posters • articles • other campaigns
Priorities is: A coalition of students concerned with the expanding global capitalist economy. We are devoted to encouraging true democracy in America and abroad without the injustices and oppression that unhindered capitalism inevitably brings.
“There cannot be a globalization of capitalism
without the globalization of democracy.”
-Leslie Kretzu.
without the globalization of democracy.”
-Leslie Kretzu.
Our Mission: Ending sweatshop abuses through the workers rights movement, no compromise in environmental protection, and citizen and consumer education.
“Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere”
Martin Luther King Jr.
Martin Luther King Jr.
Winter 2001 This
petition was signed by over 1500 St. Olaf Students!
I’m Against Supporting Sweatshop Labor!“[St. Olaf] encourages [students] to be seekers
of truth, leading
lives of unselfish service to others; and it challenges them
to be responsible and knowledgeable citizens of the world.”
-Excerpt from St. Olaf Mission Statement
lives of unselfish service to others; and it challenges them
to be responsible and knowledgeable citizens of the world.”
-Excerpt from St. Olaf Mission Statement
•I no longer wish to support sweatshops in America, South America, and Asia that produce apparel that bears the St. Olaf name. I’m against immoral sweatshop labor.
•I no longer want St. Olaf to affiliate with the Fair Labor Association (FLA). As a member school of the FLA, St. Olaf has given its support for an organization that, through flaws in its charter, allows the corporate status quo of sweatshop labor oppression and exploitation to predominate in the apparel industry. In addition, I would like St. Olaf and its students to have a voice in choosing how our apparel is manufactured, a voice that we don’t have while retaining membership with the FLA. In the FLA we have no voice in voting on FLA charter changes, setting a code of conduct, or regulating company corruption. I support dropping out of the FLA.
•I support St. Olaf joining the Workers Rights Consortium (WRC). Because I feel optimistic about our power as students and a college, I would like more of a voice in setting standards for how our apparel is made. As a member of the WRC, St. Olaf and its students would be involved in the WRC government, developing a code of conduct, and regulation of companies. The WRC was founded by colleges, students, religious organizations, and human rights organizations to bring about change in working and living conditions for exploited workers. I want St. Olaf to join the WRC.
Spring 2001 We take our
fight to the Student Senate and Gain its Support!
St. Olaf Student Senate Resolution
St. Olaf College retains membership with the Fair Labor Association (FLA), an organization meant to set up monitoring of factories that produce apparel for the St. Olaf Bookstore and St. Olaf Athletic Department. As a member school of the FLA, St. Olaf has given its support for an organization that, through flaws in its charter and unequal representation on its board of directors, allows the corporate status quo of sweatshop labor oppression and exploitation to predominate in the apparel industry. St. Olaf and its students have no voice in voting on FLA charter changes, setting a code of conduct, or regulating company corruption.
Be it Resolved
St. Olaf College should withdraw its membership with the Fair Labor Association. St. Olaf College should then join the Workers Rights Consortium (WRC), an alternative to the FLA. As a member of the WRC, St. Olaf and its students would be involved in the WRC government, developing a code of conduct, and regulation of companies. Membership with the WRC is our most effective means of improving the lives of workers producing our apparel.