'U' ofcials discuss sweatshop labor

Students Organizing for Labor and Economic Equity, a student group that is part of a nationwide movement to end the production of licensed collegiate apparel in overseas sweatshops, met with University officials yesterday in an attempt to gain University support of a code of conduct for overseas apparel manufacturers.

The Collegiate Licensing Company, which oversees the licensing of college logos to apparel manufacturers for more than 150 schools including the University, is in the process of drafting such a code, but SOLE believes the proposed draft does not go far enough.

"These companies have a history of employing labor in countries where workers have the least power," said Andy Cornell, a SOLE member. "We understand these people are dependent on this work but we want to hold these companies fully responsible for these workers' lives."

The group said it wants the University to advocate an inclusion in the code provisions that would stipulate a living wage for workers, and public disclosure of the factory locations and addresses of manufacturers and subcontractors.

University consultant Keith Molin said the University has not taken a position on whether the current draft code is too weak, and would not comment on SOLE's demands.

"We've been involved in the drafting of that code and have been doing so with other institutions, the Department of Labor and apparel manufacturers," said Molin, a former senior associate athletic director at the University. "Our efforts are directed at creating oversight and monitoring for manufacturing facilities overseas."

For SOLE members, the University's actions can be summed up in one word - frustration.

"We've been talking to the University since September, and while we appreciate their willingness to meet with us, they haven't even come up with an internal process that determines who will decide yes or no on our demands," Cornell said.

Cornell said he is not yet sure whether SOLE members would conduct a sit-in to force the University to capitulate to the group's demands. Georgetown University, Duke University and the University of Wisconsin at Madison adopted proposals similar to SOLE's after high- profile student sit-ins.

"We're not ruling it out as a possible course of action," Cornell said.

While it is hard to dispute that sweatshops are undesirable, some economists think groups like SOLE are approaching the issue from the wrong perspective.

Business Prof. Gunter Dufey said regulating sweatshop conditions is not likely to be successful and may do more harm than good.

"The people who pursue these objectives have no idea what is going on in these countries," said Dufey, an expert on international business and finance. "This is largely to satisfy someone's political correctness and compensate for their guilty feelings."

Dufey said higher wages in third world nations may cause some workers to lose their jobs and could raise apparel prices.

"With their well-intentioned objectives, the protesters are making the situation worse," Dufey said. "The way to get their demands is to show these countries (where the sweatshops are located) the benefits of a social and economic system where equal rights are protected."

LSA sophomore Julie Fry, a SOLE member, said she doubts a living wage provision will affect employment.

"These companies are making gross profits and it wouldn't cost them much more to pay their workers a living wage," Fry said. "Workers have the right to make enough money for rent, food, dwelling and transportation."

SOLE members said they will bring their concerns to the University Board of Regents during the public comments portion of the meeting tomorrow.

02-17-99