Notre Dame should assume founding position in Workers' Rights Consortium
Letter to the Editor
The conversation between top Notre Dame officials, leaders of the Progressive Student Alliance and student supporters this past Tuesday on anti-sweatshop initiatives was in many ways a model for such conversations.
Two very simple questions were not asked and no information relevant to them was provided. "What are the costs or risks to the University in accepting the conditions set by the Workers' Rights Consortium (WRC) for official participation in its originating "constitutional convention" in NYC? Why does Notre Dame consider these costs excessive?"
Fifteen months ago the University accepted an invitation to join in the founding meeting of the Fair Labor Association. It did so and is proud of the influence it has had on the formation of standards in the FLA.
Notre Dame could play a similar role in the WRC. Its reasons for declining the option to participate in the founding meeting of this new organization are hardly decisive. (1) Since the WRC is operating on a shoestring, with one staffer, and since the WRC intends to be a "bottom-up" organization whose founding members will collectively determine its goals, there is no draft charter at the present time. (2) To participate in the founding meeting, Notre Dame would have to commit a year's dues and "join" the WRC prior to the meeting.
Notre Dame's pending counter-offer to the WRC is an application to participate fully in the founding meeting on the basis of a written "good faith" promise to make a firm "up or down" decision within 30 days after the meeting. Nothing is wrong with that counter-offer.
But it is also very simple to draft an alternate offer dissolving the current impasse.
Notre Dame could offer 1) to pay immediately a full share of the costs of holding the founding meeting of the WRC or 50 percent of one year's dues, the exact amount to be negotiated, and (2) to fully support the costs of attendance at the meeting by an attorney from the Office of the General Counsel, a faculty member of the anti-sweatshop task force at Notre Dame, and two students (one chosen by the Student Body President and one chosen by the Progressive Student Alliance). In return, Notre Dame should require rights of full participation in the founding meeting. Notre Dame would also continue its offer to make a final "up or down" decision concerning membership in the WRC within 30 days of the completion of the meeting.
Why should Notre Dame consider adding membership in the WRC to its very influential role in the FLA? Take a simple look at the history of organized labor. The right to organize is for the sake of collective bargaining. You can't bargain with bosses you can get to the table. FLA has garment manufacturers in its tent. But garment manufacturers who are exploiting third world labor can't be trusted much further than Notre Dame has successfully kicked a field goal in recent memory. Meaningful negotiation to improve labor conditions can't be achieved unless the stick of public exposure of continuing abuse is readily available. That's what the WRC stands for. So should the Fighting Irish.
Ed Manier
Professor, Philosophy & Reilly Center
March 23, 2000
All Viewpoint Stories for Friday, March 24, 2000
