Justice @ Maryland

Cut the Adidas Contract

Posted on March 14, 2013 by Admin

Last week, students from Justice at Maryland and Community Roots listened as two former Adidas employees spoke out against Adidas’ criminal and immoral treatment of its workers. Since their factory PT Kizone closed 22 months ago, Adidas has illegally refused to pay $1.8 million dollars in severance fees. Instead Adidas chose to hand out vouchers to the Indonesian equivalent of a 7-11, making rent and medical bills increasingly difficult to afford for the former employees. Our community won’t stand for that.

Send an email to President Loh, Director of Licensing Joe Ebaugh and University Attorney Diane Krejsa, demanding that we sever UMD’s support of Adidas and terminate the contract!

UMD: Cut the Adidas Contract
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Dear President Loh, Mr. Ebaugh and Mrs. Krejsa,
I am writing you as a concerned member of the University of Maryland community. Adidas has demonstrated a clear lack of concern for its workers, particularly those formerly employed in the PT Kizone factory in Indonesia. After 22 months of inaction, Adidas still owes these workers $1.8 million in legally owed severance fees. Instead, Adidas has given vouchers to the Indonesian equivalent of a 7-11; this is certainly no helping to paying medical bills or rent, let alone the many other fundamentals of life. This blatant disregard for human well-being has led to numerous hardships and tragedies. Mrs. Krejsa and Mr. Ebaugh both heard first-hand two former employees whose experience with Adidas left them facing many misfortunes, including lost educational opportunities. It is unacceptable for the University of Maryland to be connected with such criminal abuses against human welfare. As the flagship university in the Maryland system as well as a Big 10 school, the University of Maryland College Park is a leader. Our strong commitment to ethical and responsible conduct makes us a proud and strong community. Yet today we are sponsoring a company that violates law and disrespects its communities. Eight other leading universities have already chosen to cut their contracts with Adidas. The University of Maryland College Park should join Cornell University, Rutgers University, the University of Washington, Oberlin College, Georgetown University, the College of William and Mary, Santa Clara University, and Penn State in refusing to sponsor such immoral and illegal behavior. We demand that you preserve the image of our university and terminate the contract with Adidas.
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For more info, visit badidas.com.

UMD students stand in solidarity with two former Adidas workers.

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Adidas Worker Tour

Posted on February 24, 2013 by Admin

This week, Community Roots and Justice at Maryland will be joined by Aslam and Heni, former Adidas Workers at PT Kizone, an Indonesian Adidas factory that supplied apparel for UMCP and other US universities.

They’re coming to speak out about their struggle for Adidas to pay $1.8 million in severance pay to 2,800 former PT Kizone workers. Together with UMCP students, Aslam and Heni will call on us to take action against Adidas. Justice at Maryland has been campaigning for the rights of those working directly for the University, it’s time to also support those working for global corporations contracted by our school!

Join us Thursday, February 28th at 6pm in Tydings Hall, room 1101.

Adidas Logo with the word “exploitation” underneath.

Click here for the facebook event.

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Send a Valentine to UMD Workers

Posted on February 12, 2013 by Admin

UMD students are sending worker appreciation cards to University employees this Valentine’s Day. Contact JusticeatMaryland@gmail.com to get involved!

Valentines in both English and Spanish to show UMD workers how much we value them and their work!

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Workers’ Get Raises at UMD

Posted on February 12, 2013 by Admin

Click here to read the Diamondback article about workers’ raises at UMD.

Housekeepers and maintenance workers could see their first pay raise in several years, according to next year’s proposed Resident Life budget, but several students and workers said the increases would not be adequate to address workers’ need for higher wages.

“I don’t want anyone on this campus to be living in poverty because they’re not getting paid enough,” [Renée Nicolas] said. “I just want a living wage for all people.”

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Justice at Maryland sees improvements at UMD

Posted on February 12, 2013 by Admin

Click here to read the diamondback article about improvements that Justice at Maryland won in 2012!

“Workplace reforms that began in October have helped university staff work and travel more safely, though some employees say little has been done to address the root of their lack of security on the campus.

Increased English-language classes and security patrolling, among other new policies, are tangible improvements, but they’re only a start in addressing the widespread reports of abuse, employees and student advocates said. The underlying problem, said Don Mitchell, a Residential Facilities electrician, is the complex hierarchy of supervision Mitchell said allows supervisors and managers to get away with illicit behavior…”

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12th Worker’s Rights Forum : Speak Out and Be Heard!

Posted on August 2, 2012 by Admin

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Salt from the State Congress :o

Posted on August 1, 2012 by Admin

July 11, 2012

Dr. Wallace D. Loh
President
University of Maryland at College Park 1101 Main Administration Building College Park, MD 20742-6105

Dear President Loh:

Thank you for the valuable leadership and service you provide to the University of Maryland at College Park. We hope this letter finds you well.

We write today in response to information received by the Legislative Black Caucus of Maryland, Inc., regarding allegations of egregious working conditions being experienced by facilities workers at the University of Maryland at College Park. The information goes so far as to suggest that workers are experiencing sexual and physical abuse, racial discrimination, and verbal degradation by supervisors and managers within facilities and custodial services on your campus. They are being intimidated by their superiors with threats of retaliation, suspension, and/or termination, preventing many African-American and Hispanic personnel, in particular, from filing formal grievances and seeking relief.

As recently as March 13, 2012, Mr. Chad Sinclair of The Diamondback interviewed Mr. Solomon Comissiong. In his article, Mr. Comissiong stated that even though Human Resources Director, Dale Anderson, and Facilities Management Director, Carlo Colella, have made themselves available to meet with aggrieved employees directly while guaranteeing no reprisal for coming forward, such meetings have done little to address the problem. In fact, the article states, “Anderson met with two Hispanic employees and an interpreter several

months ago to discuss issues in the workplace and said one of those employees continues to face those issues.”

During initial conversations and a preliminary investigation, we have learned that the Black Faculty and Staff Association (BFSA) have attempted to work with the University to implement simple practices that would prevent these kinds of abuses from being perpetrated. One of these proposals was a shuttle service for low-

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Blast from the past: Diamondback coverage of similar issues in 2007-2008

Posted on July 31, 2012 by Admin

While the amount of publicity that agitating workers have been getting is recent, the abuses that they are fighting against are by no means new. Check out three Diamondback articles from 2007 and 2008 that talk about efforts to get the administration to take a stand against workplace abuse. It is telling that these complaints are still around, while the administration has failed to do anything significant.

University workers allege abuse

Officials dispute workers’ claims

Rally revitalizes talks over university workers’ contracts

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