Friday, March 29, 2024

U overlooks sweatshop work

I have been lied to many times before, but few of those lies really trouble me as much as the ones told to me by this school’s top officials. When the administration tells us it is really concerned about improving workers’ rights conditions in sweatshops, its sincerity may actually be pretty convincing. But when incidents like what happened Wednesday in MSU President M. Peter McPherson’s office occur, the administration’s lies are exposed for us all to see through.

The rally held in McPherson’s office was in support of striking sweatshop workers in Mexico who have made Nike products bearing the logos of MSU and many other universities. These workers have suffered a great many injustices so we can proudly wear our school clothing. Yet when their problems are addressed, where is the support of the administration who is so deeply concerned with improving these working conditions? Apparently, they are too busy hiding behind the large stacks of money thrown at them from Nike to make a simple phone call to make sure that these problems are being looked into.

The students here are frustrated and will no longer be content with the university’s failure to act on these important issues. Wednesday’s demonstration should have been a wake-up call for school officials, because no longer can they value money over basic human rights or opposition from activist groups will continue to apply pressure for change.

Drew Olson
no-preference sophomore

Discussion

Share and discuss “U overlooks sweatshop work” on social media.