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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
November 22, 2003
ANTI-SWEATSHOP LEADERS APPLAUD SUNY IMPLEMENTAION OF SWEATFREE LEGISLATION

ALBANY, NY-- New York's latest anti-sweatshop law is ready for implementation on SUNY's 64 campuses.

"We applaud this action," said Brian O'Shaughnessy, Director of the New York State Labor-Religion Coalition, "because here is where we find out if this law has any teeth. I'm hopeful that this law can take a bite out of the irresponsible businesses who pollute New York's campuses with sweatshop apparel."

Richard P. Miller, the State University of New York's Chief Operating Officer, issued a memorandum on November 5, 2002 to the presidents of state-operated campuses and community colleges. The memo says that, in any competitive bidding for apparel, (which includes sports uniforms, athletic shoes or sneakers and clothing imprinted with a school's name or logo) the campus "will not enter into a contract" unless the bidder provides information about labor standards during all phases of production.

The memo is being applauded by anti-sweatshop organizations as "substantial and significant" both for New Yorkers and those across the country who are watching to see if New York's latest anti-sweatshop law, signed by Governor Pataki on August 6, 2002, will be implemented at the campus level.

To assist implementation on campuses, SUNY's System Administration has included with the memo a form entitled "Bidder Certification of Compliance with Fair Labor Conditions." This form requires vendors to list, for each Request for Proposal the name and address of all subcontractors. It also requires a list of all manufacturing plants used in the production of apparel.

"The required information, plus promised support from SUNY Central, will greatly assist New York's 64 public campuses to say NO to sweatshop apparel and YES to responsible businesses," said William Scheuerman, President of United University Professions, the nation's largest higher education union representing 29,000 academic and professional faculty at the State University of New York.

Worldwide, an estimated 250 million children work, most in unhealthy conditions and for almost no pay. At least 130 million children work full time and do not go to school. Public institutions that use public funds have a special legal and ethical obligation to spend taxpayers dollars responsibly. By implementing a sweatfree policy, SUNY embraces its ethical obligation to make sure that its students and faculty are not wearing apparel made by children and/or under sweatshop conditions.

The New York State Labor-Religion Coalition is a human rights organization committed to worker and economic justice.

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