Saint Mary's made right choice on WRC
Editorial
Although Saint Mary's does not produce a significant amount of apparel, the College had a moral obligation to join the anti-sweatshop movement. A school that pales in comparison to large universities which base a significant portion of their income on apparel sales, many could doubt the institution had much to offer in the debate over sweatshop monitoring.
Regardless, the College took a stand Monday announcing it would become one of the 35 founding schools in the Worker Rights Consortium (WRC). Backed by the theories encompassing Catholic social teaching and an inherent moral obligation, the College sets a precedent that the anti-sweatshop movement is a priority for every school, no matter what the size.
The College's decision to join the WRC will allow the institution to voice loudly the perspective of a small school and potentially set an agenda that can be effective for small institutions in the struggle for sweatshop monitoring.
Surely Notre Dame will face criticism in the wake of the decision; but such criticism is unjustified. A leader in the anti-sweatshop movement since before the creation of the Fair Labor Association (FLA) one year ago, Notre Dame decided to refrain from joining the WRC until a later date. This is a smart decision.
While Notre Dame might be able to add a strong voice to the WRC, it has already established itself at the forefront of the fight against sweatshops. Because the WRC is still in the developing stages, Notre Dame runs the risk of committing itself to new goals that could potentially conflict with previously established goals.
While the still developing goals of Saint Mary's are more concurrent with the grassroots structure of the WRC, the substantial corporate base that characterizes Notre Dame's apparel industry is more in line with the goals of the FLA. Saint Mary's would undoubtedly be lost in the FLA's corporate structure, but the organization is a logical fit for Notre Dame, which relies heavily on corporate licensing contracts.
The College's decision to join the WRC exemplifies a situation where one decision does not benefit each institution equally. Saint Mary's President Marilou Eldred acknowledged this Monday in stating that this was a case where "one decision fits Notre Dame best, and another decision fits Saint Mary's best."
Each school should be commended for their mutual commitment to the anti-sweatshop movement, and congratulated for the care with which they assess their decisions. In evaluating where each institution can best achieve their individual goals, separately they have created a very powerful union.
Both Saint Mary's membership in the WRC and Notre Dame's membership in the FLA will bring the concepts of Catholic social teaching that are so inherent in each school's ideals to the organizations they have chosen to join. Although pursuing different paths, what remains most critical is that each has a common goal.
All Viewpoint Stories for Friday, April 7, 2000
