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Purdue News
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April 7, 2000 Purdue, students reach agreement on sweatshop issueWEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – Members of the Purdue Students Against Sweatshops have agreed to end their hunger strike, and the university has agreed to undertake provisional membership in one or more sweatshop monitoring groups by Sept. 30, provided the organizations meet certain criteria. "The university is committed to ensuring that its licensed merchandise is manufactured under safe and humane conditions that meet the standards of the 'Code of Conduct for Licensees' that Purdue adopted March 15," Purdue President Steven C. Beering said in a letter to the students. "This code sets standards that each company must meet prior to receiving a Purdue license and must maintain in order to retain the license. Purdue will join organizations that meet those standards." Six students took part in a hunger strike, which began March 27, to urge the university to join one of the new monitoring groups, the Workers Rights Consortium, which is holding its founding meeting today (Friday, 4/7). A second group, the Fair Labor Association, also has been formed to provide monitoring services. Joseph L. Bennett, vice president for university relations and chairman of the university's ad hoc sweatshop advisory committee, said the agreement to end the hunger strike and resolve the monitoring issue in the fall was reached just before midnight Thursday (4/6) after the strikers proposed a compromise along those lines. "We had a lot of issues to resolve because of Purdue's concerns about both monitoring groups and the students' concerns about both the FLA and the university's intentions," Bennett said. "In the case of the WRC, Purdue's concerns are the lack of information about the organization's operating methods, its sources of support, and its future goals. In the case of the FLA, there are concerns about its governance and its proposed monitoring models." In the letter to the students, Beering said that if the WRC has met the following criteria by Sept. 30, Purdue will become a provisional member: "1. Presentation of a business plan that demonstrates appropriate accounting of funds. "2. Demonstration of mutually acceptable pilot projects for monitoring of factory locations and effective follow-up procedures. "3. A review of the WRC governance structure. The WRC's proposed governance model includes three university administrators and three students on the 12-member board. If this structure does not appear to meet the needs of the member institutions, as determined by the voting record of the board and public consultation with WRC member universities, the WRC must be willing to modify its governance model. "4. Demonstration of willingness and presentation of a mutually acceptable plan for constructive involvement of licensees/manufacturers in the operation of the WRC. Purdue's position is that all parties involved in the licensing industry should participate as willing partners. "5. A guarantee that the university will not face liability for the consortium's actions. "6. Written assurance that membership will not compromise Purdue's neutrality as an institution. The materials available from the WRC indicate that the consortium is intensely involved with a variety of organizations espousing very definitive social, political, economic, and environmental viewpoints. While these causes may be honorable in themselves, and students and faculty members may embrace them, it is not the role of Purdue University to be drawn into these issues. Its role is to provide the arena for free inquiry where all viewpoints can be debated. The WRC must limit its services to the specific concern of labor conditions in the factories producing licensed products for its member universities. "7. A letter of assurance that all monitoring activities will be carried out in a lawful manner and that all reported violations will be verified by the WRC before being made public or used as the basis for corrective action. "8. Assurance that the WRC will not interfere with Purdue's pursuit of other monitoring methods or affiliations and assurance that members of the WRC will be free to voice their views without retribution by the WRC." The last four criteria listed for the WRC also apply to the FLA, Bennett said. In addition, Beering's letter said, Purdue will consider provisional membership in the FLA if it makes the following structural changes in its governance by Sept. 30: "1. Increased university presence on the governing board. The current model of one university member on the 13-member board and a separate university advisory group does not provide adequate input for the institutions. The universities must receive balanced representation on the board with all participating groups. "2. Inclusion of university students in the governance process. "3. A monitoring model that incorporates inspections of factories without prior notice. Accurate gathering of information requires the use of full unannounced inspections of factories. "4. The open availability for inspection of all factories producing licensed merchandise for FLA member institutions, as well as public disclosure of inspection results. "5. The prohibition of self-selection of monitors by licensees. "6. A modification of the process that certifies companies as 'sweatshop-free.' In the current state of global manufacturing, this designation cannot be granted credibly and offers FLA member companies an unfair competitive advantage." Purdue will continue to study the issue of how to enforce the code of conduct through a standing committee to be appointed by Beering, Bennett said. The committee will include students, faculty and staff who are concerned about the issue of sweatshop labor. "If neither the WRC nor the FLA meets the above criteria by Sept. 30, the university will consider other options," Bennett said. "The options might include reviewing the progress both organizations have made toward meeting the criteria, but we also could consider establishing an independent monitoring process, or developing a cooperative arrangement involving other universities, an accounting firm, and non-governmental organizations." Source: Joseph L. Bennett, (765) 494-2096; jbennet@purdue.edu Writer: Jeanne V. Norberg, (765) 494-2084, jnorberg@purdue.edu Purdue News Service: (765) 494-2096; purduenews@purdue.edu
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