UB Students Against Sweatshops started the semester Tuesday night with a crowd of new and anxious students hoping to build on the group's progress of last year, when it petitioned for UB to join various workers' rights organizations.
This year's Students Against Sweatshops members plan to focus their efforts on the Worker's Rights Consortium, an international monitoring organization that focuses on keeping universities informed of the conditions in the factories where their apparel is manufactured.
"Our vision is to work with this organization and others to form solidarity in creating a sweatshop free campus," said Jessica Carrancio, a junior math and Spanish major.
According to Students Against Sweatshops, the Worker's Rights Consortium generates codes of conduct between companies and universities that include paying legal minimum wages, the necessity of a labor union, and worker compensation.
In 2002, 13 schools -- including Notre Dame, New York University and Ohio State -- dropped their contracts with New Era, citing the apparel company's manufacturing policies. Within days of the dropped contracts, New Era gave in to the demands of the consortium and worked with it to reach a resolution.
"I think the New Era campaign was a really good example of how concrete changes, including the most important, worker's lives, can come from a group of students who get involved with sweatshop issues," said Dan Cross, a senior history major and Students Against Sweatshops veteran.
Colin O'Malley, a junior international studies major, agreed with Cross on the importance of the Worker's Rights Consortium. "This year we are focusing on the WRC so we can insure our school is taking part in a national movement to support workers worldwide," he said.
Students Against Sweatshops organizers pointed out at the meeting -- the group's first of the year -- that many students don't realize they buy clothes from stores that are affiliated in some way with sweatshops.
Lauren Monaghan, a senior engineering major, said she was surprised when she found out how many businesses are affiliated with sweatshops.
"I never realized how many companies out there manufacture clothes in a sweatshop," Monaghan said. "It makes me re-think a lot about the purchases I make, and I will never knowingly buy something from a store where I know children work hours on end for pennies a day."
Last year, Students Against Sweatshops circulated petitions to affiliate UB with the consortium and its manufacturing code of conduct. The group also moved last year to expand the UB Sweatshop Advisory Committee and add a monitoring board.
Freshman Kristen Kocsis, an undecided major, decided to attend the meeting out of curiosity.
"I saw a poster and thought it was a good thing to be involved in because it is not only an international problem, but also a local problem," Kocsis said. "There are a lot of things you can do, especially when you band together with others."
One of the group's biggest victories of last semester was the establishment of a club advisory board consisting of students, faculty and administration, which they gained in a meeting with President John Simpson
According to Students Against Sweatshops, UB recently has affiliated itself with the Fair Labor Association and the Collegiate Licensing Company. Students Against Sweatshops members said they plan to have another meeting with President Simpson to discuss further issues concerning the Worker's Rights Consortium.
Photo: Courtesy of Laron Fomby
