Sweatshops

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Sweatshops

• LSJ/SIS 322
• Dec 2009

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How to improve human rights in apparel industry

• Challenges in applying a fair trade model to
  clothing
• Codes of conduct
• Corporate
• Universities

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Codes of conduct

• Independent monitors to ensure code compliance
• Fair Labor Association 1999
• Workers Rights Consortium 2001
• Limited effectiveness because
• System reliant on worker complaints, yet w/
  rampant abuse, this unreliable
• Limited resources to monitor factories
• Pressure on brands, factories limited
• Universities can play a key role, but seldom do
• Market pressures promote noncompliance

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UW and Estofel case

• As result of student and faculty attention to
  case, workers got paid 648,000 by factory
  management
• University reluctance to put pressure on business
  partners (brands)
• Accountability for brands?

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Russell case

• Russell Athletic/Fruit of the Loom fired 1200
  workers from Jerzees de Honduras factory
  following unionization (Jan 08)
• 89 universities cut contracts
• November 2009 historic agreement
• Russell reopens factory, rehires workers
• Implements union-friendly policies
• Unprecedented victory for antisweatshop activism

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Hugger/VisionTex cases

• Factories closed in Jan 2009 after unionization,
  without paying workers
• Nike originally disclosed factories, then changed
  story
• Last week UW committee found Nike in violation of
  Code of Conduct on 2 counts
• gt What should the UW do?

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Designated Supplier Program (WRC)

• Idea is to change architecture of apparel economy
  (for university apparel only)
• Designated factories comply fully with code
• Allow freedom of organization into representative
  bodies
• Living wage
• Produce primarily for university market
• Factories would be paid a higher price for goods,
  and promised ongoing orders
• A bold test of whether increased prices and
  stable sourcing translate into improvements for
  workers

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Will it work?

• More universities must sign on only 2 of top 20
  schools have done so (UW is fifth largest to sign
  on so far)
• Licensees must agree to it dont know if they
  will
• WRC must administer it dont know if it can
• But the conversation is moving forward, and that
  is hopeful

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By way of conclusion

• US universities -- students -- have the chance to
  change the global apparel industry
• Asi como nosotros nos esforzábamos en hacerles
  la ropa lo mejor que podíamos, por favor
  apóyennos ahora
• Sólo queremos que nos traten como humanos

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Thank you!