UW Keeps Adidas Deal Despite Criticism From Student Coalition

Wisconsin To Keep adidas Deal Despite Pressure From Student Coalition

The Univ. of Wisconsin will keep its apparel deal with adidas despite UW student group Student Labor Action Coalition "urging [UW] to end its ties" with the company, according to Laura Sexauer of UW student newspaper the BADGER HERALD. The Labor Licensing Policy Committee and members of the student group met with adidas Dir of Social & Environmental Affairs Gregg Nebel "before the agreement was made to discuss the company's progress in a case involving the embezzlement of employees' pension and social security funds" in El Salvador. Nebel said that adidas Monday published a letter to the Salvadoran government in two major newspapers "in attempts to pressure the government to take action against the ... factory owner." Nebel: "Corporate responsibility is something everybody is concerned about. We pursued all the proper, what we though to be legal recourse to try and get attention to the workers." UW Special Assistant to the Chancellor for Community Relations Dawn Crim said that the committee "wants to continue the relationship with adidas because the company is making efforts to solve the situation." The labor licensing policy says that when UW "licenses companies to manufacture products with the UW logo or name, the company is required to follow a code of conduct to prevent sweatshop abuse." If the company "violates this contract and neglects to correct the situation, UW would be entitled to pull the license." All three student participants from the coalition voted to end the relationship (BADGER HERALD, 10/29).