Members of United Students Against Sweatshops throughout the State University of New York system are calling on state lawmakers for SUNY to stop subsidizing sweatshops. SUNY is benefiting from products tarnished by physical abuse, excessive working hours, deplorable working conditions, and inadequate wages. Tell lawmakers to bring the Ethical Business Conduct in Higher Education Act (S5609/A7376-a) to the floor. The bill mandates a sweat-free code of conduct, affiliation with the Worker Rights Consortium and participation in the Designated Suppliers Program for all SUNY campuses.

Dear [ Decision Maker ] ,

Currently, 60 to 64 of the State University of New York campuses use sweatshop labor to produce campus apparel. SUNY is benefiting from products tarnished by physical abuse, excessive working hours, deplorable working conditions, and inadequate wages. It's time for SUNY to restore its reputation by clearing its complicity and association with sweatshops. I strongly urge you to bring the Ethical Business Conduct in Higher Education Act (S5609/A7376-a) to the floor.

The Ethical Business Conduct in Higher Education Act (S5609/A7376-a) requires that the SUNY Chancellor and its Board of Trustees adopt a mandatory sweat-free code of conduct for all its campuses, establishes a timeline for such rules to be in place, mandates that all college apparel contracts include a "null and void" provision to allow them to end business relationships with manufacturers who violate worker rights, and requires campuses to participate in the Designated Supplier Program to verify compliance with rules.

As the largest public university system in the nation, SUNY has the opportunity and responsibility to make human rights a priority. As a member of a broad coalition of students, unions, social justice organizations, and religious leaders, I strongly urge you to bring the Ethical Business Conduct in Higher Education Act (S5609/A7376-a) to the floor.

Sincerely,

Campaign Launched:
June 08, 2009