Washington State University, NAACP and Teamsters agree about injustice at New Era

Teamsters General President Jim Hoffa and NAACP Chairman Julian Bond discuss the results of a report by the civil rights organization that shows a pattern of racial discrimination and worker harassment at New Era Cap facilities in the Deep South.

From UnionReview:

New Era is the exclusive manufacturer of Major League Baseball caps. The company also has contracts with a number of college programs throughout the United States, its products are known to be staple Hip-Hop fashion statements for both musicians and fans.

While both the Teamsters Union and the NAACP state that Major League Baseball should join them in demanding justice from New Era Cap, NAACP Chairman Julian Bond said today that the Civil Rights group will hold off for two weeks before reaching out to MLB because of "some overtures from the company." We look forward to seeing what, if anything will come out of the next couple weeks.

Mr. Hoffa reminded reporters that the workers went out to organize with Teamsters Local 991 stating that the black workers were held to worse conditions than white workers.
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In other news on this situation from Ai.com:

"The University of Wisconsin-Madison has decided that New Era is not the type of company we want to do business with," said Dawn Crim, head of community relations.

Not allowed in facility

Crim said Wisconsin primarily ended its contract with New Era because it wouldn't let the Workers Rights Consortium into the Mobile facility to investigate.
The consortium is one of two groups -- the other is called the Fair Labor Association -- that monitors labor conditions in factories that make college-logo items.

Both are involved in the New Era dispute, and the sides disagree about whether either can be impartial.

Scott Nova, executive director of the consortium, said the Washington, D.C.-based group has been seeking to visit the Mobile facility since November, but said New Era has denied entry. He said that violates the code imposed by the consortium's 177 collegiate members.

Marciniak said New Era doesn't want to let the consortium in because it's dominated by anti-sweatshop activists who've already taken a position against the company. "I think the WRC has a bias, for sure," the spokeswoman said.

Instead, she said New Era wants a mutually acceptable third party investigator.

Nova said the consortium has not yet reached any conclusions about conditions in Mobile, and that it would be up to member colleges to take actions when the group's inquiry is complete.
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