UNITE-Here pushing for decent conditions for military garment workers
- 03/20/06
Bruce Raynor, head of UNITE-HERE, says his union will continue to push for the Pentagon to require decent work standards for the 20,000 garment workers making U.S. military uniforms. UNITE-HERE says these workers are working in sweatshop conditions right here in the U.S. making uniforms worn by U.S. troops in Iraq, Afghanistan and around the world.
[Bruce Raynor 1]: "For the U.S. military - spending procurement - is the largest employer of garment workers, single employer of garment workers, in the United States. Yet the military refuses to set any standards for wages and benefits, safety and health. And therefore the workers in many of those factories are working in sweatshop conditions.
Raynor says the Pentagon contracts require that the uniforms are made in the USA and he says the Pentagon can also set decent working standards.
[Raynor 2]: "Fortunately there are many members of Congress - both Democrats and Republicans - that find it outrageous that mothers of soldiers serving in Iraq have to be on food stamps to make uniforms for their
sons. Both Democrats and Republicans find it outrageous."
Contact Congress and demand a living wage for Pentagon garment workers.
Related Article: U.S. POVERTY WORST IN INDUSTRIALISED WORLD
Sample Letter:
Dear ( Represative)
It has come to my attention that the working standards for the garment workers who make our U.S. military uniforms are similar to sweatshop conditions. This is completely unacceptable for one of the wealthiest countries in the world.
Don't you think that the mothers of soldiers who are serving in Iraq should earn enough money to afford at least the basic necessities of survival? I certainly think so, and I'll bet that the majority of your constituents do too.
If Pentagon contracts require that United States military uniforms are made in the USA, then the Pentagon should also set decent working standards and a decent wage for the over 20,000 garment workers who make our soldiers uniforms.
I urge you to introduce legislation that will set a living wage for the garment workers who toil for the benefit of our troops. As a nation that spends over half of a trillion dollars on a defense budget annually, not including the Iraq and Afghanistan wars, it's obvious that we can do better.
Sincerely,
- 03/20/06
Bruce Raynor, head of UNITE-HERE, says his union will continue to push for the Pentagon to require decent work standards for the 20,000 garment workers making U.S. military uniforms. UNITE-HERE says these workers are working in sweatshop conditions right here in the U.S. making uniforms worn by U.S. troops in Iraq, Afghanistan and around the world.
[Bruce Raynor 1]: "For the U.S. military - spending procurement - is the largest employer of garment workers, single employer of garment workers, in the United States. Yet the military refuses to set any standards for wages and benefits, safety and health. And therefore the workers in many of those factories are working in sweatshop conditions.
Raynor says the Pentagon contracts require that the uniforms are made in the USA and he says the Pentagon can also set decent working standards.
[Raynor 2]: "Fortunately there are many members of Congress - both Democrats and Republicans - that find it outrageous that mothers of soldiers serving in Iraq have to be on food stamps to make uniforms for their
sons. Both Democrats and Republicans find it outrageous."Contact Congress and demand a living wage for Pentagon garment workers.
Related Article: U.S. POVERTY WORST IN INDUSTRIALISED WORLD
Sample Letter:
Dear ( Represative)
It has come to my attention that the working standards for the garment workers who make our U.S. military uniforms are similar to sweatshop conditions. This is completely unacceptable for one of the wealthiest countries in the world.
Don't you think that the mothers of soldiers who are serving in Iraq should earn enough money to afford at least the basic necessities of survival? I certainly think so, and I'll bet that the majority of your constituents do too.
If Pentagon contracts require that United States military uniforms are made in the USA, then the Pentagon should also set decent working standards and a decent wage for the over 20,000 garment workers who make our soldiers uniforms.
I urge you to introduce legislation that will set a living wage for the garment workers who toil for the benefit of our troops. As a nation that spends over half of a trillion dollars on a defense budget annually, not including the Iraq and Afghanistan wars, it's obvious that we can do better.
Sincerely,
posted by Van at 6:49 AM
4 Comments:
I agree. But if they are US companies, then you need to hold them to the levels of other US companies. You can not start to write laws that force certain companies to have higher standards than others.
MD- for once we agree! LOL.
Yes, I completely concur with you. Now you're starting to see my point.
Bryan - right on!
I'd rather look at it as "reaching middle ground." lol
Sometimes things are just right. Common sense people from either side will see that. Note, there is a big difference between regulating a wage and then going down the health insurance road. For this one I say we stick to working conditions and wage. Leave it there and yes, I agree with you.
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