Students Against Sweatshops

Students Against Sweatshops, Liza Featherstone, Verso Books, 2002

A movement is growing on college campuses across America; a movement broadly focused on the relationship between universities and multinational corporations and more specifically on the places (sweatshops) where college apparel is made.

When a group of students stages a protest march or petition drive to get their university to get their apparel supplier to get the clothing factory to improve conditions for their workers, the usual response from the university is to ignore them. Given enough pressure, and enough solidarity from other groups on campus, the administration usually comes around. Many universities joined the industry-led Fair Labor Association as a way to get the students to be quiet. Under more student pressure, they switched sides and joined the student-run Workers Rights Consortium.

Naturally, the corporations are not just sitting around, hoping the students will go away. When they get wind of a protest planned for one of their stores, they start by deploying plainclothes security and video surveillance, and go from there.

The concern (or criticism) has been raised by African-American students at these same schools that USAS (United Students Against Sweatshops) focuses on conditions overseas so it won't have to discuss the sensitive issue of race relations here at home. When white students protest an issue, they at least get a meeting with the school administration. When minority students protest an issue, they get totally ignored. Some USAS chapters have gotten the message, and begun to focus on issues closer to home, like a fair wage for hourly employees at the university.

To those who think that all American college students are apathetic partiers, this book will help change your mind. It's (too) short, very easy to read and tells of young people who are actually doing something to change things around the world. It's highly recommended.