1.What is a sweatshop?
2. What is no-sweat?
3. Do you boycott?
4. What is a no-sweat policy?
5. Won't things cost more with this policy?
6. How do I find out where my clothes are made?
7. Where can I get no-sweat products?
8. Why is the World Trade Organization important?
9. Why aren't these workers trying to change their own situation?
10. What can I do?

Q: What is a Sweatshop?
A: A sweatshop is a place of employment that does not pay workers a fair living wage for the work they do. (A living wage is enough to get the necessities of life for themselves and their families) The conditions in a sweatshop are often not ideal. They may include 14 hour days, physical/sexual assault, pressure to work overtime, children working there, being fired for being pregnant. Etc.

Q: What is No Sweat?
A: 'No Sweat' means working towards fair and ethical working conditions for all employees. It is supporting the right to allow unionization of workers. It is the idea of supporting companies that treat their workers well and pay them a living wage. This is what our on campus group does.

Q: Do you Boycott?
A: No. Ethical shopping is not about boycotting. Our No Sweat Coalition is a labour-supporting initiative, so we encourage making right choices and acting on informed decisions about the products we buy. Sometimes boycotts can hurt the people we want to help. Sweatshops can sometimes be the only alternatives to the streets, or working in the sex trade. If a boycott puts a plant or company out of business, the workers are in an even worse place. We instead try and support workers, and help them towards better working conditions.

Q: What is a No Sweat Policy?
A: A No Sweat Policy is a policy that encourages full disclosure of the purchasing chain of where a product comes from. (We are currently trying to get one implemented at Mount Allison for all school clothing.) This way one knows exactly where the product comes from, and can insist that certain factories become No Sweat.

Q: Won't things cost more with this policy?
A: They may end up with a higher monetary cost, but will have less of a moral cost. The drain on peoples lives will be lessened.

Q: How do I find out where my clothes are made?
A: It is very difficult to find out in what exact factory clothes are made. This is especially true in a situation that involves the use of sweat shops, the manufacturers would not want to reveal this fact to the consumers. You can try to research you clothes by checking the tag, calling the company, finding out the supplier and as far as possible down the line.

Q: Where can I get No Sweat Products?
A: It may not always be possible to tell whether or not a product is No Sweat. Good bets are: Make it yourself if possible! Buy from local farmers and artisans. Try buying at second hand stores, this way profit doesn’t go back and support sweatshops.

Q: Why is the World Trade Organization important?
A: See the BBC Timeline of the World Trade Organization

The World Trade Organisation, formed in 1995, is the international body which governs world trade. It does this through a series of agreements, or rules, which are negotiated between its members. A series of trade negotiations is called a 'round' (e.g. the 'Uruguay Round', which was launched in Uruguay in 1986).

The four main agreements are the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT), the General Agreement on Trade in Services (GATS), the Agreement on Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS), and the Agreement on Trade-Related Investment Measures (TRIMS).

The members of the WTO are drawn from countries across the world. They currently number 144 (as of April 2002), with others applying to join. The WTO's highest decision-making body is the Ministerial Council, which meets at least once every two years.

*This information is quoted from www.maketradefair.com *

Since the WTO controls world trade, it has the power to enact regulations that would promote good labour conditions.

Q: Why aren't these workers trying to change their own situation?
A: They are. All the time. There is a lot going on that doesn't reach the public eye. Only when the workers decide to take their struggle to a public, international campaign do we get to hear about it. Any many of these workers organizations contact groups in Canada and other developed countries; for a glimpse of workers' resistance and what you can do to help, you can see check our the site links.

Q: What can I do?
A: You can join the Campus No Sweat Coalition. You can check out all our links and become a more informed world citizen. You can take action s that are suggested on various websites. You can attend conferences. You can campaign for No Sweat uniform policies in your school/town/province/workplace. You can NOT become complacent.