ILWU VP Ray Familathe with LA-based USAS member Marcos Perez.
Over 250 student activists from dozens of college campuses across the country converged at the Ohio State University in Columbus for their annual conference in early February. The United Students Against Sweatshops (USAS) invited ILWU Vice President Ray Familathe to join them as a special guest.
USAS is an organization that corporations can’t afford to ignore. Since forming in 1997, USAS has established affiliate groups on 150 campuses and racked-up an impressive record of wins against powerful corporations including Nike and Russell Athletic. In both those cases, USAS was instrumental in winning settlements for abused workers making their college-logo apparel.
“I went to congratulate these student activists for their work in the past, and thank them for their ongoing campaign to help Rite Aid workers,” said International Vice President Ray Familathe who spent two days meeting with the students. Also on hand were ILWU Organizing Director Peter Olney and officials from the United Food and Commercial Workers Union Local 880 who represent Rite Aid workers around Cleveland, Ohio.
Familathe and the students weren’t deterred by record-breaking snowstorms and freezing temperatures that pounded the Midwest before the conference. The 250 activists began their meetings early in the morning and went late into the evening. They also found time to march in support of campus stadium workers on the Ohio State campus in Columbus who are fighting the giant Sodexo corporation for better wages, benefits, respect on the job, and union recognition.
When Familathe went to the podium, he told the students that he wanted to contact their parents and tell them how proud they should be for raising such hard-working children that want to make the world a better place.
“What you’re doing to help the Rite Aid workers is part of a bigger fight for justice and respect that has to keep moving forward with every generation,” said Familathe, “and you’re doing your part.”
Familathe’s speech was part of a panel that shared recent struggles by workers in the U.S. and abroad, including garment workers in Honduras and the Dominican Republic, along with campus workers at the Ohio State University and the College of William and Mary in Virginia.
Familathe outlined the Rite Aid campaign and the important role that students are now playing. “You mobilized across the country on December 15 to support of Rite Aid workers, and now you’re rising up again to mobilize for actions on Valentine’s Day.” He praised the students for their willingness to take on long-term struggles and help workers in other countries.
Familathe noted that the ILWU also has a long history of supporting workers and communities in other lands. “Our slogan is ‘An Injury to One is an Injury to All,’ and we mean it. When Nike workers were organizing for justice in Honduras, the ILWU told Nike corporate that we load and unload your finished goods, and that we didn’t like how they were treating workers who made the products.”
In the Dominican Republic, USAS organizers are supporting Alta Gracia a factory that produces “sweat-free” clothing – made by union members – that can be sold on college campuses in the U.S. Also on hand were organizers from Honduras who worked with USAS activists to protect union members from government and corporate attacks.
“We respect the ILWU because you’re our predecessors in international solidarity and have always reached out to stand with workers in other countries,” said Teresa Cheng, USAS National Organizer. “We look forward to joining with you to support Rite Aid workers in Lancaster, Ohio, New Jersey and wherever workers are fighting for their rights.”