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I'd Rather Go Naked! Students Against Sweatshops |
Photo: A protester at University of CA Santa Cruz. © Josh Sonnenfeld
by Ruth Robertson
CALIFORNIA - A flourish of student protests against sweatshops is blanketing the US. Students from Southern Mississippi to Massachusetts to Minnesota, plus dozens more, are demonstrating against unethical workplaces as well as unethical practices of universities that purchase logo T-shirts, sweatshirts and socks from them.
Most of these colleges were still experiencing chilly temperatures in early March, but in sunny California, students had a unique way to demonstrate. With temperatures averaging in the high 60's, students in Berkeley, San Diego, and Santa Cruz organized a "clothing-optional" protest.
Using slogans such as "We care what we wear" and "I’d rather go naked that wear sweatshop clothing," University of California (UC) students appealed to administrators to get a grip on apparel companies that exploit desperate workers.
Their campaign, organized by United Students Against Sweatshops (USAS), urged state of California universities to sign on to a designated suppliers program that ensures dignified labor conditions. USAS has identified a number of factories around the world, including many in southeast Asia, Central America and Africa, which operate under fair conditions. Student members hope to create a collegiate sector of worker-friendly factories and a proven market for goods made under ethical conditions.
Universities purchase clothing that is designed under licensing arrangements by companies like Reebok, Champion, and Nike which outsource their production to factories in parts of the world with cheap labor. Because their college logo apparel is only a tiny part of total production, it is difficult to hold them accountable.
Student activists are demanding that universities require licensees to contract exclusively with factories that adhere strictly to codes of ethical conduct. They stipulate that employees be represented by independent labor unions or employee-owned cooperatives, and be paid a living wage.
Good news: The Nation reports that a growing number of university administrators share feelings about sourcing university logo apparel, and are more willing to try the approaches advocated by students.
Contact: Students Against Sweatshops
www.studentsagainstsweatshops.org
Tel: (202) NO SWEAT
CALIFORNIA - A flourish of student protests against sweatshops is blanketing the US. Students from Southern Mississippi to Massachusetts to Minnesota, plus dozens more, are demonstrating against unethical workplaces as well as unethical practices of universities that purchase logo T-shirts, sweatshirts and socks from them.
Most of these colleges were still experiencing chilly temperatures in early March, but in sunny California, students had a unique way to demonstrate. With temperatures averaging in the high 60's, students in Berkeley, San Diego, and Santa Cruz organized a "clothing-optional" protest.
Using slogans such as "We care what we wear" and "I’d rather go naked that wear sweatshop clothing," University of California (UC) students appealed to administrators to get a grip on apparel companies that exploit desperate workers.
Their campaign, organized by United Students Against Sweatshops (USAS), urged state of California universities to sign on to a designated suppliers program that ensures dignified labor conditions. USAS has identified a number of factories around the world, including many in southeast Asia, Central America and Africa, which operate under fair conditions. Student members hope to create a collegiate sector of worker-friendly factories and a proven market for goods made under ethical conditions.
Universities purchase clothing that is designed under licensing arrangements by companies like Reebok, Champion, and Nike which outsource their production to factories in parts of the world with cheap labor. Because their college logo apparel is only a tiny part of total production, it is difficult to hold them accountable.
Student activists are demanding that universities require licensees to contract exclusively with factories that adhere strictly to codes of ethical conduct. They stipulate that employees be represented by independent labor unions or employee-owned cooperatives, and be paid a living wage.
Good news: The Nation reports that a growing number of university administrators share feelings about sourcing university logo apparel, and are more willing to try the approaches advocated by students.
Contact: Students Against Sweatshops
www.studentsagainstsweatshops.org
Tel: (202) NO SWEAT
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