[statecom-discuss] Re: [adcom] Endorsement? Please respond

Tue Feb 20 09:37:29 EST 2007

Adam,

It will be interesting to see what kinds of proposals you will be able to support when you are a member of the Lexington Town Meeting!

-----Original Message-----
>From: Adam Sacks <adam_artist at yahoo.com>
>Sent: Feb 20, 2007 8:36 AM
>To: "Green-Rainbow Party (GRP) Administrative Committee" <adcom at green-rainbow.org>, statecom-discuss at green-rainbow.org
>Subject: [statecom-discuss] Re: [adcom] Endorsement?  Please respond
>
>
>I demur - I think there are very serious concerns here - we are still supporting a system of international trade that is inherently exploitative.  Even if the clothes are made in kinder, gentler factories, what about the cotton?  The elastic?  The furniture and machinery?  What about the egregious waste of fossil fuels and concomitant CO2 pollution for shipping supplies and finished product?
>
>The underlying problem is that we want to continue our profligate ways, albeit with a clear conscience.  It is our way of life that causes the sweatshops in the first place - changing the sweatshops, as important as that is, just addresses a symptom and, like the black hole of recycling, derails our efforts at desperately needed fundamental change.
>
>We need to re-learn how to make clothes locally for good living wages, IOW, restructure our entire economy.  The Age of Bandaids is over, whether we do it thoughtfully on our own or nature does it to us.
>
>Why should we endorse anything less?
>
>Adam
>
>
>
>Daniel Melnechuk <isis at isisdesign.com> wrote: No concerns that i can see. In fact this is a great idea!
>Dan Melnechuk
>
>On Feb 19, 2007, at 8:11 PM, Gracegrnrnbw at aol.com wrote:
>
>> hi, everyone-
>>
>> endorsements should be fast and easy - if not we can take them up at a
>> meeting but please respond now whether you have any concerns or  
>> not?   Many thanks,
>> Grace
>>
>> DATE
>>
>> Dear ORGANIZATION,
>>
>> If Massachusetts is like other states, most of the apparel,  
>> textiles, and
>> other products that it buys are made in sweatshops.
>>
>> But that can change. A growing national movement of students, workers,
>> unions, faith-based groups, and community organizations is  
>> organizing for sweatfree
>> purchasing to build market demand for sweatfree products and political
>> momentum for a just global economy. Six state governments, 45  
>> cities and counties,
>> 120 school districts, and 164 colleges and universities have  
>> adopted policies
>> requiring their apparel products to be made in fair labor conditions.
>>
>> Help us make Massachusetts sweatfree! Through our collective  
>> effort, our
>> state can ensure living wages and decent working conditions for  
>> those producing
>> goods for us.
>>
>> Governor John Baldacci of Maine has written to all governors asking  
>> them to
>> take an important step for workers everywhere. Join us in asking  
>> Governor Deval
>> Patrick to sign on to Baldacci's resolution calling for multi-state
>> collaboration in sweatfree procurement. Governors Rendell of  
>> Pennsylvania and Corzine
>> of New Jersey are already on board. Other governors have expressed  
>> interest and
>> will sign on soon. In addition, local campaigns are hoping to get  
>> their
>> cities to come together with the Governors' initiative to form a  
>> State and Local
>> Government Sweatfree Consortium to coordinate enforcement of sweatfree
>> procurement policies.
>>
>> While working to gain the Governor's support, we will campaign for a
>> sweatfree procurement law in Massachusetts, which will include the  
>> following
>> provisions:
>> o  A sweatfree manufacturing code of conduct: All vendors,  
>> contractors, and
>> subcontractors with the state must adhere to the code of conduct  
>> which includes
>> respect for local laws and International Labor Organization standards;
>> above-poverty wages; rights to assemble and bargain collectively;
>> non-discrimination; ban on child labor; and safe working conditions.
>> o  Disclosure of factory locations and wages: To qualify for a bid  
>> vendors
>> must disclose locations of factories and wages of workers producing  
>> goods to be
>> sold to the state.
>> o  Collaboration with other states and independent accountability:  
>> Join other
>> public purchasers nationwide by pooling resources to investigate labor
>> violations and monitor factories, coordinate enforcement, and buy  
>> jointly from
>> sweatfree factories.
>> o  Community involvement: Creation of a community advisory  
>> committee composed
>> of citizens and worker rights experts to ensure that good  
>> intentions are
>> translated into good results.
>>
>> To officially endorse this important effort to improve working  
>> conditions
>> locally and globally, please fill out the attached endorsement form  
>> and send it
>> to the Massachusetts Sweatfree Campaign  
>> (sweatfreemass at sweatfree.org). You may
>> also endorse online at www.sweatfree.org/mass. Your endorsement  
>> also signals
>> support of the national campaign for a State and Local Government  
>> Sweatfree
>> Consortium.
>>
>> We invite you to join our campaign coordinating committee and to  
>> help us
>> organize. For further information on ways to get involved, please  
>> contact Liana
>> Foxvog at 413-586-0974.
>>
>> In Solidarity,
>> _______________________________________________
>> AdCom mailing list
>> AdCom at green-rainbow.org
>> http://www.green-rainbow.org/mailman/listinfo/adcom
>> To email Administration Committee members: adcom.members AT green- 
>> rainbow DOT org
>>
>
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Bill Cunningham