Vermont

Student conference in Brattleboro on child labor and sweatshops

April 28, 2008-- Today Governor Jim Douglas signed the sweatshop-free purchasing act into law. Now Vermont is officially the seventh sweatfree state!

Here's our press release about this victory. 

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Campaign History & Media Coverage

This campaign builds on Child Labor Education and Action's sweatfree campaign success at Brattleboro Union High School, which became the first high school in the United States to join the Worker Rights Consortium. Check out some of the media coverage:

• Governor inks CLEA bill
  Brattleboro Reformer- April 29, 2008
• Senate OKs CLEA bill
  Brattleboro Reformer- April 7, 2008
• Students want state uniforms made fairly
  Brattleboro Reformer- April 4, 2008
  
• State panel OKs sweatshop ban bill
  Rutland Herald- April 3, 2008
• 'Wheels' of democracy
  Brattleboro Reformer- March 14, 2008
• Students lobby lawmakers on anti-sweatshop bill
  Brattleboro Reformer- February 26, 2008
• BUHS says: No sweat!
  Brattleboro Reformer– November 22, 2006
• Prompt payment makes history
  Brattleboro Reformer – June 15, 2006

After winning a victory at their high school, CLEA students decided to bring the campaign to the state level. In early 2007, Representative Sarah Edwards from Brattleboro introduced a sweatfree procurement bill with the support of 17 other cosponsors. A House committee held a hearing on the bill but it was not raised for a vote as the legislative session was nearing the end.

In January 2008, Rep. Edwards reintroduced the bill. The House and Senate soon passed it and Governor Jim Douglas signed it into law on April 28, 2008, making Vermont the 7th sweatfree state in the U.S.

To endorse the campaign or to learn more, contact Child Labor Education and Action (CLEA) at buhs.clea[at]gmail[dot]com.