Rutgers United Students Against Sweatshops have occupied the Old Queens building. They are sitting in at the office of outgoing university President Richard McCormick. They demand that Rutgers withdraw from the management-dominated Fair Labor Association. FLA, while it claims to assist in identifying vendors which do not use sweatshops, has been repudiated by maquiladora activists in Mexico and Central America.
They are requesting calls of support to 848-932-5474.
Student activists report:
One year ago today, we occupied President McCormick’s office demanding that he take students seriously and stop paying the FLA because of their abysmal track record of covering up abuses and history of hindering progress in the anti-sweatshop movement. Today we’re back because while the President has dragged his feet, the FLA has continued to perpetuate worker abuse. In China, the FLA’s recent recommendations to “fix” horrendous abuses at Apple’s Foxconn factories have led to drastic cuts in workers pay and conditions, driving hundreds of desperate workers back to the rooftops in protest. President McCormick has told us that he wants Rutgers to remain in the FLA to see if they will make “progress” in China but we know they can’t and wont hold corporations accountable when Nike and Apple control the FLA’s Board of Directors.
Tell President McCormick Rutgers should be to holding corporations accountable, not subsidizing their PR schemes. Call him now at (848) 932-7454, and tell him take a stand for worker rights and to stop paying the FLA.
Today is President McCormick’s final day as President and his last chance reverse course and take a stand against corporate sweatshop abuse. With your support we can ensure he respects student voices and demonstrates to his successor and the entire university community that Rutgers will no longer tolerate worker rights abuse.
The United Students Against Sweatshops'
website has information about this action.
Rutgers Police are reported to have manhandled one student out of the building.
Please call President McCormick's office
Ask Rutgers to withdraw from the Fair Labor Association.
Ask Rutgers to respect the student's right of peaceful protest.
Despite a liberal reputation, Rutgers has proven hostile to protests in recent years. Last June, the university's Board of Governors erected a wall in the middle of their "public" meeting, when student and union protestors demanded time for the student body president to speak.
3:32 PM PT: Students left the building after several hours with no arrests. Thanks to those who supported.