Sweatfree Oregon meets with Governor's Staff to Support Garment Workers

On April 30th four coalition members of the Oregon Sweatfree Campaign met with the Governor's staff to ask for a letter to Propper International, Inc. to ensure that Sonia Altagracia Schals, a garment worker at Suprema Manufacturing in the Dominican Republic is reinstated after being fired for being a union supporter. The Oregon Sweatfee Activists were also there to urge the state join the Sweatfree Purchasing Consortium and ensure Oregon buys uniforms and apparel from ethical sources.

Sonia was fired shortly after she participated in an interview for a revealing report by SweatFree Communities on conditions in the global uniform industry. Her manager allegedly told Sonia she was fired for supporting the union. This act violates Dominican Labor Law which guarantees workers the right to join a union and prohibits an employer from any coercion against workers or a union to impede this right. This meeting also reveled anti-union activities including banners outside the facilities that read "Dile No A La Union!" or "Say No To The Union." Over 115 Propper workers have brought a suite against the company for violating labor laws pertaining to sick days, overtime and vacation days. The Oregon Sweatfree Campaign is calling on the Governor's office and public employees unions to write a letter asking for Sonia to be reinstated with backpay.

Beyond supporting workers like Sonia fight for improving their working conditions, the state can create systemic change in the garment industry by requiring all government contracts for apparel to go to companies that respect worker rights. The Oregon Sweatsfree Campaign is asking the state to support garment workers by joining the Sweatfree Consortium, a collaborative project of governments working together to end public purchasing from sweatshops. We look forward to working with the Governor's office on ending tax payer support to sweatshops.

To read more about the detrimental working conditions in factories producing uniforms for public employees and how government purchasing can help improve conditions, check out the report "Subsidizing Sweatshops II" at http://www.sweatfree.org/subsidizing.