UW United Studnets Against Sweatshops will be hosting a "Getting Involved in Student Activism" event during Dawg Daze -- a week where incoming freshman attend events and become acquainted with campus during move-in. It's being held Monday September 23rd, from 1-3 pm in Smith Hall Room 305 and food will also be provided.

For 20 years, United Students Against Sweatshops (USAS) has leveraged the purchasing power of our universities to force companies to respect the rights of workers both locally on campus and abroad in garment factories where collegiate apparel is produced. We also believe that students, as current and future workers, should have access to quality education and be equipped with the skills needed to advocate for themselves.

We've had a lot of success doing international solidarity work. Our most recent victory was forcing the UW administration to sever ties with the apparel giant, adidas, for their refusal to pay $1.8 million in legally owed severance to their Indonesian garment workers. This contract cut was one of many across the country that resulted in the brand giving in and paying up just this last April.

In 2011, we waged a 13-month campaign against the food service giant, Sodexo. This company is the 21st largest employer in the world and was cited for outrageous human rights and labor violations in five countries included the US and Colombia. After campaigning with the 21 student groups in the UW Kick Out Sodexo Coalition, and holding three separate occupations on campus in the span of one month, we successfully forced the UW to end their 20-year relationship with the company and cut their $3.4 million concessions contract due to the labor violations.

And our fight for student and worker power continues! Want to learn more?

Email us: uwusas@uw.edu
National website: usas.org
Twitter: twitter.com…
Instagram: @UWUSAS