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Indybay Feature
UC SweatFree Coalition stages sit-in at the Office of the President
On Friday, March 10, 17 students from 5 UC campuses (San Diego, Riverside, Santa Cruz, Berkeley, and Davis) participated in a mini-sit-in at the University of California Office of the President (UCOP). Lasting about an hour, we staged the sit-in to protest the lack of action taken by President Dynes to enforce our university's Code of Conduct for Trademark Licensees and cut contracts with Coca-Cola.
Over 5 years ago, the UC adopted a Code of Conduct for Trademark Licensees (Code) stipulating that any brand (Licensee) given permission to produce apparel with UC logos must:
-comply, at the very least, with local laws (including those regarding the environment)
-conduct themselves with honesty, integrity, trustworthiness, and respect for others
-pay their workers a living wage
-abide by overtime and work week regulations, pay overtime wages, provide at least one day off per week, and not use forced labor
-not use child labor
-ensure a safe and healthy work environment
-not discriminate against current and potential employees, including females who are pregrant
-not harass or abuse any employee in any way
-recognize and respect workers' rights to freely associate and bargain collectively
-disclose the names and locations of all contractors and subcontractors
However, there have been no meaningful steps taken to enforce this Code since it's adoption in 2000. It is for this reason that we have been demanding the UC adopt a program called the Designated Suppliers Program (DSP) in order to enforce its Code. The DSP, created by United Students Against Sweatshops and unveiled on September 28, 2005, calls for Licensees to be required to source collegiate apparel from factories that produce primarily or exclusively for the collegiate apparel market and have been designated 'good' by the Worker's Rights Consortium (WRC), an independent, non-corporate monitoring agency. Also since September, seven other universities have officially adopted the DSP, including:
-University of Connecticut
-Duke University
-Georgetown University
-Indiana University
-Smith College
-University of Maine-Farmington
-University of Wisconsin-Madison
- Hamilton College
- Syracuse University
As of yet, neither the UC Code of Conduct Committee that had been set up to oversee this issue, nor any of the Chancellors, nor President Dynes have made public statements in support of this program. During Friday’s sit-in, we demanded to speak with President Dynes regarding this issue but were received, instead, by Associate President Linda Morris Williams, who only offered to arrange for an official meeting between us and President Dynes.
Refusing to leave, we remained non-violent and seated for about an hour while engaging Associate President Williams and others in conversation about various issues including the Code of Conduct Committee, sweatshops and the global garment industry, campus labor issues, administrators' exuberant salaries, and Coca-cola, while security watched and threatened to call the police. We chanted phrases such as ‘Ole, Ole, Ole... UC... Sweat Free!’ as we were escorted out of the building by security.
Our message to President Dynes was clear: this was a preview of greater events to come if the DSP is not adopted soon.
-comply, at the very least, with local laws (including those regarding the environment)
-conduct themselves with honesty, integrity, trustworthiness, and respect for others
-pay their workers a living wage
-abide by overtime and work week regulations, pay overtime wages, provide at least one day off per week, and not use forced labor
-not use child labor
-ensure a safe and healthy work environment
-not discriminate against current and potential employees, including females who are pregrant
-not harass or abuse any employee in any way
-recognize and respect workers' rights to freely associate and bargain collectively
-disclose the names and locations of all contractors and subcontractors
However, there have been no meaningful steps taken to enforce this Code since it's adoption in 2000. It is for this reason that we have been demanding the UC adopt a program called the Designated Suppliers Program (DSP) in order to enforce its Code. The DSP, created by United Students Against Sweatshops and unveiled on September 28, 2005, calls for Licensees to be required to source collegiate apparel from factories that produce primarily or exclusively for the collegiate apparel market and have been designated 'good' by the Worker's Rights Consortium (WRC), an independent, non-corporate monitoring agency. Also since September, seven other universities have officially adopted the DSP, including:
-University of Connecticut
-Duke University
-Georgetown University
-Indiana University
-Smith College
-University of Maine-Farmington
-University of Wisconsin-Madison
- Hamilton College
- Syracuse University
As of yet, neither the UC Code of Conduct Committee that had been set up to oversee this issue, nor any of the Chancellors, nor President Dynes have made public statements in support of this program. During Friday’s sit-in, we demanded to speak with President Dynes regarding this issue but were received, instead, by Associate President Linda Morris Williams, who only offered to arrange for an official meeting between us and President Dynes.
Refusing to leave, we remained non-violent and seated for about an hour while engaging Associate President Williams and others in conversation about various issues including the Code of Conduct Committee, sweatshops and the global garment industry, campus labor issues, administrators' exuberant salaries, and Coca-cola, while security watched and threatened to call the police. We chanted phrases such as ‘Ole, Ole, Ole... UC... Sweat Free!’ as we were escorted out of the building by security.
Our message to President Dynes was clear: this was a preview of greater events to come if the DSP is not adopted soon.
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Does anyone have any information about this group? Is it a public board or private? How do they evaluate that a product is workshop free? Also for the upteenth time which companies supplying for the UC system are connected with sweatshops?
Some of the larger companies like Nike, Reebok, Adidas, and Champion sub-contract their college apparel production to factorires that have low wages, poor working conditions and no union representation.
There is a great search engine called google.com. Maybe you've heard of it? You obviously know how to type. Next time, please do your own research...
From workersrights.org:
The Worker Rights Consortium (WRC) is a non-profit organization created by college and university administrations, students and labor rights experts. The WRC's purpose is to assist in the enforcement of manufacturing Codes of Conduct adopted by colleges and universities; these Codes are designed to ensure that factories producing clothing and other goods bearing college and university names respect the basic rights of workers. There are more than 100 colleges and universities affiliated with the WRC.
There is a great search engine called google.com. Maybe you've heard of it? You obviously know how to type. Next time, please do your own research...
From workersrights.org:
The Worker Rights Consortium (WRC) is a non-profit organization created by college and university administrations, students and labor rights experts. The WRC's purpose is to assist in the enforcement of manufacturing Codes of Conduct adopted by colleges and universities; these Codes are designed to ensure that factories producing clothing and other goods bearing college and university names respect the basic rights of workers. There are more than 100 colleges and universities affiliated with the WRC.
I did look up your little site. It fails to list the abusers and it also fails to explain how the companies are evuated. What it does show is a nice little board group of AFL-CIO staff. Is it safe to assume that any nonunion companies are automatically considered slave shops? How about those not paying your $1,000 company member fee. Another interesting fact is that for an organization that claims to have evaluated the entire UC system, only one of its schools is listed in your database. It also did not provide a list of any abusers in connection with that school.
chicano
I can see how this new term might be confusing. but with effort you may be able to cope with the concept
I can see how this new term might be confusing. but with effort you may be able to cope with the concept
You bring up some good, but confused, points.
Background: a single brand/licensee (ie, Nike) may use thousands of factories around the world. This definately makes it hard to monitor. Right now, the WRC works on a complaint based system of monitoring (workers/union file a complaint); obviously it's impossible for an agency to closely monitor tens upon thousands of factories. When the WRC gets a complaint, they investigate, create a report, and give the factory a timeline to rectify the problems in order to keep contracts with universities.
Read the FAQs about the WRC at: http://www.workersrights.org/about_faq.asp
It explains they work with local NGO's (non-gov't org's) to investigate and monitor factories. You can read actual reports on factories that have been investigated on the website, too.
Also see: WRC Powerpoint Presentation- "The Anatomy of an Investigation" and "Key Principles Underlying the WRC's Work"
in the About Us section of the website
The fee you mention is not paid by companies or factories. It is the membership fee for universities who want to affiliate with the WRC. In the FAQs it says an affiliated college or university must pay annually "either $1,000 or 1% of gross licensing revenues, whichever is greater".
Part of being a WRC member school involves disclosing the names and locations of factories that are used to make the school's apparel. Brands are required to disclose that info to the school and the school reports that to the WRC. If only one UC campus is listed in the WRCs online factory database that means that the other 9 campuses are not disclosing and/or updating this info. (And actually there are 2 campuses listed: Davis and Santa Barbara). Again, this online database is simply disclosing the names and locations of the factories that are being used to produce a particular school's apparel.
As I explained above, it is impossible to efficiently, accurately, and externally monitor thousands of factories at the same time- which is why the WRC works on a complaint based system. One way to ensure that workers have a voice (and bargaining power- ie, for better wages) within a factory is the presence of a legitamate union- one that has been democratically elected. So yes, the presence of a union or similar representative body (such as a cooperative) is a requirement of being designated a 'good' factory.
Background: a single brand/licensee (ie, Nike) may use thousands of factories around the world. This definately makes it hard to monitor. Right now, the WRC works on a complaint based system of monitoring (workers/union file a complaint); obviously it's impossible for an agency to closely monitor tens upon thousands of factories. When the WRC gets a complaint, they investigate, create a report, and give the factory a timeline to rectify the problems in order to keep contracts with universities.
Read the FAQs about the WRC at: http://www.workersrights.org/about_faq.asp
It explains they work with local NGO's (non-gov't org's) to investigate and monitor factories. You can read actual reports on factories that have been investigated on the website, too.
Also see: WRC Powerpoint Presentation- "The Anatomy of an Investigation" and "Key Principles Underlying the WRC's Work"
in the About Us section of the website
The fee you mention is not paid by companies or factories. It is the membership fee for universities who want to affiliate with the WRC. In the FAQs it says an affiliated college or university must pay annually "either $1,000 or 1% of gross licensing revenues, whichever is greater".
Part of being a WRC member school involves disclosing the names and locations of factories that are used to make the school's apparel. Brands are required to disclose that info to the school and the school reports that to the WRC. If only one UC campus is listed in the WRCs online factory database that means that the other 9 campuses are not disclosing and/or updating this info. (And actually there are 2 campuses listed: Davis and Santa Barbara). Again, this online database is simply disclosing the names and locations of the factories that are being used to produce a particular school's apparel.
As I explained above, it is impossible to efficiently, accurately, and externally monitor thousands of factories at the same time- which is why the WRC works on a complaint based system. One way to ensure that workers have a voice (and bargaining power- ie, for better wages) within a factory is the presence of a legitamate union- one that has been democratically elected. So yes, the presence of a union or similar representative body (such as a cooperative) is a requirement of being designated a 'good' factory.
It does seem impossible that an agency would be able to investigate a corp. like Nike, but what would be the point of the code of conduct for the university if they did not encourage it? also, do people understand how hard it is to even get a thing like a code of conduct for universities? it is obvious that the administration was not taking the united students group seriously but this could also be because they were not making a tremendous enough effort. either way, i support group who staged a sit in to further the efforts to extinguish coco-cola products from the university. the are one the right path and hopefully further inspire people to ban killer coke from universities and high schools.
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