Dear Readers,

We all know that the key to a better world is a stronger labour movement. But what we often forget is that one powerful way to strengthen unions is to "buy union" -- to purchase, where we can, products made by unionized workers.

Of course that's not made easy for us in the shops. My local supermarket has an organic section, a dairy section, a kosher section, but no "union section".

Most of us know the companies to avoid. We try not to buy products from notoriously anti-union employers. But it's much harder to find out which are the businesses that deserve our support.

This year, with the onset of the holiday shopping season, unions in the US led by the AFL-CIO, the UFCW and UNITE have taken the initiative of launching "Buy Union Week," which starts officially on November 29th.

They're encouraging union members to visit the brand-new "Union Mall" at http://www.nosweatshop.com where you can buy union clothing from a whole range of suppliers including UnionThreads, Unionwear, SweatX, Union Jean & Apparel, and No Sweat Apparel. All the clothing sold there is union made.

The AFL-CIO is also encouraging trade unionists to shop at The Union Shop, located at http://www.aflcio.org/shop and also at Justice Clothing, located at http://www.justiceclothing.com .

These are all good ideas and are worthy of our support. But do keep in mind that while shopping union, you can support LabourStart as well -- and keep our project going into the new year.

We have four specific suggestions:

1. Buy your books from Powells.com here --

http://www.powells.com/cgi-bin/partner?partner_id=23921

-- remembering that every dollar you spend at this unionized bookshop helps sustain LabourStart. Powells ships for free to addresses in the USA, Canada and Mexico.

2. Make sure to sign up to Powells.com's mailing list from here --

http://www.labourstart.org/powellslist.shtml

-- keeping in mind that LabourStart is paid $0.25 for every person who signs up. And remember: you don't have to live in North America, or ever purchase anything from Powells.com, to get on this mailing list.

3. Buy your union-made clothing from No Sweat Apparel using this special link --

http://www.nosweatapparel.com/miva/merchant.mv?Screen=SFNT&Store_Code=N&Affiliate =labourstart

-- and LabourStart will receive a small percentage of the sale. No Sweat is promoting its new fall line of vests, jackets, scarves, caps, and hats, all union made.

4. Pass this letter on; make sure every member of your union knows about "Buy Union Week".

If you don't live in the USA and the trade union movement in your country has something similar to the Union Mall -- online shops selling only union-made products -- let me know about it and I'll pass that information on.

So yes, by all means, buy union. And where you can -- make sure your purchase helps support LabourStart as well.

Thanks very much.

And a very Happy Thanksgiving to all our readers in the USA.

Eric Lee

[ 28 November 2003: Message edited by: robbie_dee ]