University President Dave Frohnmayer bypassed established decision-making processes two weeks ago by joining the Fair Labor Association. Capitalizing on students’ absence over the summer, Frohnmayer avoided any official form of faculty or student involvement. This was an outrageously hypocritical action that disempowers students and endangers the workers who make University apparel.
Last April, after a year of research and discussion that involved the entire campus community, the University joined the Worker Rights Consortium. Membership in the WRC was approved by a student referendum, an administrative committee, the University Senate and several University student organizations. The FLA was approved by one person — President Frohnmayer.
Frohnmayer has said that he made an executive decision because of the urgency to start monitoring factories and to uphold our code of conduct. Yet he felt no urgency last year when the four students on the Licensing Code of Conduct Committee, along with several student leaders, pleaded with Frohnmayer to act quickly. This request was made after the licensing committee, which had met for almost a year, reached a unanimous decision to join the WRC. If the University had joined when students wanted, the University could have attended the founding conference of the WRC. Frohnmayer, however, said he could not do anything until the University Senate considered membership.
This time, students were notified of Frohnmayer’s intention to join the FLA the day before the official announcement. ASUO President Jay Breslow pleaded with Frohnmayer to wait just one week so that students could return and weigh in on this decision. He was flatly refused.
Wherever you stand on this issue, let us be clear on one thing — there is no democracy on this campus. Students, faculty, staff and other campus constituencies have a voice only if President Frohnmayer allows it. Perhaps our current dictator is mostly benevolent, but what happens when Frohnmayer is replaced by someone worse?
This decision obliterates democracy on campus, but its real impact will be felt by a largely unseen and often neglected group — the workers in overseas and domestic sweatshops who make university apparel. Why? Because, despite some insubstantial, vague, and ultimately insufficient changes over the summer, the FLA is still protecting corporations’ rights, not workers’ rights.
The way the FLA is currently set up, companies choose which of their factories are monitored, and when. In many cases, factory managers are in the same room with workers when they speak to monitors. Under the FLA Charter, it could be possible for a company to have less than 30 percent of its factories monitored and still earn the privilege of the FLA’s sweat-free tags in its entire product line. Well-meaning consumers will think their purchase helps workers; instead they will only perpetuate the situation. University membership in the FLA actually hurts workers instead of helping them.
Despite what President Frohnmayer says, which monitoring body the University associates with is a crucial decision — as crucial as which person you choose to vote for in the upcoming elections. Common sense does not dictate acting against moral and ethical principles.
Don’t be fooled ­ these issues are important. They affect you and the people your age (or younger) who make the products you buy. The question is, do you care?