2008 Woodie Awards
Students for Social Change encourages URI monitoring sweatshop connections
Annie-Laurie Hogan
Issue date: 1/31/08 Section: News
01/31/08 - Some college students don't think twice about buying a $20 T-shirt or a $50 sweatshirt featuring their school's name and logo even if the person who made the clothing is earning less than a living wage.
"I would guarantee that 90 percent of the apparel we're wearing was made in poor countries," Richard McIntyre, director of the URI Honors Program, said. "When people in poor countries call on you for your support, it is our moral obligation to respond."
"We shouldn't idealize universities because universities often behave like corporations. However, universities are still different," McIntyre said.
The University of Rhode Island Students for Social Change and the URI Honors Program hosted a panel discussion about URI's role in monitoring factories that produce its athletic and recreational apparel.
Last year, URI joined the Worker Rights Consortium, a non-profit organization that monitors labor practices at factories that make university clothing.
URISSC is now encouraging URI to broaden its role in ensuring fair labor practices by joining the Designated Suppliers Program. The DSP designates certain factories as ones that consistently meet labor rights standards. Universities that join the program agree to buy apparel only from those factories.
"It is a way of creating a system in which we can know for sure that factories are paying a fair wage and treating its workers with respect," said Scott Nova, executive director for the WRC. "It's a way for universities to gain control."
Nova explained that it is hard to monitor factories individually because of their high number, short-term contracts and deceitful tactics. He said that many factories keep separate records as a means of deceiving companies that commit to fair labor practice.
"Nike has hundreds of factories around the world that produce T-shirts," Nova said.
Factories also struggle to meet labor rights standards when they are competing to make low-cost goods.
"I would guarantee that 90 percent of the apparel we're wearing was made in poor countries," Richard McIntyre, director of the URI Honors Program, said. "When people in poor countries call on you for your support, it is our moral obligation to respond."
"We shouldn't idealize universities because universities often behave like corporations. However, universities are still different," McIntyre said.
The University of Rhode Island Students for Social Change and the URI Honors Program hosted a panel discussion about URI's role in monitoring factories that produce its athletic and recreational apparel.
Last year, URI joined the Worker Rights Consortium, a non-profit organization that monitors labor practices at factories that make university clothing.
URISSC is now encouraging URI to broaden its role in ensuring fair labor practices by joining the Designated Suppliers Program. The DSP designates certain factories as ones that consistently meet labor rights standards. Universities that join the program agree to buy apparel only from those factories.
"It is a way of creating a system in which we can know for sure that factories are paying a fair wage and treating its workers with respect," said Scott Nova, executive director for the WRC. "It's a way for universities to gain control."
Nova explained that it is hard to monitor factories individually because of their high number, short-term contracts and deceitful tactics. He said that many factories keep separate records as a means of deceiving companies that commit to fair labor practice.
"Nike has hundreds of factories around the world that produce T-shirts," Nova said.
Factories also struggle to meet labor rights standards when they are competing to make low-cost goods.