ON BOARD The Voice of Public School Leadership
New York State School Boards Association

Districts may exclude some apparel bidders: Pataki signs "no sweat" bill Greg Roberts
Governmental Relations Representative

Governor George E. Pataki has signed legislation amending the General Municipal Law to grant school boards the authority to include labor standards when considering who qualifies as a responsible bidder for apparel bid solicitation.

"This is a good day for school boards, " said Joseph LoSciavo, a member of the Patchoque-Medford school board in Suffolk County. That board of education has proposed resolutions involving apparel bids and child labor at NYSSBA's last two annual business meetings. "When we took our oath as board members, we promised to protect all children," LoSciavo said.

Among the considerations a board may take into account are the manufacturer's use of child labor as well as employee compensation, working conditions, and unionization rights of workers. The proof required by a vendor to verify acceptable labor standards is left to the discretion of the board of education.

The legislation does not require school boards to exclude from consideration vendors who fail to submit proof of being a responsible bidder. Rather, it merely supplies boards with the authority to do so.

The legislation (S.3013/A.3219) was not opposed by NYSSBA because it is optional and will allow each participating board the opportunity to develop standards of satisfactory proof.

Delegates at NYSSBA's annual business meetings have voted down resolutions calling for "sweatfree-free" legislation. Delegates said they thought such resolutions were beyond the scope of NYSSBA's lobbying activities. Also, many members were concerned that in the absence of federal oversight, school boards might ultimately pay more money for goods manufactured by vendors who deceitfully asserted that their products were made in a "sweat free" environment.

If your district is interested in adopting a policy which sets forth how it will define the term "a responsible bidder," contact Karen McNamara, deputy director of policy and search services, at (800) 342-3360 for further information.

Volume 2, No. 18, October 15, 2001
ALBANY UPDATE

Pataki signs law against sweat shops
Associated Press

ALBANY--Gov. George Pataki has signed a new law to enable the state's school boards to consider garment makers' labor standards when buying school uniforms.

The law gives boards the authority to determine a garment manufacturer isn't a responsible bidder if it fails to meet certain employment standards, such as paying wages, observing child labor laws, maintaining workplace safety and allowing employee rights to form unions.

Boards also may decline to use an apparel maker for failure to supply sufficient information about its labor practices, whether or not a school purchase is required to go to competitive bid.

"By granting school boards the power to make informed choices when purchasing school apparel, we can strengthen our fight to protect workers and ensure that the taxpayer dollars spent by our schools won't go to manufacturers who refuse to comply with appropriate labor standards, " Pataki said in a Labor Day announcement.

Times Union, Albany, New York Tuesday, September 4, 2001