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Thursday, September 10, 2009

Activism / Green Community

What is Fair Trade?

Posted by Linda Taylor on Thu, Sep 10, 2009 at 10:03 AM

click to enlarge fairtrade_logo

What is Fair Trade?  With the recent celebration of Labor Day (which, by the way, was started in 1894 by President Grover Cleveland as a way to distract attention from May Day) - the real anniversary of radical labor activism - I want to talk more about labor: fair labor.

The fair trade movement sets out to empower producers at the local level by paying them fair wages for their labor, strengthening their local living conditions, and giving them a stronger voice in the market.

While free trade advocates push for international trade devoid of as much regulation as possible, fair trade advocates insist that free trade isn't enough. They argue that without regulation, a global trade system with power centralized at the international level will always hurt local-level workers.

While governments and global organizations continue to wrestle with the best ways to manage free trade from an international perspective, fair trade advocates have been trying to make a difference from the consumer end since the late 1980s. Instead of waiting for global and national groups to change the rules that govern business, they simply changed the way they did business.

How do fair trade businesses and organizations carry this out? It's all in the label.

click to enlarge Ftflogo
) is the trade association that strengthens and promotes North American organizations fully committed to fair trade. The Federation is part of the global fair trade movement, building equitable and sustainable trading partnerships and creating opportunities to alleviate poverty.  The FTF values trading relationships that distribute power, risks and rewards more equitably. They believe that trade should be used as a tool to help alleviate poverty, reduce inequality, and create opportunities for people to help themselves. Trade should promote fair compensation, safe and healthy conditions, direct and long-term relationships, transparent business practices, and workplaces free from discrimination and forced child labor. When trade encompasses these practices, the lives of all people and their communities improve.
click to enlarge GuideEndingSweatshops

So the next time your purchase clothing, think of who grew the fiber, spun the yarn, cut the cloth, stitched the hem, ironed the crease, attached the label, and prepared it for shipping.  Demand transparency – insist on fair labor practices.

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