US Government Spends Over $1 Billion a Year on Sweatshop Buying Spree

[unhappycamper]

http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2013/12/23-1



New York Times report cites international trade agreements as catalyst behind poor federal procurement practices

US Government Spends Over $1 Billion a Year on Sweatshop Buying Spree
- Lauren McCauley, staff writer
Published on Monday, December 23, 2013 by Common Dreams

Despite pledging zero tolerance against overseas factories that scorn fair labor and safety practices, according to a New York Times investigation published Sunday, the United States federal government, "one of the world's biggest clothing buyers," spends over $1.5 billion a year purchasing items from reported sweatshops.

According to a series of interviews and audits obtained by the Times, American government suppliers frequently purchase military apparel, federal employee uniforms and other supplies from companies with reported safety violations and harsh working conditions including padlocked fire exits, buildings at risk of collapse, falsified wage records, underage workers, worker intimidation and, in some cases, torture.

&quot Federal agencies) exert less oversight of foreign suppliers than many retailers do," writes Times reporter Ian Urbina. "And there is no law prohibiting the federal government from buying clothes produced overseas under unsafe or abusive conditions."

Speaking to a number of federal procurement officials, Gordon notes that supposed "free-trade" agreements and low-cost-above-all-else mandates have incentivized the federal government away from pushing for fair labor reform or buying practices.