Indiana apparel makers reply to disclosure policy

By Joseph S. Pete

Indiana Daily Student (Indiana U.)

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. (U-WIRE) - Fifteen companies have discontinued manufacturing Indiana University apparel since the school began requiring full public disclosure of factory locations, University officials announced at a meeting with anti-sweatshop group NO SWEAT! in the Indiana Memorial Union on Monday.

Having such information in the open is essential to taking steps against human rights abuses tied to sweatshop labor, activists said. The Licensing and Trademarks Office sent letters to about 600 Indiana licensees notifying them that they would have to disclose the addresses of their factories.

The university will break off business relations with companies that do not comply. The deadline was Jan 31.

University officials said they are satisfied with the outcome. "We're very pleased," said Dean of Students Richard McKaig in a bargaining session with the student activist group NO SWEAT! "The University does not want to do business with companies responsible for human rights abuses."

Another 237 companies, about 40 percent of all licensees, have not yet acknowledged the notification of policy change.

"Because so many didn't respond, perhaps a good deal of them failed to appreciate the seriousness of it," said Jenny McDaniel, director of the Licensing and Trademarks Office at Indiana's Advanced Research and Technology Institute. "It's very safe to assume since there are no real commonalities with the companies with the product categories."

Because so few responded, another notification will be sent out, giving licensees until March 31 before action is taken. After the grace period, the contractual termination will be final, McDaniel said.

"It's important to emphasize that we don't want to stop doing business with these companies and abandon the workers," senior Matthew Turissini said at the bargaining session. "Our goal and overriding concern is to improve the working conditions and uphold human rights."