Workers describe life in sweatshops
Katerina GeorgievFebruary 17th, 2006
Move over, Coca-Cola.
Students Organizing for Labor and Economic Equality targeted University apparel being made by unfairly treated workers at its "Sweatshop Workers Speak Out: Voices Behind the Logo" last night in the Michigan Union.
The featured speakers, two sweatshop workers from factories in Kenya and Indonesia, are visiting the University as part of a tour organized by United Students Against Sweatshops.
The event was part of SOLE's "SweatFree" campaign to persuade the University to adopt a policy that would force licensees that produce University apparel to source only from specified factories.
The approved factories pay workers a living wage and allow them to unionize. Duke University, Georgetown University and the University of Wisconsin at Madison are among the many universities that are now following such a policy.
The speakers relayed their experiences and spoke about how they have been affected by buyers' race to the bottom, or the tendency of brands to buy at the lowest possible prices regardless of worker treatment.
Branice Musavi from the Protex Factory at the Ahti River Free Trade Zone in Kenya said conditions in her factory were inhumane because of sexual harassment, forced unpaid overtime and lack of a living wage - at least until she and other workers took action.
They staged a strike and petitioned until management allowed them to unionize. Labor conditions improved because the workers were allowed paid sick leave and basic minimum wage. The female workers were given paid maternity leave.
"(Factory management) gave in because they could not deal with us, they could not contain us anymore," Musavi said.
After worker conditions improved, however, brands including Champion, Russell, Kmart and Wal-Mart started cutting down on orders. They were reacting to the factory's slightly higher costs compared to other non-unionized factories in the area.
"Now factories are shutting down because brands are moving their business to cut costs," Musavi said to the rapt audience. "You are the consumers; you have the power to help us."
Siti Malikhah from the PT Kolon Factory in Indonesia had a similar story.
After workers in her factory learned their rights and banned together to protest their mistreatment, the management signed an agreement that permitted unionization, improved labor conditions and gave the workers benefits like health care.
However, Malikhah said Nike has since stopped ordering from their factory in favor of cheaper goods produced elsewhere.
"Before the union, Nike placed a lot of orders, but now with the union and improved conditions, Nike has pulled its orders," Malikhah said through a translator. "Now with no orders we and the management are confused."
She said her factory only has two buyers now as opposed to the five they had before unionization. When asked what her hopes for the future are, Malikhah said she hopes her factory does not close.
"USAS's program has become hope for us. I hope and pray that it succeeds because we need support from all sides . for the future, (the workers and factories) can't do anything" she said. "It's really amazing the University students can work together with workers in Indonesia."
Jessica Rutter, a national organizer for USAS, spoke of the need for "student power to support worker power, to improve the world for all of us."
"Workers are fighting every single day to change the conditions in their factories," she said. "They know what's wrong and they want change."
Printed from www.michigandaily.com on Fri, 10 Feb 2012 12:29:05 -0500