no sweat

NO SWEAT

RUSGA Sweatshop CommitteeMolly Moss (Chair) and Jenn Evon

OUR GOALS• To ensure that Regis University’s apparel purchases are

made responsibly• To modify the RUSGA apparel purchasing policy in an

effort to attain this ideal• To extend our policies to all Regis departments• To extend our policies to all contractors• To be “100% Sweatshop Free”

BACKGROUND• The RUSGA Executive Cabinet and Student Senate

adopted a “Sweatshop Free” policy in 2007– Regis became an affiliate of the Worker Rights Consortium– Drafted and ratified loose guidelines that restricted purchases

of basic t-shirts to apparel companies that abided by the WRC’s Code of Conduct

• We had good intentions, but early mishaps and a lack of reliable information have forced us to “play it safe” and lose sight of our initial goals

THE CURRENT WAY• Our business goes almost exclusively to

American Apparel because we know it to be sweatshop free. This is a problem.

MISTREATMENT OF WORKERS• CEO sued 9 times in

the past 6 years for sexually harassing employees

• Blatant and illegal Anti-Union efforts

FINANCIAL RUIN• Debts totaling $120 million • Losing money at a rate of nearly $30m a year• Sales are down 16 per cent on last year• Plans to eliminate thousands of jobs and close

dozens of stores in an effort to save itself

ADVERTISING

THE NEW WAY• A list of trusted, verified, ethically sound

apparel providers with whom to do business.

• We have already identified 3 companies.

SUSTAIN U• American• Utilizes domestic labor and recycled fiber • Predicated on the message of social,

environmental and economic sustainability • Custom orders, hoodies, limited athletic

apparel• No “blanks”

LIFEWEAR• Family operated • All garments are 100% Union Made • All garments are 100% U.S.A. Components

– The cotton for the yarn (Frontier Spinning) is grown in the South – The yarn (Frontier Spinning) is knitted in Pennsylvania – The material is bleached, dyed or scoured in Pennsylvania – Only high quality fiber-reactive dyes are used – The material is cut and sewn with thread (American & Efird) which is also made at the

Lifewear factory in Pottstown, PA • Blanks, but only limited colors

ALTA GRACIA• Located in Dominican

Republic• Pays a “living wage” more

than 3x higher than national average

• Safe working conditions• Provides t-shirt blanks in

a wide assortment of colors, though colors cycle & shipping takes several weeks

NECESSARY CHANGES• More foresight • Less color options• Buying blanks in bulk and responsibly managing a stockpile of

excess shirts• Greater cooperation between the Executive Cabinet and the

clubs/groups making shirts

FUTURE GOALS• To ensure that Regis University’s clothing purchases

are made responsibly – All of them• 100% Sweatshop Free• Residence Life, University Ministry, Admissions,

Academics, Student Health Services, OCPD, Fitness Center, Academics, Staff and Faculty Apparel, Physical Plant, and everyone else

• Bookstore, Sodexo, ISS

WHAT’S NEXT?• A school-wide survey of departments on their

interest/resistance to sweatshop-free options• Collecting this data to more efficiently work

with departments for a 100% Sweatshop-free campus.

• Focus on 3 main areas: Student Life, Administrative Departments, and Athletics

STUDENT LIFE• All student clubs should already by purchasing

sweatshop-free. • Asking what changes need to be made• How to reach all student clubs

ADMIN DEPARTMENTS• Admissions, Residence Life, out-side

contractors.• What steps stand in the way of being

sweatshop-free?• What (if any) incentives should be in place?

ATHLETICS • The patch program• Individual coaches• Is it realistic to ask for change?

“In matters of truth and justice, there is no difference between large and small

problems, for issues concerning the treatment of people are all the same.”

- Einstein