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Albany becomes third local government in New York to adopt sweatfree purchasing Sweatfree Coordinator, Mark Looney reports that on December 18, 2006, the 15-member Common Council of the City of Albany, New York voted unanimously to adopt a sweatfree apparel and textile purchasing policy that will take effect on March 18, 2007. During the roll call vote on the legislation every member of the Common Council also agreed to co-sponsor the bill. Albany, New York’s capitol, is the second-oldest chartered city in the US and has a population of about 96,000 residents. The main proponent of the bill was Councilmember James Sano, Chair of the Council’s Finance, Taxation and Assessment Committee. Councilmember Sano introduced the sweatfree purchasing bill in response to a sweatfree resolution adopted by the Albany County Central Federation of Labor/AFL-CIO at the urging of the New York State Labor-Religion Coalition. His mother, Josephine, was a leader and founder of the Albany Public School Teachers Association (AFT) prior to her retirement and is a Past President of the Albany County Central Federation of Labor (where another son Joseph was also an officer). The Albany law recognizes the establishment of the new Sweatfree Consortium. sponsored by Sweatfree Communities.
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