Two workers protesting UW-Madison apparel manufacturer Russell Athletics appeared on campus Tuesday to share their experiences as union members in one of the company's manufacturing plants.
Jerzees de Honduras, a branch of Russell Athletics, recently closed their 'plant after union workers attempted to bargain with management for '""higher wages. The Workers Rights Consortium, an independent labor rights monitor agency, has '""confirmed that the closure was a harsh response to union activity.
UW-Madison terminated its contact with Russell Athletics Feb. 5 because the company violated the university's code of conduct for licensees, which guarantees freedom of association.
The factory's union workers said '""they asked for decent wages to make a living, wages not even '""close to what management positions receive.
Norma Estela Mejia Castellano, vice president of the workers union, said she was greatly impacted by the closure of the factory.
""It has left us on the street unfairly just because we wanted to have a '""fair wage and job,"" she said.
Workers wanted to unite because they felt they needed to defend '""themselves through the only legal avenue they had. The movement started to impact workers who were previously fired.
""We felt really proud because [the workers] were starting to believe in '""the power of a union,"" Mejia Castellano said.
According to a statement by Russell Athletics, The Fair Labor Association reported areas where the company could improve freedom of association. Russell Athletics said they would initiate steps recommended by the FLA to improve worker life.
However, Moises Elias a Bovado, president of the workers union, said Russell Athletics did not comply with the code of conduct.
""They might have it up on the wall, they might have it written down, but when it comes to applying it to the real world that doesn't happen,"" he said.
According to Jan Van Tol, member of the Student Labor Action Coalition, it is common for companies to deny allegations against them.
""The language in the code of conduct is a little bit open for interpretation, but any reasonable reading and it would be obvious they violated it."" he said.
SLAC member Phoebe Taurick thought the event had a positive impact because it informed the community about the situation and probed students to get involved.
""I can tell you all that I want [about the situation], but it isn't the same as hearing it from the mouths of the people who are involved in this struggle,"" she said.
