On May 17th, 2006, the Berkeley Commission on Labor passed the Resolution for a Sweatfree Berkeley!!!  They included a provision for up to $60,000 in funding and referred the ordinance to the budget process.   It is great to see that the Commission on Labor understands the importance of designating budgetary funds for enforcement.

We couldn't have done it without the strong support and testimony from our 15 speakers.  Our testimonial highlights include: Chie Abad of Global Exchange opened with her compelling testimony highlighting her previous experience as a Sweatshop laborer. Harry Brill and Garry Horks spoke to their experience on the Honda picketline which emphasized the interconnectedness of poor labor standards globally.  Mary Katherine Plunkett from UNITE HERE! Local 2850 reaffirmed Harry and Garry’s testimonies with her experience as an activist supporting labor issues. Mel Martynn a Berkeley teacher and active member of Berkeley Federation of Teachers, even came during his lunch break to give us his view on “race to the bottom” and how citizens of Berkeley can act locally through this ordinance to help end this injustice.

Maggie Guerra, an intern at Global Exchange, a supporter of United Students Against Sweatshops (USAS) and a former anti-sweatshop activist on her school campus spoke on behalf of the recent victory of UC's Designated Supplier Program.  Since the University of Berkeley had a large hand in the UC wide victory, that is the strictest university anti-sweashop law in the country, she argued the City of Berkeley should recognize the local support behind the proposed ordinance.  Glenn Shor and his son David Shor, a Berkeley High School student, spoke from the perspective of their religious affiliations with Kehilla Synague and the Jewish Youth for Community Action.  David highlighted his commitment to the Sweatfree movement by looking to the city as the model for a Berkeley High campaign.

Next, the head of the Sweatfree Berkeley Coalition, Diana Bohn, spoke about the necessity of an ordinance and how the support of the Berkeley community will help its passage. Norma Harrison from the Peace and Freedom Party, urged Commission Members to think about how city buying patterns effect global labor standards and urged the commission to recommend not just a feel good ordinance, but one with teeth.  Abby Levine, from Progressive Jewish Alliance and active member of the Sweatfree Berkeley Coalition introduced the idea of supporting the Workers Rights Consortium (WRC) as the ordinance’s independent, non-profit monitor.  She also gave the commission detailed information on the necessary steps to passing the law and a breakdown of the much needed funding.  

People even came from Portland, OR to show their support! Deborah Schwartz, a member from Sweatfree Portland Coalition, spoke on how Berkeley can be a role model and beacon for the sweatfree movement.  Portland is looking to the City of Berkeley as a model for their own legislation and hopes Bay Area momentum will expand up and down the west coast.  She stated that if Berkeley allocated funding in the budget to help create a multi-city enforcement consortium, so would Portland. UC Davis student Tulsi Shah also came to testify in hopes that the City of Davis would also follow suit as the second small city in California to adopt/ratify a sweatfree procurement law.

Francesca Roveda came to show her support as a Berkeley resident who wants to see her city help to stop sweatshop abuses.  Alan Snitow from Progressive Jewish Alliance gave an eloquent testimony in favor of the ordinance.  Valerie Orth, Global Exchange’s Sweatfree Organizer and head of the Sweatfree San Francisco campaign, talked about her seasoned experiences in the Sweatfree movement, the accomplishments of San Francisco campaign, and the attributes of the WRC as an independent monitor.  She worked to dispel any misconceptions about the ordinance and emphasized the need for funding.  

Funding needs were definitely a running theme in each of our speakers’ testimonies as it is intrinsically linked to the success of such an ordinances.  Many of commission members applauded the efforts of the Sweatfree activists who spoke and lent their support and sympathies to the movement.  

Our planning, turnout, and compelling testimonies worked!  Hopefully with this recommendation from the Commission on Labor we can push forward with plans to make Berkeley sweatfree.  Thank you to all who spoke, helped with turnout and lent a hand in making Wednesday night a success!! See you at the city council budget hearing to show continued support. It will probably be on June 13 - we will send details when we have them!