Text: HR00123 Text: HR00125 Text: HR00100 - HR00199 Text: HR Index Bills and Amendments: General Index Bill History: General Index
PAG LIN 1 1 HOUSE RESOLUTION NO. 1 2 BY FALLON 1 3 A Resolution urging the University of Iowa to immedi- 1 4 ately withdraw from the fair labor association. 1 5 WHEREAS, sweatshops are workplaces in which people 1 6 work in hazardous and substandard conditions, in 1 7 situations which may include subminimum wages or 1 8 nonpayment of wages, forced overtime, sexual 1 9 harassment, verbal abuse, corporal punishment, child 1 10 labor, forced birth control and pregnancy tests, 1 11 illegal firings, and prohibitions of unions; and 1 12 WHEREAS, sweatshop conditions have been documented 1 13 in the production of university-licensed apparel, 1 14 including that of the University of Iowa; and 1 15 WHEREAS, the University of Iowa is a public 1 16 institution with a strong commitment to human rights, 1 17 education, and research, partially funded by the 1 18 citizens of Iowa, which joined the Fair Labor 1 19 Association (FLA) June 15, 1999, as its initial 1 20 gesture toward combating sweatshop labor; and 1 21 WHEREAS, serious allegations have arisen regarding 1 22 conflicts of interests within the FLA and the 1 23 domination of its board of directors by apparel 1 24 corporations and by individuals and organizations that 1 25 receive funding from corporations which profit from 1 26 sweatshop labor; and 1 27 WHEREAS, due to the failure or inability of the FLA 1 28 to require adequate safeguards, independent monitoring 1 29 of or disclosure by apparel manufacturers, the 1 30 University of Iowa Center for Human Rights and the 2 1 University of Iowa Committee on Human Rights have 2 2 recommended that the University of Iowa immediately 2 3 withdraw from the FLA; and 2 4 WHEREAS, the University of Iowa has recently joined 2 5 the Workers Rights Consortium, which has a stronger 2 6 code of conduct than does the FLA, provides 2 7 independent monitoring of manufacturers, has the same 2 8 annual membership cost to the University as the FLA, 2 9 making the continued membership in the FLA a 2 10 financially redundant investment in an ineffectual 2 11 organization; and 2 12 WHEREAS, the University of Iowa's continued 2 13 affiliation with the FLA undermines its commitment to 2 14 reforming the collegiate apparel industry by 2 15 supporting an organization comprised of apparel 2 16 manufacturers and their supporters, organizations 2 17 which created, perpetuate, and profit from sweatshop 2 18 labor; NOW THEREFORE, 2 19 BE IT RESOLVED BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, 2 20 That the House of Representatives strongly urges the 2 21 administration of the University of Iowa to cancel its 2 22 membership in the Fair Labor Association and withdraw 2 23 its support from the Fair Labor Association, thus 2 24 confirming the integrity and moral leadership expected 2 25 of the University of Iowa by students, faculty, 2 26 alumni, and the citizens of Iowa. 2 27 LSB 7323HH 78 2 28 vl/gg/8
Text: HR00123 Text: HR00125 Text: HR00100 - HR00199 Text: HR Index Bills and Amendments: General Index Bill History: General Index
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