Pennsylvania Sweatfree Campaign

Overview 

In March 2004, Governor Rendell took a leadership role in the national anti-sweatshop movement by signing an Anti-Sweatshop Procurement Policy (Executive Order 2004-4).

In September 2006, Governor Rendell took a further step in calling on other governors to join together with Pennsylvania in enforcing sweatfree procurement laws by collaborating in investigating supplier factory working conditions.

Without a further commitment from Governor Rendell, Pennsylvania will not make progress toward truly stopping tax dollar support for sweatshops. We are calling on Governor Rendell to make sure the state of Pennsylvania continues to be a national leader in ending sweatshops. 

We are asking Governor Rendell to:

1) Formally agree to join the State and Local Government Sweatfree Consortium and pay affiliation dues of only 1% of the Commonwealth's spending on apparel to monitor garment factory working conditions. 

2) Contact all other governors to invite them to join Pennsylvania in the Sweatfree Consortium. 

---

Here's how you can help

1) Endorse the campaign.

2) Volunteer with the campaign. Contact Dorian Lam to find out more.

3) Join us at our upcoming events:

Worker Rights Board Hearing:
Sweatshops & State Purchasing Practices
Saturday, July 12, 11:00-12:30pm, FREE
Broad Street Ministry, 315 S. Broad St., Philadelphia
Testimony by sweatshop workers and public employees who wear the uniforms they make.

Sweatfree Rally
@ National Governors' Association Centennial Meeting
Saturday, July 12, 12:30pm-1:00pm
Gather at Broad Street Ministry, 315 S. Broad St., Philadelphia
Urge all 50 governors to join the Sweatfree Consortium to stop tax dollar support for sweatshops.

These events are part of the National SweatFree Summit. To register for the Summit or to sponsor the event, go here.

Please contact us if you can spread the word about these events in newsletters, church bulletins, email lists, etc. 

---

Endorsers

AFSCME Council 13, Harrisburg, PA
AFSCME Council 83, Duncansville, PA
AFSCME Council 84, Pittsburgh, PA
AFSCME Local 1723, Council 47, Philadelphia PA
AFSCME Local 2459, Pittsburgh, PA
Atlantic Apparel Contractors Association
Black Political Empowerment Project
Catholics in Alliance for the Common Good - Pennsylvania
Coalition of Black Trade Unionists, Harrisburg Chapter
Dennis Brutus, Professor Emeritus, African American Studies, University of Pittsburgh
Elbeco, Reading, PA
Janef Inc., Old Forge, PA
Jewish Labor Committee, Philadelphia
Living Water United Church of Christ, Philadelphia PA
Maria D. Quiñones-Sanchez, 7th District City Council, Philadelphia PA
Pennsylvania AFL-CIO
Pennsylvania Joint Board UNITE HERE
Pennsylvania State University United Students Against Sweatshops
Philadelphia Jobs with Justice
Philadelphia Students for Democratic Society
Pittsburgh Anti-Sweatshop Community Alliance
SweatFree Communities
Teamsters Local 776, Harrisburg, PA
Temple University Student Labor Action Project, Philadelphia PA
Temple University Student Peace Alliance
Temple University United Students Against Sweatshops
United Students Against Sweatshops 

---

Contact us

Dorian Lam, Pennsylvania Sweatfree Campaign Coordinator
Philadelphia Jobs with Justice
William Way Center
1315 Spruce St. Room 331
Philadelphia, PA 19107
Lumkitchee[at]phillyjwj[dot]org
Phone: (912) 441-9241