Canadian postsecondary institutions must do more to ensure that their branded apparel is not made in sweatshops, argues Judy Fudge (McMaster University). Fudge writes that the apparel companies to which institutions license their trademarks often rely on supplier networks located in countries with weak labour protections and regulations. This leads to a disconnect between university values and practices. The author details how student activism led to the establishment of the Worker Rights Consortium (WRC), an independent monitor that ensures compliance with manufacturing codes of conduct. Fudge argues that universities should see becoming a WRC affiliate as a moral obligation, as this “demonstrate[s] their commitment to protecting the rights of workers producing the apparel and goods that carry their names.”
