In the wake of sit-ins at other colleges and increased anger at the lack of progess in negotiations with the University, members of the Progressive Student Labor Movement (PSLM) sent a letter to University President Neil L. Rudenstine last Thursday demanding that the school adopt an anti-sweatshop code of conduct.
"We've basically given the Ivy presidents an ultimatum with that letter," said PSLM member Daniel M. Hennefeld '99 The letter, which was sent to the presidents of all the Ivy League schools, asks the schools to revise their labor code so that manufacturers are required to disclose the location of their factories and non-governmental organizations inspect work conditions. The letter also demands that the universities allow students to participate in the implementation of a labor code and calls on the schools to study the issue of paying a living wage to factory workers. Members said they are taking their demands directly to Rudenstine because other efforts to negotiate with the University have failed. "We feel betrayed and we feel left out," said PSLM member Benjamin O. Shuldiner '99 Members suggest that if Rudenstine does not respond to their demands by March 8, they may consider more drastic action. "There's a faculty meeting on [March 9] and we've taken note of that," said PSLM member Benjamin L. McKean '02 Shuldiner said sit-ins have already proven effective at Duke, Georgetown, and the University of Wisconsin at Madison, where protesters have won concessions from the schools. "Those universities were taken over by their students, but within three days of the takeovers, all three of those universities have signed codes of conduct or letters saying they will," he said. Read more in NewsRecommended Articles