From sweatfreepdx at gmail.com Sun Aug 19 22:43:53 2007 From: sweatfreepdx at gmail.com (Deborah Schwartz) Date: Sun, 19 Aug 2007 22:43:53 -0700 Subject: [Sweatfree] Call-In Day: Monday! Message-ID: <46C92A19.9070508@gmail.com> Dear Sweatfree Supporter, Thank you to everyone who came out for our sweatfree lobby day on Friday. Dozens of supporters filled City Hall with a united request for City Council to pass a strong sweatfree policy with enforcement mechanisms for proper implementation. Supporters delivered over 1000 postcards from concerned Portlanders who want to make sure that their taxpayers dollars do not support sweatshops. Early this week, City Commissioners will craft the final language for a sweatfree policy. If there is any time to voice your support, the time is now. *1) Take Immediate Action: Call-In Day, Monday, August 20th* *Call Commissioner Sam Adams at 503-823-3008* Last week, Commissioner Sam Adams (the lead Commissioner on policy development) told supporters that he hopes City Council will pass a policy that establishes an advisory group and funding for independent monitoring. However, corporate interests threaten the policy's strength. Let Commissioner Adams hear that we need a strong anti-sweatshop policy. Talking Points: "Thank you for your leadership on the issue. As taxpayers, we do not want our money to support sweatshop conditions. We do not want a feel good resolution---we want a policy with teeth. We hope that we can count on you to champion a sweatfree policy that includes a strong code of conduct, funds independent monitoring, and establishes an advisory group of worker rights advocates free of corporate influence. The City of Portland can and should take a stand against sweatshop exploitation." *2) Attend a Benefit for the Sweatfree Campaign* Friday, August 24 Foundation Garments Inc., 2712 NE Alberta St. 6:00 to 9:00pm Local sweatfree clothing store, Foundation Garments throws the Sweatfree Campaign a benefit that will feature one-of-a-kind designer items. Enjoy New Deal Vodka, which has donated generously to the cause. 50% of money raised by the sale of the exclusive clothing pieces and 15% of the events' sales will go directly to the campaign. *3) Hearing for a Sweatfree Portland* Wednesday, August 29th Portland City Hall, 1211 SW 4th Ave. 10am Sweatshop conditions exist in Portland and are rampant overseas. It is possible that the City of Portland is purchasing goods made in these horrific conditions. Join us at this critical hearing to urge the City of Portland to support an enforceable anti-sweatshop ordinance. The ordinance will require that taxpayer dollars are used to purchase goods (like uniforms) from places that don't use exploitative sweatshop labor. For more information or to get involved contact: Portland Sweatfree Campaign, Global Exchange 503-236-7916 sweatfreepdx at gmail.com www.sweatfree.org/portland -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://lists.enabled.com/pipermail/sweat-free-pdx/attachments/20070819/7afb5830/attachment.htm From sweatfreepdx at gmail.com Sun Aug 26 21:28:39 2007 From: sweatfreepdx at gmail.com (Deborah Schwartz) Date: Sun, 26 Aug 2007 21:28:39 -0700 Subject: [Sweatfree] Important Hearing for a Sweatshop-Free Portland Message-ID: <46D252F7.2050908@gmail.com> Dear Sweatfree Supporter, *Important Hearing for a Sweatshop-Free PDX /Wednesday, August 29th 9:30 AM (note the time change from 10am) Portland City Hall, 1221 SW 4th Ave./* This Wednesday, the much-awaited Sweatfree Hearing will occur at City Hall. City Council will vote on a resolution, which, if passed, would let taxpayers know where their dollars are spent, provide funding to investigate unsafe working conditions, and launch a process to strengthen our City's standards of integrity. While this hearing will not establish an ordinance, it is a step in the right direction to end sweatshop conditions. At the hearing, not only will City Council vote on the resolution but they will also decide upon members of a policy committee that will draft the final language of an upcoming ordinance. The Portland Sweatfree Campaign opposes including industry suppliers on this policy committee. Workers, whose human and labor rights are violated by sweatshops, deserve a policy free from industry influence. Come support this huge step forward for the City to strengthen labor standards and keep the pressure on to make sure we achieve a community victory for the best interest of working people. For more information contact: Portland Sweatfree Campaign, Global Exchange 503-236-7916 sweatfreepdx at gmail.com www.sweatfree.org/portland -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://lists.enabled.com/pipermail/sweat-free-pdx/attachments/20070826/1ba7d4f7/attachment.htm From sweatfreepdx at gmail.com Wed Aug 29 18:33:29 2007 From: sweatfreepdx at gmail.com (Deborah Schwartz) Date: Wed, 29 Aug 2007 18:33:29 -0700 Subject: [Sweatfree] Victory for Landmark Sweatfree Resolution Message-ID: <46D61E69.7040801@gmail.com> Dear Sweatfree Supporter, Thank you for your support of the campaign to make our city's contracts sweatshop-free. You signed postcards, called the Commissioners, participated in a rally and more. Our hard work paid off. Today is a historic day in the City of Portland. Portland's Sweatfree Procurement Resolution was unanimously passed with the three present commissioners. Over 130 sweatfree supporters crowded City Hall, including union representatives, a former sweatshop worker, and community members to testify in support of the Resolution. Speakers included, Rev. Lynne Smouse Lopez (Ainsworth United Church of Christ), State Senator Brad Avakian, State Rep. Brad Witt, former GAP sweatshop worker Chie Abad, James Hester, President of the District Council of Trade Unions (DCTU), Carol Stahlke, President of AFSCME 189, Heidi Carlson, President of Foundation Garments, Inc., among many others. The Sweatfree Resolution sets in motion a process to create the City of Portland Sweatshop Free Procurement policy for uniforms and clothing purchases to be fully implemented in 2008. The policy will require disclosure of supplier factory names and locations, provide $20,000 in funding for the State and Local Government Sweatfree Consortium to pool resources for investigations and monitoring of supplier factories, and establish a committee to craft a code of conduct for the city's contractors, subcontractors, and vendors. At the hearing, Commissioner Sam Adams affirmed that the policy committee will not include industry suppliers to the City of Portland or other individuals who have a potential conflict of interest. The goal of the Resolution, as explained during the hearing by the Resolution's sponsor, Commissioner Sam Adams, "...is to act on our community's values and improve conditions for sweatshop workers." Community advocates celebrated today's Resolution and also press on to guarantee that the final policy is also a true victory for workers everywhere. -- For more information or to get involved contact: Portland Sweatfree Campaign/Global Exchange 503-236-7916 sweatfreepdx at gmail.com www.sweatfree.org/portland -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://lists.enabled.com/pipermail/sweat-free-pdx/attachments/20070829/fcbc8760/attachment.htm