Anti-sweatshop advocate says factory conditions must be improved

Universities need to take a leading role in stopping alleged civil rights abuses at factories that manufacture clothing, a leading workers' rights advocate said at UA yesterday.

Factory conditions will be investigated and companies will also be expected to build stronger relations with their foreign factories, Scott Nova, executive director of the Worker Rights Consortium, told a small audience yesterday at the James E. Rogers College of Law.

"This is a system that has been fraught with abuse," Nova said. "These are not just wage issues, but also issues of health and safety, and even more so, verbal and physical abuse."

The WRC, founded in April 2000, is a non-profit organization that investigates working conditions in factories that have been contracted out by U.S. apparel companies - mainly Nike and Reebok. The organization works with 93 colleges and universities around the country.

These factories produce collegiate attire such as sweatshirts and baseball caps for the University of Arizona and other universities.

Nova pointed out that institutions of higher learning - such as UA - are under an obligation to help stop these civil rights abuses.

"Virtually every major university now has a code of conduct to ensure the rights of women around the world are protected," Nova said.

Recently, the organization has had success helping factory workers in Mexico and the Dominican Republic.

The group also works one-on-one with the Fair Labor Association, which provides workers the opportunity to voice their opinions about injustices.

A main goal of the WRC is to ensure that through the actions of the FLA, monitoring of labor conditions will never become counterproductive.

Although the FLA and the WRC work together, there are differences between them. One of the main distinctions is that the FLA works to help people who work in all types of manufacturing plants. The WRC works distinctly with factories producing collegiate apparel.

"It's nice to see a group that actually goes to these countries and works to benefit the laborers," said biology senior Christina Normand.

UA President Peter Likins said he agreed with the WRC's efforts and with what they are trying to accomplish.

"We are at a point where we can talk about the progress we have made," Likins said. "What Students Against Sweatshops and many other students don't recognize is that change can happen, but you have to take action.

"Cooperation is key. Activism is an important part of the solution," he added.

Likins and SAS faced off several times in 2000 when the anti-sweatshop advocates pressured him to withdraw UA from the FLA. In one protest, several members of SAS chained themselves to the Administration building in an attempt to prevent workers from leaving.

Rachel Wilson, spokeswoman for SAS, said she agrees with the WRC's system of monitoring conditions to help laborers, but maintains that her club is still opposed to the FLA.

"The big problem is that they have a provision that entire companies can label their clothing 'sweat-free,' even if they are not," Wilson said of the FLA.

"Because the FLA has no structure, they are looking for a way to become involved in high-profile cases, using the WRC to gain exposure," she added. "They have to put their name to good companies like the WRC to remain credible."