Date of publication: April 16, 2007
Source: The Portland Mercury
Author: Scott Moore
In the current issue of the Mercury, I wrote about continuing efforts to get city council to pass an anti-sweatshop ordinance that would prevent the city and its contractors from purchasing goods—like uniforms—that were made in sweatshops.
It’s been in the works for about a year, but what’s slowing it down is city council’s reluctance to buy into one part of the sweat-free coalition’s proposal—giving about $20,000 (or one percent of purchases) to a consortium made up of other cities and states that have already passed similar plans. The consortium would act as a kind of independent enforcement body to make sure the law wasn’t being sidestepped. The idea has been urged by people like San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom and Main Governor John Baldacci, but council is hesitant about handing over ongoing money to a group that hasn’t officially been formed yet...