Subject: Sign fair trade letter to Doyle! Date: Tue, 25 Apr 2006 18:49:27 -0500 Message-ID: <B14120EE5C432443B21102F7925DAD0202DA2806@COKE.uwec.edu> From: "Glenn, Larry R." <GLENNLR@uwec.edu>
If you want to tell the Governor not to buy sweatshop merchandise, see
message from Steve Watrous of the Wisc. Fair Trade Coalition.
Larry Glenn
________________________________
Stephen G Watrous <watrous@csd.uwm.edu> wrote:
Date: Tue, 25 Apr 2006 16:15:35 -0500 (CDT)
From: Stephen G Watrous <watrous@csd.uwm.edu>
To: Michael Howden <mike.milwccc@sbcglobal.net>
Subject: Sign fair trade letter to Doyle!
Please sign on to a letter to Gov. Doyle about sweatfree
purchasing.
The WI Fair Trade Coalition has a new director, Nino Amato, and
some
WI-specific projects. One is to get Gov. Doyle to stop state
government
purchases of sweatshop clothing. This is part of a current
national
campaign.
If you could lend your name to this effort, please reply ASAP
to:
Michael Howden at this address mike.milwccc@sbcglobal.net
With:
Your name
city/town
(for identification purposes only) your group or business, and
position in
it, if any.
The letter may get minor editing. Below is an explanation from
its
drafter, Madison Ald. Austin King.
[PS: hold 6/12 for a statewide fair trade conference in Madison]
=========================
================
Attached please find the letter that we will be sending to
Doyle's
office at the end of the week urging his participation in the
Governor's
Coalition for Sweatfree Procurement and Workers' Rights. Our
goal is to
acquire as many signatures as possible by NOON, FRIDAY APRIL 28
demonstrating the breadth of support this initiative has all
across the
state. We especially are seeking organizations and their leaders
that
represent faith communities, industry, and groups outside Dane
and
Milwaukee County, but we are also aiming for quantity and just a
big, long
list of People Who Matter and anyone else we can get. So, please
send it
far and wide. Co-signers may join the letter by informing Mike
Howden at mike.milwccc@sbcglobal.net no later than this Friday.
===========
The Honorable Governor James Doyle
115 East State Capitol
Madison, WI 53702
April 24, 2006
Dear Governor Doyle:
We write to urge your participation in the Governor's Coalition
for
Sweatfree Procurement and Workers' Rights recently announced by
the
honorable John Baldacci of Maine. Your involvement in this
important
project would reflect your commitment to a fair market for
Wisconsin
industry as well as your support for the Wisconsin values that
oppose the
brutal and inhumane employment condition that is the sweatshop.
Already across Wisconsin, religious leaders, civic
organizations,
educational institutions, elected officials, students and
industry leaders
have spoken out strongly against the exploitation of sweatshop
workers.
The cities of Milwaukee and Madison, Milwaukee County, the
Milwaukee
Public Schools, and numerous religious institutions have adopted
procurement policies to prevent their funds from being used to
subsidize
sweatshops. UW-Madison has led the way for the entire nation in
seeking a
guarantee that its apparel licensees abide by ethical standards
reflective
of Wisconsin values.
Now is the time for the State of Wisconsin to follow suit. Our
taxpayer
dollars should not and need not be used to support those
companies that
exploit their workers through below-subsistence wages,
excessively long
working hours, unhealthy and unsafe working environments, child
labor,
indentured labor, denial of the right to free association,
disregard for
fundamental women's rights, and other abusive and inhumane
practices.
Instead, and in concert with other states and governors, we
should
maximize our purchasing power to leverage positive changes in
the lives of
workers abroad and fair competition for our industries at home.
Governor Baldacci has issued an important call for allies in
this crucial
effort, and we strongly encourage you to answer his call. Please
commit
your administration to joining the Governor's Coalition for
Sweatfree
Procurement and Workers' Rights today.
Very sincerely yours,
[A whole lot of people...]
###