Anti-sweatshop Sports Equipment Law

CONTACT: Brian O'Shaughnessy
518/ 213-6000 ext. 6294

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
September 23, 2003

Labor-Religion Coalition Praises Governor For Signing Anti-Sweatshop Sports Equipment Law

ALBANY, NY--The New York State Labor-Religion Coalition applauds Governor Pataki for signing into law a bill that enhances New York State's leadership in the anti-sweatshop, socially responsible business movement.

"Many soccer balls and footballs that will be used by students in New York State schools this fall are imported from Pakistan, India, China or Indonesia," said Elisa Meredith, Sweatfree Schools Coordinator for the New York State Labor-Religion Coalition. "Sources as varied as CorpWatch and the Global March Against Child Labour tell us that only minimal progress has been made in the sports equipment industry since inhumane working conditions and use of child labor were exposed in the 1990's."

This law gives authority to New York's 720 school districts and 84 public colleges to consider the health and well being of the workers who make sports equipment as purchasing decisions are made. "The hundreds of thousands of New York State students who benefit from athletic programs in their schools and colleges must no longer do so at the expense of children and other workers employed by irresponsible manufacturers," said Meredith.

New York laws passed in 2001 and 2002 allow school districts, SUNY, and CUNY to buy apparel from sweat-free vendors. This bill adds sports equipment, expanding the scope of anti-sweatshop purchasing laws one more time.

The Sweat-free Sports Equipment Law allows schools and colleges to require certification that apparel and sports equipment are manufactured according to fair labor standards without child labor. Contractors and subcontractors can be required to provide information about working conditions, compensation, the use of child labor and the right to form a union.

In response to the Sports Equipment Law, a student chapter of the international organization, "Kids Can Free the Children" issued this statement:

As members of the Guilderland High School Free the Children chapter, we are thrilled that Governor Pataki signed the bill to add sports equipment to the sweat-free purchasing laws. This is an important step in making sure that as New Yorkers we are not participating in the exploitation of adults and children around the globe.

New York State is saying 'No! We will not accept sports apparel made by workers who receive no benefits. No! We will not accept soccer balls made by the small hands of children. No! We will not accept uniforms made by workers who are barely paid a dollar a day. Yes! We will support companies that pay a living wage and treat their workers fairly!

Camila Leiva, 16, a Guilderland High School Free the Children chapter leader, was part of the effort to establish an anti-sweatshop purchasing policy in her district in 2002. She said, "As the future of the country, we teenagers feel it is important to make a stand against what we believe is wrong with the world. Sweatshops are one of these things. They are not improving the lives of anyone. They are propagating exploitation and poverty."

In October of 1998, the New York State Labor-Religion Coalition initiated its groundbreaking "Sweatfree New York Schools Campaign." It focuses on purchases made by tax-supported institutions rather than the purchasing habits of individual consumers.

Inspired by the New York campaign, students and community groups in Minneapolis and Los Angeles have successfully advocated for anti-sweatshop purchasing policies (including sports equipment) in their cities. The Sweatfree Schools Campaign has also spread to Japan, Canada, the United Kingdom and Germany.

Across the country the message to vendors is increasing in volume: provide apparel and sports equipment made under humane conditions, or do not expect contracts from schools.

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