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Thursday, December 10, 2009Press Release about Working Conditions at Government Contractors
For
Immediate Release
December 10, 2009, International Human Rights Day
Contacts:
Liana Foxvog, SweatFree Communities, 413-586-0974 (office) or 413-320-7276
(cell)
Eric Sharfstein, Workers United, 646-448-6408 (office) or 917-208-6980 (cell)
Report
Exposes Poor Working Conditions at Government Contractors;
New York State to Rein in Sweatshop Suppliers
Northampton,
Mass. - Made
in USA requirements provide little insurance against poor working conditions
and low wages, according to a new report by SweatFree Communities released
today, International Human Rights Day. It contends that the federal government
should do more to ensure that the apparel it buys is made by
labor-rights-compliant contractors.
Some
states and cities have already taken action. Earlier today Governor David
Paterson announced that New York is joining the Sweatfree Purchasing
Consortium, a new organization that assists members in ridding sweatshops from
supply chains and providing incentive for ethical business practices. Initial
members are Ashland, Ore., Austin, Tex., Maine, Milwaukee, Wisc., New York,
Pennsylvania, Portland, Ore., and San Francisco, which together procure over
$50 million in apparel and textiles annually.
Governor
Paterson said: I believe that the Sweatfree Purchasing Consortium will serve
as a crucial tool in creating and maintaining standards of workplace fairness
and safety in our global economy.
Bjorn
Claeson, Executive Director of SweatFree Communities, said: Labor rights
violations are human rights violations. Today, International Human Rights Day,
we call on all government agencies, including the federal government, to join
with New York and the other pioneering members of the Consortium in ensuring
labor rights for workers who manufacture goods purchased with our tax dollars.
The
new report, Toxic Uniforms: Behind the Made in USA Label, exposes poor working conditions
at nine government contractor factories including poverty level wages, pressure
on the job, poor benefits, health and safety problems, and discrimination. Nine
of the factories are sole suppliers to Propper International and one (recently
shuttered) was a sole supplier to Eagle Industries, held by parent company
Alliant Techsystems (ATK). Propper International is the largest manufacturer of
soldiers uniforms for the U.S. Army. Eagle supplies the federal government and
New York State. While outsourcing of jobs is prevalent in the cut-and-sew
industry, as Department of Defense contractors, Eagle and Propper are required
to produce in the U.S. or its territories under the Berry Amendment. However,
as the new report shows, workers in Massachusetts and Puerto Rico, who manufacture
goods purchased with our tax dollars, are far from immune from abusive working
conditions.
Elisa
Rios, who worked at Eagles New Bedford, Mass., factory for two years said: Harassment,
fear, desperation, sadness, unhappiness, tears this is what we experienced
daily in the factory.
Maritza
Vzquez, a sewing machine operator at Proppers Lajas plant, said: I
understand that the type of labor we produce is very important because its a
job done for the U.S. military. I think we need to be more appreciated, offered
better pay and better benefits. Management should have more respect.
In
Puerto Rico workers at each of Proppers eight plants are organizing for union
representation by the labor union Workers United. While ATK closed the New
Bedford Eagle factory despite protests from the workers and politicians, a
committee of sewing machine operators and their supporters persuaded a new government
contractor, New Bedford Tactical Gear, to open in August. This week workers
voted unanimously in support of the contract negotiated between New Bedford
Tactical Gear and Workers United. The union contract provides for pay increases
to $10.60 in three years, a pension, an affordable health insurance plan, and
more. The company currently
employs fifteen former Eagle workers and is seeking additional government contracts
in order to expand and hire more of the laid-off workforce.
SweatFree
Communities
coordinates a national network of grassroots campaigns that promote humane
working conditions in apparel and other labor-intensive global industries by
working with both public and religious institutions to use institutional
purchasing as a lever for worker justice. www.sweatfree.org
The
Sweatfree Purchasing Consortium assists member governments in meeting their
goals for responsible sweatshop-free purchasing. It meets a critical need for
information about supplier factories by providing expertise and pooling
resources to monitor working conditions and enforce sweatfree procurement
standards. www.buysweatfree.org
Workers
United, SEIU
is a union of 150,000 workers in the US and Canada who work in the
manufacturing, distribution, laundry, food service, hospitality, gaming,
apparel and textile industries. www.workersunitedunion.org
A
copy of Toxic Uniforms: Behind the Made in USA Label, is available at
www.sweatfree.org/tu.
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