SweatFree Michigan Campaign
Campaign Goal Take Action Endorsers Media Resources Contact
Campaign Goal
If Michigan is like other states, most of the
apparel, textiles, and other products that it buys with taxpayer dollars are
made in sweatshops.
But that can change. A growing national movement is organizing for "sweatfree" purchasing to build market demand for sweatshop-free products and support for workers’ struggles. You can see the growing list of Michigan organizations and businesses that have endorsed SweatFree Michigan below.
Help us make Michigan sweatfree! Through our collective effort, our state can ensure living wages and decent working conditions for those producing goods for us. This will also help level the playing field for Michigan workers who have been impacted by the global race to the bottom. It's time we stop tax dollar support for sweatshops.
In March 2007, SweatFree Communities convened a historic meeting of human rights activists and public officials who agreed to form the State and Local Government Sweatfree Consortium, which will pool resources for factory monitoring and coordinate enforcement of sweatfree purchasing policies. The interim Steering Committee for the Sweatfree Consortium is now inviting states, counties, cities, towns, and school districts to join the Sweatfree Consortium as provisionary members. The more that join at this early stage, the sooner the Sweatfree Consortium will get off the ground. It's time for the entire state of Michigan to join the Sweatfree Consortium.
Take Action
Ask Governor Granholm to join the State and Local Government Sweatfree Consortium.
1. Ask the governor to adopt this sweatshop-free procurement Executive Order. Here's a sample letter you may use. Use this form or send a letter or fax to:
Governor Jennifer M. Granholm
P.O. Box 30013
Lansing, Michigan 48909
fax - (517) 335-6863
2. Your action is most effective if you follow up with a
phone call to the Governor's office: (517) 335-7858
3. Send us a note to let us know
that you took action.
4. Spread the word! Ask your friends to take action!
5. Endorse the campaign.
Endorsers
SweatFree Michigan campaign endorsers (as of Sept 22, 2008):
American Federation of Teachers – Michigan
Catholics in Alliance for the
Common Good – Michigan
Council on Arab and Islamic Relations (CAIR), Michigan chapter
Detroit Catholic Pastoral Alliance
Detroit
Catholic Worker, Day House
Industrial Workers of the World - Grand Rapids GMB
Interfaith Council for Peace and Justice
Isabella
County Democratic Party
Lecturer's Employee Organization - Local 6244
Metro-Detroit Chapter of the Coalition of Labor Union Women
Michigan
Change to Win
PAX Christi Michigan
Peace
Education Center
TIBETMichigan
UNITEHERE
Michigan State
Council
Wake-Up
Wal-Mart Down
River
Media
Rally links state to foreign sweatshops
Lansing State Journal - July 4, 2008Group rallys against sweatshop labor
Arab American News - July 4, 2008Rally against sweatshops at State Capitol
WLNS - July 2, 2008Sweatshop Free Michigan
WLAJ-TV - July 1, 2008Group protests oppressive conditions in global factories at state Capitol
Detroit Free Press - July 1, 2008Rally at Capitol denounces sweatshops
Lansing State Journal - July 1, 2008
Resources
>> The law we hope to pass in Michigan
>> Information on the State and Local Government Sweatfree Consortium
>> 2-page flier about the campaign
>> Sweatfree Toolkit
>> Many more resources
Contact
Get in touch with us to learn more and join the effort!
Sweatfree Michigan
Campaign
(574) 975-6207
