Give union-made this holiday – National Consumers League

Michell McIntyreBy Michell K. McIntyre, NCL’s Special Project on Wage Theft

As we’re all scrambling to finish our holiday shopping, we tend to grab things convenient and easy. However, we should put some thought into the companies that we buy from. Are they good to their employees? Are they using child labor in the production of their goods?

Our friends at American Rights at Work, along with the NFL Players Association, recently produced a holiday gift-giving guide for union-made products and services. The guide breaks down recipients into various categories: sports fans, do-it-yourselfers, holiday lovers, foodies, booklovers and word freaks, families with small children or the young at heart, bargain shoppers, jetsetters and entertainers. Once you locate your recipient’s proper category, you’ll find a helpful list of union-made gifts to fit their interests. Some of the unions highlighted in the guide include: USW, IAM, UFW, UFCW, ILWU and many others.

For the candy lovers in your life, be sure to check out the list of union-made sweets from the Bakery, Confectionery, Tobacco Workers and Grain Millers International Union. Being a conscientious shopper never tasted so good.

And, if you’re in the market for a carpet or rug, please look for products with the GoodWeave label. GoodWeave, an organization dedicated to ending child labor in the carpet industry, certifies certain carpets and rugs as child labor-free. In an industry littered with child workers, GoodWeave takes a stand to stop child labor and give children in Nepal, India, and Afghanistan an opportunity to an education. So during this gift buying holiday season, please take the extra five or ten minutes to look into the companies you’re buying from.