Without “significant progress” toward the resolution of an ongoing labor dispute in Honduras, Cornell University said last week it will follow the University of Wisconsin at Madison's lead and end its licensing agreement with Nike by the close of the year. In April, UW became the first university to cancel its contract with Nike over a contractor's treatment of workers in Honduras.
Labor groups claim
more than 1,800 employees didn't receive more than $2 million in
severance that they were due when two factories – — Vision Tex and Hugger de Honduras
– in Honduras were closed
in January 2009. Nike at one point subcontracted apparel production from
the facilities.
The decision, issued by Cornell University President David Skorton in an internal letter, is being heralded by anti-sweatshop activists as a significant victory.
“I have made the decision to allow the licensing agreement to run through its expiration date of December 31, 2010, at which point I will allow our agreement to expire unless significant progress is made,” Skorton wrote the university's Licensing Oversight Committee, which recommended the contract be severed. “I am doing this to allow Nike time to accelerate discussions I understand are underway between the company and union representatives acting on behalf of the displaced workers and to become more assertive in its efforts to remediate the Codes of Conduct violations.”
While Nike has offered training and vocational programs, the company has said the payments are the responsibility of the subcontractors. Cornell's oversight committee said it holds licensees responsible for the actions of subcontractors.
The full letter is accessible at:
http://bloximages.chicago2.vip.townnews.com/host.madison.com/content/tncms/assets/editorial/4/1f/d20/41fd20b4-85e4-11df-b0aa-001cc4c03286-revisions/4c2df47e4370e.pdf.pdf
Protests on college campuses, including visits by displaced Honduran workers who shared their stories
with administrators, faculty and students, were said to have played a role in Cornell's decision. After similar actions, Russell decided to reopen a factory in Honduras last year and rehire the 1,200 Honduran workers who had lost their
jobs in a plant closing.
In response to Cornell's decision, Nike issued a statement, sent to insidehighered.com, suggesting the company is working to resolve the issue.
“Nike is very concerned for the affected workers of Vision Tex and Hugger and continues discussions with key stakeholders on this matter,” the statement read. “In addition, we are in direct discussions with Cornell on our ongoing efforts in support of the workers in Honduras.”
