Universities Cut Off Big Apparel Company for Anti-Union Closing

Several leading U.S. universities have ended their licensing arrangement with a major U.S. apparel company, Russell Athletics, after the company closed a factory in Honduras in response to union organizing.  Their action has prompted coverage by The Huffington Post.   

The significant move against Russell by Duke, Georgetown, Wisconsin and others came after two independent investigations confirmed that the closing of Russell’s Jerzees de Honduras plant was in retaliation for union organizing.   Russell has also been accused of taking actions that could endanger union members.   Threats against union members have prompted a petition to protect their safety that is pending before the OAS' Inter-American Commission on Human Rights.   Efforts to address this closing are being led by the Worker Rights Consortium, the Maquila Solidarity Network, USAS, and others.