Unions protest Olympic uniforms

Thu, 15 Jul 1999 | Source: AFP

SYDNEY (AFP): Only half of the clothes the 60,000 Olympic workers will wear at next year's Sydney Olympics will be made in Australia, the New South Wales Labor Council said on Wednesday.

Council secretary Michael Costa said he had asked Sydney Organizing Committee for the Olympic Games deputy chief executive Jim Sloman to pay for a union official to travel to Fiji, Indonesia and Malaysia to ensure Olympic clothing was not being made in "sweatshop" conditions.

"We are disappointed that only about 50 percent of SOCOG's requirements would be met by Australian manufacturers," Costa said.

He expected to meet the Australian Olympic Committee next week to discuss overseas contracts for athletes' and officials' clothing.

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