By Lisa Carolin
Could the City of Chelsea could become the first Fair Trade City in Michigan?
And if so, what, exactly, does that mean?
Fair trade means helping the artisans and farmers around the world who make and grow products to get a fair share of the profits as well as to ensure safe and healthy working conditions.
“Fair trade means participating in a Democratic process, adhering to certain environmental standards, treating men and women equally, and using no child labor,” says Rebecca Meuninck, one of the people involved in the effort to make Chelsea a Fair Trade city.
She co-chairs the local group with Gail McCulloch, who along with a few others, have all been associated with the then Mission Marketplace, now Global Marketplace, the Chelsea store on West Middle Street that sells a number of Fair Trade products.
Some of the objectives of Fair Trade are promoting understanding between low-income artisans and the people of developed regions, as well as building long-term trade relationships with healthy and safe working conditions and financial and technical assistance.
“Under Fair Trade, labor conditions can be better for people,” said Meuninck. “It’s a third party certifier system that makes sure standards are being met.”
Which means — those items that qualify as Fair Trade receive certification. Meuninck says that this an opportunity to educate the people of Chelsea about what they’re buying.
“It’s a hand up, not a hand out,” said Meuninck. “It’s good public relations for people and businesses in Chelsea to brag about having Fair Trade in local stores, hospitals and churches. It’s also a connection that extends to the world marketplace.”
Meuninck says her group is working on model language for a Fair Trade resolution that they will then present to the Chelsea City Council. Her group’s goal is get the Council to adopt a Fair Trade resolution by the end of the year.
