In response to concerns voiced by Students for Economic Justice and other MSU students, ASMSU is considering a measure this week asking the MSU Board of Trustees to cut ties with the Fair Labor Association, and join the Worker Rights Consortium.
“The fact of the matter is that students want Michigan State to join the WRC,” said Matt Weingarden, the Council of Students With Disabilities representative for the ASMSU Student Assembly.
Students for Economic Justice is the campus anti-sweatshop organization. ASMSU is the university’s undergraduate student government.
The bill would also request the trustees take a position on eliminating sweatshops and ensuring fair working conditions for those factories which produce items that don MSU’s name.
Established by students and human rights activists, the Worker Rights Consortium appoints independent monitors to supervise labor conditions in overseas factories.
“The WRC has a considerably larger university voice and is more focused on workers,” Weingarden said. “It’s less of a corporate mediated board.”
Earlier this month, MSU President M. Peter McPherson said he was leery of the university joining the consortium, citing its neglect of keeping factory officials involved in factory monitoring. He also said the consortium is less established than the Fair Labor Association.
But McPherson said he is following the consortium’s progress, adding that the Fair Labor Association has its own flaws, such as a lack of input from university officials.
MSU Trustee David Porteous said while he does appreciate student concerns and efforts, he has confidence in McPherson’s view on remaining with the association.
“I think that Michigan State is particularly fortunate that we have a president who has a great deal of knowledge and experience in these type of issues,” Porteous said. “I don’t feel, at this point in time, that we need to leave an organization that is making a positive affect.”
Meanwhile, McPherson has received continuous pressure from SEJ to relinquish MSU’s membership with the association.
Members of the group criticize the Fair Labor Association for being too lenient in terms of its rules concerning human rights for factory workers.
“We’re going to try to keep pushing (for MSU to join the consortium),” said Jane Kilmer, a social work sophomore and SEJ member. “It’s obvious that WRC is better.”
