Licensees notified of factory site disclosure requirement

EDITORS: Copies of the letter and the U-M Anti-Sweatshop Human Rights Policy are attached. The CLC draft code of conduct is available by fax upon request.

ANN ARBOR—The University of Michigan has sent a letter signed by Athletic Director Tom Goss to all manufacturers licensed to use U-M logos on their goods, requiring them to disclose the location of each site at which those goods are produced.

The requirement is part of the University’s Anti-Sweatshop/Human Rights Policy released in March. The disclosure requirement is also a principle in the code of conduct drafted by a task force, facilitated by the Collegiate Licensing Company (CLC), that included U-M and 12 other universities which use the CLC as their licensing agency.

The U-M’s letter states that the requirement to disclose manufacturing sites will be added to all licensing agreements effective not later than Jan. 1, 2000.

This action follows the appointment in June of an Anti-Sweatshop Advisory Committee, also called for in the U-M’s human rights policy statement. The committee, made up of 10 representatives of faculty, students and staff, is chaired by John Chamberlin, professor of public policy. According to Chamberlin, the committee will start bi-weekly meetings on Sept. 10.

The committee’s charge from U-M President Lee C. Bollinger includes recommending appropriate formal affiliations for the University for purposes of working through all aspects of holding licensees accountable for the fair and humane treatment of workers.

“As of now, the University has no formal affiliations, including with the Fair Labor Association, an outgrowth of the White House sponsored Apparel Industry Partnership,” said Chamberlin. “However, the committee will consider all options for affiliation. In the meantime, the University continues to consult with other universities and a wide range of government agencies and non-governmental organizations on all aspect of this issue.”

(A-12)
Web: http://www.umich.edu/~newsinfo/

letterlicensed to use U-M logosJohn Chamberlinhttp://www.umich.edu/~newsinfo/U-M News and Information ServicesUniversity of Michigan