lvrobson
Fri, 27 Jan 2006 16:42:52 -0800
hey! it's right here in minneapolis, in april. check it out.
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From: Liana Foxvog <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Subject: [USFT] SweatFree Communities International Conference
Date: Thu, 26 Jan 2006 15:44:43 -0500
>*** Register now at www.sweatfree.org *** please forward widely **
>
>Join us at the SweatFree Communities International Conference, April
>7-9, 2006, in Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA!
>
>Our third annual gathering is a place for anti-sweatshop activists
>to share experiences, learn vital organizing skills, and build joint
>strategy. If you are campaigning for sweatshop-free government or
>religious purchasing or if you are interested in learning more and
>getting active in the movement, this gathering is not to be missed!
>
>There are many exciting recent advances in the sweatfree movement.
>In the United States a few cities have put real teeth in sweatfree
>procurement policies with provisions and funding for independent
>monitoring of supplier factories. We are also taking the first steps
>toward city and state consolidation of purchasing power and
>collaboration in the enforcement of policies. In Canada, nine
>Catholic school boards in the province of Ontario have agreed to
>pool their resources to monitor and investigate supplier factories.
>In Europe, increasing numbers of cities in the Netherlands, Belgium,
>France, Germany, Sweden, Spain and elsewhere are adopting sweatfree
>procurement resolutions with tougher verification standards. There
>is real power in government procurement that we can control
>democratically. Yet, our movement is not yet as strong as it needs
>to be to win the big battles against sweatshop exploitation and
>create worker-friendly rules for the global economy.
>
>Globally workers and their advocates are finding creative ways to
>meet the challenges of plant closings and repression exacerbated by
>last years phase out of the Multi-Fiber Agreement. Their strategies
>include community-based education and organizing, worker-led
>monitoring committees, union organizing, and worker ownership and
>control of production. What does international solidarity look and
>feel like in the context of these worker struggles? What is the role
>of sweatfree procurement in supporting worker struggles in different
>parts of the world, in different industries, and in the fields?
>
>Bringing together sweatfree campaigns, fair trade organizations,
>producers, unions, and worker advocacy organizations in the United
>States, Canada, Europe, Latin America and China, the SweatFree
>Communities International Conference is an opportunity to make
>connections and build a stronger international movement for worker
>justice. Beyond the core workshops that introduce participants to
>movement history and sweatfree government procurement campaign
>strategy, there will be exchanges with worker organizers and U.S.
>immigrant workers; discussion forums on sweatfree marketing
>strategies and on independent monitoring and policy enforcement;
>workshops on local, fair trade, and organic procurement, and much
>more.
>
>We are excited to host this event with the Resource Center of the
>Americas. Among its human rights and economic justice programs, the
>Resource Centers sweatfree campaigns have resulted in sweatfree
>policies in the school district and city of Minneapolis. Its youth
>organizer program is planning the youth section of the conference. A
>workshop by its worker rights center will link global impacts of
>sweatshops to local immigrant worker struggles. Latin American music
>and food at the conference reflects the Resource Center's
>cross-cultural programming.
>
>Other conference highlights include a screening of Maquilapolis
>City of Factories, a new film by and about maquila workers in
>Tijuana, Mexico, who will be present to lead discussion. Concurrent
>with the conference will also be an art exhibit with paintings of
>garment workers from 22 countries by Washington State artist Janet
>Essley.
>
>Register online or download registration materials at
>www.sweatfree.org. Feel free to contact us with any questions at
>413-586-0974 or [EMAIL PROTECTED]
>
>_______________________________________________
>This is an unmoderated public listserv. The opinions and positions
>expressed on this listserv are those of the author alone. No
>endorsement of the content of this email is either expressed or
>implied by United Students for Fair Trade.
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