Politics & Government

City of Clayton Bans Sweatshop Practices

In a unanimous vote Tuesday, the City of Clayton adopted a policy against sweatshop practices.

The ordinance states that the City expects "all those with whom it does business and from whom it purchases apparel and textiles to be aware of the conditions in the production facilities where such items were produced and to not deal in goods from production facilities engaged in sweatshop practices."

The ordinance was proposed by Ward II Alderwoman Michelle Harris in May. She said she was called to action after seeing media coverage of the garment factory collapse in Bangladesh which killed close to 1,127 people.

"This is a women's issue and it's a child labor issue," she said in May.

Clayton joins nine states, 40 cities, 15 counties, 118 school districts, and one nationwide religious denomination  that have adopted such “sweat free” policies, according to grassroots organization Sweatfree.org.  

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That list includes the City of St. Louis, St. Louis County and University City.

See our previous story:  City of Clayton to Explore 'Sweat Free' Ordinance

Find out what's happening in Clayton-Richmond Heightswith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Clayton may require vendors to certify they have made inquiries into the production of their goods. Mayor Harold Sanger noted Tuesday that the financial onus is on the vendors and not the city to comply with the ordinance. 

The city has the right to verify the information but the ordinance does not require an audit of city vendors.

Under the Clayton ordinance, sweatshop practices are defined as: 

  • Failure to comply with domestic labor laws in the country where the apparel or textiles were manufactured, including those pertaining to wages, hours, forced and child labor and freedom of association;
  • Engaging in behavior that harasses or abuses a worker in a sexual, psychological or verbal manner; or subjects a worker to corporal punishment;
  • Exposing workers to toxic chemicals and conditions which endanger health while failing to take appropriate measures to safeguard workers.


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