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Billups discusses sweatshop policy

The Associated Students of Madison held a "Fireside Chat" to discuss faculty, student and business viewpoints about the current relationship between the University of Wisconsin and its numerous apparel licensees Monday.

Organized by the ASM Campus Relations Committee, the event addressed concerns over UW logo apparel being produced in sub-standard working conditions.

The nine-person panel included Special Assistant to the Chancellor LaMarr Billups, Interim Dean of Students Lori Berquam, members from the Labor Licensing Policy Committee, the Student Labor Action Coalition and the ASM Workers Rights Campaign.

"The university has an appropriate role to ensure the labor rights of workers," Billups said. "We want to make sure these products are made safely."

Billups said the chancellor's office is in the process of implementing a program to source UW goods — made in 47 different countries — from a set of licensed supplier factories that have demonstrated respect for workers' rights.

Labor Licensing Committee member Jane Collins emphasized a need for the university to set an example for other universities across the nation.

"I really believe there's a powerful demonstration effect from the University of Wisconsin," Collins said.

Liana Dalton, a "SLACer," said the chancellor's office needs to progress in implementing the program.

"[Sweatshop workers] risk their lives, they risk their jobs and sometimes risk their families," she said. "The reality is [that] still every garment is made by a factory we consider a sweatshop."

The panel discussed the future of UW apparel sales if the plan is endorsed by the chancellor's office.

University Book Store Vice President Kevin Phelps felt the biggest changes for the store would be an increase in wholesale prices and decrease in variety.

However, "people will always buy Wisconsin stuff," he said.

Billups added though collegiate retail is a relatively small market, its influence among large retailers such as Adidas, Nike and Reebok is prominent.

"We can't make anyone have a license," Billups said. "[But] can the [large apparel manufacturers] stand the public and political pressure [large universities] can put on them if they are making their apparel in sweatshops?"

Additionally, the panel discussed the recent "Facebook Wiley Campaign," authored by SLAC members.

Billups, who called the campaign cute, said while he could not speak on behalf of Chancellor John Wiley, he encouraged the group to stop personal attacks on the chancellor.

"It has a negative impact on how the institution feels," he said. "It doesn't do anything to further the dialogue."

Dalton explained the campaign was meant to be a satire and a wake-up call to the chancellor's office.

"Until we're given a response [from the chancellor himself], we don't really feel like any progress has been made," she added.

Molly Glasgow, a SLAC and ASM Workers Rights Campaign member, said because students have difficulties reaching the chancellor, the Facebook campaign was a way to get his attention.

"When we do try to speak, we're not well-received," she remarked.

Collins hopes if the policy is implemented, it will set in motion a nationwide effort to stop sweatshops.

"This is a responsibility universities have," she said. "It gives us a way to have universities say [to factories], 'We don't want you to engage in that strategy.'"

Billups said the chancellor's office currently is identifying ways to implement the sweatshop-free policy by engaging legal staff and nongovernmental organizations.