Portland Sweatfree Campaign

Media Resources Endorsers

TAKE ACTION! Join us for events across Oregon to hear workers from Honduras and Puerto Rico who will speak out against tax dollar support for sweatshops and promote economic policies that lift all boats. Come hear their stories and take action to support their struggles and your city and state sweatfree campaign.

Economic Stimulous Worker Tour - PDX

Wednesday, April 1, 1:00-2:30 pm
Lewis & Clark College, Portland, Ore.
JR Howard Hall, Room 116
615 SW Palatine Hill Rd, Portland, OR 97212

Wednesday, April 1, 7:00-8:30 pm
Portland State University, Ore.
Smith Memorial Student Union, Room 229
1825 SW Broadway, Portland OR 97207

Portland passes the First Sweatshop Free Ordinance in the Pacific Northwest!

Thanks to the collective effort of all sweatfree supporters who fought to make sure their tax dollars do not support sweatshops, the City of Portland has resoundingly supported the passage of the Portland Sweatshop Free Purchasing Policy. This policy is a strong tool for supporting garment workers by requiring contractors to ensure freedom of association and just cause termination as well as prohibiting "cut and run" practices that that allow contractors to dodge responsibly for worker rights violations in an industry where countries compete fiercely by promoting cheap labor and lax environmental regulations.

We expect that this will be the first in a series of victories in the Northwest as a groundswell of sweatfree campaigns organize to make their cities and states sweatshop free!

Press Release, Oct 15, 2008

Victory in Portland: Landmark Sweatfree Resolution Passes

August 30, 2007-- Portland's Sweatfree Procurement Resolution unanimously passed yesterday with the three present commissioners. Over 130 sweatfree supporters crowded City Hall, including union representatives, a former sweatshop worker, and community members to testify in support of the Resolution. Speakers included, Rev. Lynne Smouse Lopez, Ainsworth United Church of Christ; State Senator Brad Avakian; State Rep. Brad Witt; former GAP sweatshop worker Chie Abad; James Hester, President of the District Council of Trade Unions (DCTU); Carol Stahlke, President of AFSCME 189; Heidi Carlson, President of Foundation Garments, Inc.; among many others.

The Sweatfree Resolution sets in motion a process to create the City of Portland Sweatshop Free Procurement policy for uniforms and clothing purchases to be fully implemented in 2008. The policy will require disclosure of supplier factory names and locations, provide $20,000 in funding for the State and Local Government Sweatfree Consortium to pool resources for investigations and monitoring of supplier factories, and establish a committee to craft a code of conduct for the city's contractors, subcontractors, and vendors.

Resolution considered by Portland City Council on Aug 29, 2007 (doc)
Ordinance authorizing $20,000 to support the formation of the State and Local Government Sweatfree Consortium; accompanying the Aug 29 resolution