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LABOR-RELIGION
COALITION PRAISES GOVERNOR FOR SIGNING NEWS RELEASE FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT: Brian O'Shaughnessy
ALBANY, NY--The New York State Labor-Religion Coalition applauds Governor Pataki for signing into law a three-part bill that enhances New York State's leadership in the movement to end sweatshops. "The anti-sweatshop movement in the U.S. has been strongest on college campuses," said Brian O'Shaughnessy, Director of the New York State Labor-Religion Coalition. "One important part of this new law gives an ethical imperative to New York's 83 public colleges. Enacting sweatfree policy should be a top priority in the up-coming fall semester." Besides allowing New York's colleges to procure apparel, such as sports uniforms, academic regalia, sneakers, staff uniforms and logo sweatshirts from bidders that attest they are "sweatfree," the law establishes a special September 11 registry and prohibits state agencies from purchasing apparel made in sweatshops. The new legislation puts New York's public colleges under the umbrella of "informed choice purchasing," a phrase used by Governor Pataki on Labor Day 2001 when he signed a bill allowing the sweatfree purchase of apparel by the state's 740 public schools districts. "Added to last year's sweatfree bill, this law makes a strong statement to businesses: New York will no longer be a silent accomplice to the world-wide exploitation of children, women and men workers," said O'Shaughnessy. The new law allows colleges to require of bidders "sufficient information" about labor standards during all phases of manufacture, including information about working conditions, compensation, the use of child labor and the right to form a union. In October of 1998, the New York State Labor-Religion Coalition initiated a ground-breaking "Sweatfree New York Schools Campaign." The campaign focuses on the purchase of apparel by New York's educational institutions, rather than the purchasing habits of individual consumers. xxx An Associated Press article printed on August 9, 2002 in Newsday (Long Island) , The Record (Troy) and the Saratogian is available by clicking here. For background about the law, information about the many organizations that advocated for its passage and an overview of the New York State Labor-Religion Coalition's Sweatfree Schools Campaign, click here. Last Updated: 08/09/02
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