Fair Trade in Milwaukee

Adding to its many designations, Milwaukee can now boast to be the nation's first "fair trade city" after the Common Council passed Ald. Tony Zielinski's fair trade city resolution in July. The alderman said he believes the "fair trade" status will help the city economically and in other ways.

"Fair trade city status is the right thing to do from a human rights standpoint because of the horrible sweatshop conditions that produce far too many products that make it into this country," he said. "But fair trade is also important because sweatshop practices in other countries are costing Americans family supporting jobs, and government must use its purchasing power to lead the way to social justice."

With adoption of the resolution, the City of Milwaukee joins more than 300 Fair Trade Towns within the United Kingdom and Europe.
 
Michael Howden, coordinator of the Milwaukee Clean Clothes Campaign – an effort to convince stores here not to carry sweatshop-produced clothing items – said the fair trade city status is important for all Milwaukeeans to embrace. "We've found that most of the Milwaukee residents we talk to about the fair trade issue agree with the moral and ethical stand that is being taken against the degradation, exploitation and abuse that occurs in sweatshops, and now we're moving forward with educating people so that governments, businesses and individuals can make responsible buying decisions and support fair trade," said Howden.

Milwaukee’s Fair Trade City Resolution

For more information about Fair Trade:
Milwaukee Fair Trade Coalition  www.milwfairtrade.org 

TransFair USA  www.transfairusa.org 

European Fair Trade Association  www.eftafairtrade.org 

Fairtrade Labelling Organizations International  www.fairtrade.net

International Fair Trade Association  www.ifat.org

Network European Worldshops  www.worldshops.org