Congratulations are in order for the student groups that have campaigned diligently for almost five years in an attempt to get MSU to join the Worker Rights Consortium. Groups such as Students for Economic Justice, or SEJ, and Movimiento Estudiantil Xicano de Aztlan, or MEXA, achieved a big victory by convincing MSU President Lou Anna K. Simon to sign on to the consortium by the semester's end.
Joining the WRC goes a long way toward ensuring that the university's clothing is not produced by companies that violate the rights of their workers. MSU's involvement sends a message that our institution values the fair treatment of laborers around the world. In fact, joining the WRC will be just the latest in a number of steps the university has taken to ensure fair treatment. MSU recently committed to serving fair trade coffee in all of the residence halls on campus.
We'd also like to tip our hats to Simon, who in roughly four months has taken the bold action that former MSU President M. Peter McPherson did not take in more than four years. Her open-mindedness and willingness to listen on such an important issue are entirely respectable.
But in all this glad handing, it should be noted that SEJ and MEXA aren't wholly satisfied with the outcome of their labors thus far. According to MSU Board of Trustees Secretary Sue Carter, Simon will not sign on to four points the groups created as an addition to consortium guidelines. Among these guidelines are stipulations for women's rights and organizing rights.
Although it's understandable that the students might feel a bit crestfallen, change rarely comes overnight. For now, an effort that has lasted nearly five years has finally had an impact, and they should be proud to achieve a big part of their goal.
As students, it's good to know that fierce campaigning for a positive cause can have an impact on the way our university operates. It's also good to see this institution making positive choices.
http://www.statenews.com/op_article.phtml?pk=29481
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