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Students push for workers' rights
by Marissa Carl

http://www.collegian.psu.edu/archive/2005/11/11-17-05tdc/11-17-05dnews-14.asp

Last night the Penn State chapter of the United Students Against Sweatshops hosted
speakers during a teach-in to educate students on the use of sweatshops to produce
collegiate apparel.
The organization is pushing for the Penn State administration to join the Worker
Rights Consortium (WRC) and to have a more active role in the collegiate apparel
industry. United Students Against Sweatshops is continuing to gather support from
Penn State students.
"There's a lot of student power building behind what we're doing," said Theresa Haas,
co-coordinator of Penn State United Students Against Sweatshops.
Bill Mahon, Penn State spokesman, said Penn State became affiliated with the Fair
Labor Association (FLA) five years ago, as soon as students pushed for the
administration to take action.
"We went with the organization that had the stronger approach," he said. "They really
had their act together while the WRC was more of a proposal."
Penn State is now the only Big Ten university not affiliated with the WRC, Haas said.
"Ideally, we would just be in the WRC because the FLA is asking corporations to
monitor themselves," Haas said. "That's not an effective way to change working
conditions around the world."Chris Benner of the Penn State Department of Geography
relates his work with the anti-apartheid movement to an audience in 105 Wartik
Building during the United Students Against Sweatshops teach-in last night.

Mark Anner, associate professor of labor studies and industrial relations, spoke
about sweatshops and how they are still an issue for today's society. He also said
that unionized organizations could make a difference.
"The students are the ones setting the strategies," he said.
Members of the United Students Against Sweatshops are not the only ones pushing this
issue.
Avani Purani (sophomore-international politics) attended the teach-in to get a better
sense of the situation for her sorority's part in an anti-sweatshop presentation
during Saturday's HUB Late Night Penn State activities.
"We want to push for Penn State to become a part of the WRC," Purani said. "Just
because it's not in your face doesn't mean it's not occurring."
Allie Robbins, United Students Against Sweatshops national organizer, educated
students about the chain of command and said that the educational institutions, most
importantly students, had the most authority.
"If students unionize from the top of the chain and workers organize from the bottom,
things can really change," she said.
Robbins said the U.S. collegiate apparel industry is worth $4 billion.

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I intend to last long enough to put out of business all *****-suckers
and other beneficiaries of the institutionalized slavery and genocide.

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"The army that will defeat terrorism doesn't wear uniforms, or drive
Humvees, or calls in air-strikes. It doesn't have a high command, or
high security, or a high budget. The army that can defeat terrorism
does battle quietly, clearing minefields and vaccinating children. It
undermines military dictatorships and military lobbyists. It subverts
sweatshops and special interests.Where people feel powerless, it
helps them organize for change, and where people are powerful, it
reminds them of their responsibility." ~~~~ Author Unknown ~~~~
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