Pressured to Adopt Sweatshop Free Ordinance (listen)
  Wisconsin Public Radio - July 1, 2008
  
• Campaign pushes for government procurement to be sweatshop-free
  Hannah Report - July 1, 2008
• Group chides Ohio for link to sweatshop factories  Associated Press - July 1, 2008
• Sweatshop Free Michigan
  WLAJ-TV - July 1, 2008
• State DOA contacts vendors named in sweatshop report
  Milwaukee Journal Sentinel - July 1, 2008
• Group says uniforms come from sweatshops
  United Press International - July 1, 2008
• Report: Lapses by governments may support sweatshops
  Women's Wear Daily - July 1, 2008
• Group protests oppressive conditions in global factories at state Capitol
  Detroit Free Press - July 1, 2008
• NY State contracts tied to sweatshops (listen)
  WAMC / Northeast Public Radio -July 1, 2008
  
• Workers' Rights Group: IL Buys Uniforms Made In Sweatshops
  Chicagoist - July 1, 2008
  
• Sweatshop cops?
  Chicago Sun-Times - July 1, 2008
  
• N.Y. State contract tied to sweatshop labor, group charges        
  New York Daily News - July 1, 2008
• Report links Illinois to overseas 'sweatshops' (listen)
  Chicago Public Radio - July 1, 2008