Sweating It Out

April 16, 2009 Crain's New York Business Insider

By Daniel Massey

A labor and clergy coalition released a report Wednesday that alleges severe violations at eight factories that supply products to the state of New York. Abuses including mandatory pregnancy tests, forced unpaid overtime and verbal harassment were uncovered at factories in countries ranging from China to Honduras to the United States. The Labor-Religion Coalition of New York State is calling on the state to establish a sweatshop-free code of conduct and to disclose all factories that contract with New York suppliers. In letters sent Tuesday, John Egan, commissioner of the state Office of General Services, urged state suppliers to work with factory owners to improve conditions. He also wrote that the state is in the process of establishing sweatshop-free purchasing policies.