AGREEMENT BETWEEN UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN-MADISON STUDENTS AND CHANCELLOR DAVID WARD
FEBRUARY 12, 1999
The University of Wisconsin-Madison is participating in a task force of major universities to develop a code of conduct for manufacturers of university apparel and other products as part of the Collegiate Licensing Company. While the draft code of conduct proposed by the task force takes significant steps to end the production of university licensed apparel with sweatshop labor, it is lacking in several respects and needs further improvement. In its effort to be a national leader in ending sweatshop labor, UW-Madison requires that the following items be included in the code.
DISCLOSURE
The current draft code calls for limited public disclosure of manufacturing locations.
The University of Wisconsin-Madison will insist on full public disclosure of company names, owners, operators, contacts, addresses, phone numbers, e-mail addresses, and the nature of the business association for all facilities which produce licensed articles.
If this provision is not included in the code within one year, UW-Madison will withdraw from participation in the code.
WAGES AND BASIC HUMAN NEEDS
The current draft code calls for a minimum wage, but it also requires further study of the
relationship between wages and basic human needs. Furthermore, UW-Madison is
committed to ensuring that employees of collegiate apparel licensees receive wages that
meet their basic human needs.
UW-Madison shall convene a symposium and sponsor institutionally funded research to determine living wage requirements. The amount of research funding will be determined by the specific proposals, which will be reviewed by the Graduate School Research Committee.
Barring substantial disagreement on the research findings as determined by the CLC Task Force Advisory Committee, UW-Madison will submit the results of the findings for inclusion in the CLC code of conduct. If sufficient support is not garnered to alter the code to require payment of living wages as determined by the findings within three months of submission to the CLC, UW-Madison will withdraw from participation in the code.
WOMEN'S RIGHTS
Because the overwhelming majority of apparel workers are women and because many
exploitative practices are specifically targeted at women, assuring and safeguarding
women's rights is of particular importance for all parties. UW-Madison will require that the
following provisions be added to the code within one year. If not included within one year,
UW-Madison will withdraw from participation in the code.
Women workers will receive equal remuneration, including benefits, equal treatment, equal evaluation of the quality of their work, and equal opportunity to fill all positions as male workers.
Pregnancy tests will not be a condition of employment, nor will they be demanded of employees.
Workers who take maternity leave will not face dismissal nor threat of dismissal, loss of seniority or deduction of wages, and will be able to return to their former employment at the same rate of pay and benefits.
Workers will not be forced or pressured to use contraception.
Workers will not be exposed to hazards, including glues and solvents, that may endanger their safety, including their reproductive health.
Licensees shall provide appropriate services and accommodations to women workers in connection with pregnancy.
CAMPUS INVOLVEMENT
UW-Madison will sponsor annual community meetings on the code.
UW-Madison will also sponsor meetings during the first year of the code's existence so that students, staff, faculty and others can have input on the issues listed above and any others that are of importance.
Associated Students of Madison will work with the campus administration to make sure these meetings are as productive as they can be.
Following the shared governance principles of UW-Madison, the chancellor will establish a
CLC Task Force Advisory Committee. Membership will include three students to be
appointed by Associated Students of Madison; three faculty members to be appointed by the
University Committee; and three academic staff members to be appointed by the Academic
Staff Executive Committee. The chancellor will urge that a student co-chair be appointed.
University administrators will serve on the committee as non-voting consultants.