Kansas City, MO Declaring a Holiday Season of Conscience in Kansas City

Kansas City, MO, US

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Type: Resolution

Status: Adopted on 12/11/97

Vote: Unanimous

Source File: Click here

Text:

RESOLUTION NO. 971756
Declaring a Holiday Season of Conscience in Kansas City.

WHEREAS, the people of the United States spend over 300 billion dollars on clothing and toys each year, of which sixty percent is imported and experts estimate as much as one-half is made by workers who are paid in violation of local labor laws; and

WHEREAS, due to the intense global competition for paying jobs of any sort, local labor laws in many countries often do not require the paying of a living wage. Also, workers in the apparel and toy industry abroad include children, teenage women and others who must work long hours in unhealthy conditions and are often paid wages of thirty cents an hour or less; and

WHEREAS, competition from exploited, underpaid workers is contributing to the destruction of apparel, toy and other manufacturing in the United States and the loss of well paying jobs. This deindustrialization undermines the national, state and local economy and encourages Kansas Citians to purchase goods made by exploited labor; and

WHEREAS, in their fundamental decency and sense of justice the people of Kansas City, Missouri, believe in the dignity of labor, that all working people should be paid a living wage and that no one should be forced to work under harsh or unsafe conditions;

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE COUNCIL OF KANSAS CITY:
That the Mayor and Council hereby declare the holiday season to be a Holiday Season of Conscience in Kansas City and urge everyone to support an end of sweatshop abuse by committing to a sweat-free shopping season this holiday season; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that a copy of this Resolution be spread upon the Minutes of the Council in testimony thereof and that a copy hereof be presented to Jerry Meszaros, on behalf of United Methodist Bishop Fritz Moody.