SweatFree Wisconsin to protest buying goods from companies with rights violations

Marv Balousek
Wisconsin State Journal
04/13/2009

The SweatFree Wisconsin campaign will hold a rally at noon Wednesday at Madison’s Capitol Station Post Office, 215 Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd., to protest the use of taxpayer money to buy goods from companies with serious human and labor rights violations. 

Similar events will be held in at least 17 cities including La Crosse and Stevens Point.

The groups are calling on public officials to join the SweatFree Purchasing Coalition. The SweatFree Wisconsin campaign has been working with Gov. Doyle’s office on an anti-sweatshop policy. 

A report to be released at the rallies finds that state and local governments continue to purchase goods such as uniforms for public employees from companies with serious violations.