Background

This Ordinance passed the Milwaukee Common Council by a unanimous vote on April 15, 2003.  The Ordinance includes comprehensive definitions of what is covered as well as of "non-poverty wage" both within and outside of the United States, compliance with labor law, no forced or child labor, freedom of association, termination only with just cause and the establishment of a mechanism for the resolution of workplace disputes. It includes the requirement that the winning bidder submit an affidavit of disclosure of names and places, wages and health benefits and that contractors and their subcontractors meet the stated requirements and that these be updated for any changes taking place within the time of a contract. The City's central purchasing office is responsible for monitoring and enforcement but will post information about each step of the process as well as the affidavits on their web site. Thus members of the Milwaukee Clean Clothes Campaign will be responsible for monitoring the site closely, reviewing contractors as being what they claim and raising questions or objections.

Briefing Sheet – Ethical Purchasing Bill

If your Common Council is considering the Ethical Purchasing Ordinance to ensure that uniforms and apparel procured by the City are made and laundered under decent conditions, not in sweatshops. 

Key Provisions Of The Bill:

• No tax dollars to law-breakers.  All plants producing or laundering apparel & textile products for the City must obey relevant workplace laws in the U.S. and other countries.

• No tax dollars to poverty-wage producers.  All plants producing or laundering apparel & textile products for the City must provide wage and benefit compensation that at least takes workers and their families above the national poverty line.

• No hidden factories.   All apparel and textile vendors for the City must publicly disclose the locations of factories, including factories of subcontractors or suppliers, and other information required for enforcement of this law.

Important Facts:

• The City of Milwaukee purchases over $1 million in apparel per year.  Most purchases are for uniforms, such as for police officers, firefighters and other unionized city workers.

• The global apparel & textile industry is plagued by an infamous “race to the bottom,” resulting in sweatshop conditions such as poverty wages, violations of workers’ rights, and unsafe and unhealthy working environments, in factories in the U.S. and overseas.

• These sweatshop conditions degrade and destroy jobs in Wisconsin and the U.S.  In recent years, over 6000 apparel and textile workers have lost their jobs in Wisconsin alone because of the rise of sweatshops and the race to the bottom.  The state has lost over 73,000 net jobs since 1994 because to bad trade policy.  The responsible apparel and laundry companies remaining in the area may be unable to or discouraged from competing for City contracts, because they face being undercut by sweatshops.

• Under current Milwaukee law, there are no protections in place requiring that apparel purchased with taxpayer dollars be produced and laundered free of sweatshop conditions. Without a reporting requirement, City officials often don’t even know where the goods are produced.   And sweatshops flourish when they can be hidden from public view.

• Over 30 municipal and state governments in the U.S. have made an effort to remedy this problem by passing anti-sweatshop procurement legislation, including Boston, New York City, New York State, New Jersey and Maine.  Milwaukee has an opportunity to join this growing campaign to say “no tax dollars for sweatshops.”

Eight Reasons to NOT Buy Uniforms Made In Sweatshops

Local economies suffer when manufacturing jobs go abroad
Unemployed workers are not the only people who are affected. Communities lose tax revenue; local businesses lose when spending power is reduced by unemployment.

Manufacturers uproot themselves to avoid paying fair wages
When manufacturers close plants in the U.S. and move to developing countries, people lose jobs here and the sweatshop conditions of other countries are perpetuated. Manufacturers often move from one developing country to another in search of the lowest costs.

The worldwide clothing industry is notorious for its inhumane treatment of workers
Established international codes of corporate conduct as embodied in the United Nations and International Labor Organization (I.L.O.) conventions are routinely ignored. Governments of poor countries tolerate sweatshops, aware that their own labor laws are being broken. They encourage foreign investment in their country at the expense of their own citizens' well-being.

Workers do not share fairly in the profits resulting from their labor
Sweatshop workers are paid substandard wages, which do not even cover the basic necessities of daily life.   They get 1% or less of the final sales price.

Children are among the workers exploited in overseas sweatshops
Children, some very young, are forced to work long hours. They sew school clothes for American children, but will never go to school themselves.

People are exploited in American sweatshops
Illegal immigrants are hired for cheap labor. Companies employ people under inhumane working conditions knowing that the illegal immigrants will not notify authorities. And some clothing is made in U.S. prisons.

Labels do not tell the whole story
Even though the United States has strict labor laws, enforcement authorities have extremely limited resources. Therefore, even 'Made in USA' labeled clothes can be the product of inhumane labor practices and child labor. Also, many 'Made in USA' clothes are partially assembled in sweatshop conditions abroad, or made in U.S. territories such as Saipan.

Many workers do not have fair work standards
Workers have the right to receive fair standards: just wages and benefits, decent and safe working conditions, and the right to organize.

Special thanks go out to Steve Watrous, Coordinator of the Wisconsin Fair Trade Campaign, for his ongoing work on this and so many other fair trade issues.

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