What's At Stake?
SweatFree MD Campaign Continues On!
MARYLAND CAN STOP SWEATSHOPS
While working to gain the Governor's support, we will campaign for a sweatfree procurement law in Maryland, which will include the following provisions:
- A sweatfree manufacturing code of conduct: All vendors with the state must adhere to local laws and International Labor Organization standards; above-poverty wages; rights to assemble and bargain collectively; non-discrimination; ban on child labor; and safe working conditions.
- Disclosure of factory locations and wages: To qualify for a bid, vendors must disclose locations of factories and wages of workers producing goods to be sold to the state.
- Collaboration with other states and independent accountability: Join other public purchasers nationwide by pooling resources to investigate labor violations and monitor factories, coordinate enforcement, and buy jointly from sweatfree factories.
- Community involvement: Creation of a community advisory committee composed of citizens and worker rights experts to ensure that good intentions are translated into good results.
We are grateful to the sponsor and cosponsors of House Bill 290 for recognizing the injustice that is inherent in the State’s procurement policies and leading the fight to change those policies. We look forward to
The Sweatfree Maryland Campaign (www.sweatfree.org/maryland) is a coalition of religious, civil rights, labor and community organizations and individuals including the Presbytery of Baltimore, SweatFree Communities, International Labor Rights Forum, Maryland DC AFL-CIO, Progressive Maryland and UNITE HERE.
