HomeMy WebLinkAbout1997-06-09 97-267 RESOLVECOUNCH, ACTION
Item No 91-2 II
Date: 6-9-97
ItentSubjecb RESOLVE, Declaring that Clothes for Sales Is our Community Should be
Manufactured In Accordance with Established International Codes of
Corporate Conduct
Responsible Department City Council
Commentary:
The munched Resolve appears an the agendathrough the efforts of the Bangor Clean Clothes Campaign.
It declares the views of flus Council that clothes for sale in our community should be manufactured in
accordance with established international codes of corporate conduct such as those in the
United Nation's "Universal Declaration of Human Rit;W and various conventions adopted by the
International Labor Organization.
The attached Resolve has been unnerved by the Municipal Operations Committee which recommends
your approval. Representatives ofthe Clean Clothes Campaign wilt be present on Monday, evening to
address the Cowed and answer any questions you may have.
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Associated Information:
Resolve
Budget Apprnal:
Finance Drector
Legal Approval:
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Introduced for
T Passage
_ First Reading PW—Of—
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97-267
Arstg,,d co C01ae1107 Sullivan June 9, 1997
CITY OF BANGOR
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MagyLgGL=Ain,Accorda with EsWblishedkn afional C.rrdesof CoBorate Conduct
By she City Cauaeil or the City ofBunyor.
MB LVED,
WHEREAS, Bangor is a commuaitY that upholds the dignity of every human being, promotes
basic human rights, and supports social and economic justice; and
WHEREAS, Bangor is a community that believes jobs should fairly compensate hard work
with a living wage, that health and safety of working laconic should be protected,
and that all forms ofunhmful discrimination and abuse should not be tolerated;
and
WHEREAS, many of the garments currently produced far Bangor markets are manufactured is
sweatshop conditions characterized by poverty wages, forced overtime, child
labor, an unsafe and wealthy workplace, and often abusive working conditions;
and
WHEREAS, established international standards for the ethical manufacture of clothes a re
routinely violated by many apparel makers who supply our community's retail
stores; and
WHEREAS, sweatshops have been and continue to be adirect cause ofjob loss and depressed
wages for Maine citizervs, whose companies relocate firr cheap labor, or threaten
plant closings to force lower wages coal contract wncesvova; and
WHEREAS, citizens who shop in Bangor have a right to expect that items for sale are
produced under conditions consistent with am community values; and
WHEREAS, the City of Bangor can make a significant contribution to the campaigns against
sweatshop manufacturing of clothing by supporting the enforcement of
established ethical codes of corporate conduct; and
WHEREAS, there exists widespread popular support in the greater Bangor area for the
principle that clothes sold in Bangor ought to he made under ethical conditions of
production;
IN CITY COUNCIL 9]-36]
June 9, 1997
Passed vote: 9 yea R E S O L V E
Councilors voting yes: Aube, Baldacci,
Blanchette, Farnham, Leen, Soucy,
Sullivan, Tyler 6 woodcock netlarine that Clotbea for sales in our
Cocube city Should be Manufactured i
Accordance with Established International
Codes of COrpOYate Conduct
97-267
NOW, THEREFORE, WE THC BANGOR CITY COUNCIL, declare that all clothes for sale m
our community, produced in the U.S. or abroad, should be manufactured in
accordance with established international codes of corporate wnduct regarding
wages, workplace health andl safety, forced labor, child labor, and Leedom of
association, as embodied in United Nations (U.N.) and International Labor
Orgerdzation (I.L.O.) conventions.
Statement of P� The supporting standards for this Resolution include: the International
Labor Organization's Convention on the Rights of the Child (Article 32. 1),
I.L.O. Conventions Section 29, Addle 2, Section 105, Article 1, Section
87, Article 2, and Section 98, Article 1; the United Nations Draft
Declaration on Gender Equity (paragraph 139), the U.N. General
Assembly Universal Declaration of Human Rights (Article 4, 5, 23, 1,
Z3.3,23.4, and 24).