While a team of investigators from the Worker Rights Consortium compiles a report on a current labor dispute in Mexico, leaders in the organization are also trying to assuage the University’s liability fears about the monitoring group.
The University administration views the organization’s recent work as positive steps. Yet they maintain the group must tackle the legal issues raised by University President Dave Frohnmayer at the end of fall term that he said made paying the WRC membership dues impossible.
Added to the disagreement between the University and the WRC is a labor dispute in Atlixco, Mexico, at a Nike-contracted factory that produces some University apparel.
The WRC has issued a statement that details various violations of labor codes at the Mexican factory, but a Nike spokesman questioned both the “veracity and objectivity” of the report and said Nike has played a key role in getting more than half of the 800 strikers back to work.
University administrators said they are keeping tabs on the situation in Mexico through various monitoring groups.Here in Eugene, work is still being done to determine if the University should become a full paying member of the WRC.
Melinda Grier, University general counsel, said the University received a letter from the WRC last week addressing the liability issues, which was a chief concern at the end of October.
“It doesn’t change anything immediately,” she said.
Grier said the letter essentially is another statement from the WRC’s lawyers claiming that the University is immune from any liable lawsuit because of what the organization might do while investigating labor issues. She said she is continuing to research the issue until she can come to her own decision, but said the letter was a welcome communication from the WRC.
“It was a letter that was trying to be helpful,” she said.
The letter in question came from the WRC’s new executive director Scott Nova, who has been in Mexico investigating the Atlixco labor dispute.
In an earlier interview with the Emerald, Nova said he was confident the letter addressed the University’s concerns and expressed hope that the two institutions could come to a working agreement.
“I’m optimistic about it; most of the concerns have been addressed,” he said.
Matt Dyste, University director of trademark licensing, said the University has maintained communication with the WRC in the hopes of resolving the legal issues. He said Nova’s involvement with the organization is a good sign.
“Hopefully, it will jump start their monitoring,” he said.
According to statements released by the WRC, it already has started its monitoring efforts with its investigation into the labor dispute in Mexico. A preliminary report released by the organization states that the contracted factory, owned by the Korean company Kukdong, violated both the University’s code of conduct and various Mexican labor laws.
About 800 workers went on strike on Jan. 8 after management reportedly refused to pay Christmas bonuses.
The Associated Press has reported that multiple sources in Mexico confirmed the company paid less than minimum wage, refused to provide maternity benefits and served rotten food that sickened several employees.
In light of the labor situation, the WRC has issued a statement calling on affiliated universities to work to resolve the situation by seeking the rehiring of all the workers fired for their involvement in the strike.
Nike spokesman Vada Manager said Nike has played a role in the situation right from the start by sending a negotiator to the scene as soon as possible. Manager said the mediator has been responsible for clearing the way for 500 of the striking workers to return to their jobs.
He said in addition to Nike’s own efforts to resolve the situation, the company has worked with other groups such as the Fair Labor Association and Verite, a Massachusetts-based monitoring group. While many efforts have been made to determine exactly what went on in the factory, Manager said it has been difficult to ascertain who is right and wrong.
“The facts have been elusive on several fronts,” he said. “It’s very premature to say what is false and what is true.”