Fair trade group prepares for Sweat Free Dallas campaign

by Gene Lantz of Dallas Peace Times

Activists from Church in the Cliff, Dallas Area Christian Progressive Alliance, Jobs with Justice, Dallas Peace Center, Denton Students for a Democratic Society, Voices for Immigrants, and others attended the first meeting of the Sweat Free Dallas campaign.

On May 29, Marc Jacobson of the Texas Fair Trade Coalition convened a meeting of activists interested in stopping worker abuse. Jacobson helped the City of Austin pass an “anti sweat shop” ordinance, is involved in doing the same in San Antonio, and will lead a new fight in Dallas.

Jacobson said that 50-60 cities have passed ordinances that require city government to buy textiles and laundry services from companies that do not practice the worst forms of “sweat shop” worker abuse. The cities sign a code of conduct and agree to a monitoring system.

The strategy is to build a coalition with more and more progressive organizations. Activists will increase their knowledge of the issues as they work. Eventually, they will work with city government agents and elected officials to craft an “anti sweat shop” ordinance. Information about the San Antonio effort is available at www.sweatfreesanantonio.org.