Our beloved chancellor wasted no time dashing off a letter to Nike head honchos after learning about an 800-employee worker's strike at a Mexican UNC-contracted Nike plant that manufactures UNC sweatshirts. It all went down after 20 workers allegedly were fired for complaining about bad food, bad wages and no Christmas bonus.
Such complaints and the ensuing strike are not heinous crimes. Now, if these workers had been, say, referring to themselves in the third person or answering the telephone with the greeting "Yel-lo?" I would say bring on the pink slips. Such actions are almost justifiable grounds for homicide.
The chancellor, faculty and students have jumped into the mix because UNC's labor code calls for the workers' right to assemble. Interim Chancellor Bill McCoy signed a new and improved version of the labor code last spring after students pressed for one that would ensure fair treatment for factory workers as well as require factories to disclose their locations.
The full disclosure stipulation allows labor junkies to keep tabs on possible nonsense, even in countries far, far away.
Enter code violations at the factory in Mexico.
The Big Meese was quick to point out that Nike was not the bad guy in this ordeal. He said he was pleased with the company's attitude and felt that recent statements they had issued show they are concerned.
Moeser's letter stated that "... we reaffirm to Nike this University's commitment to freedom of association as one of the basic labor standards we have required our licensees to adopt; and that you encourage them to do everything in their power to ensure that principle is carried out."
I asked Meese why students and the University as a whole should give a damn. We have exams, infections, landlords, pesky roommates and neighbors whose devotion to Christian pop-rocker Amy Grant is pledged via vibrating walls.
He answered with only two words -- "social justice." It's one of those noble phrases you hear tossed around this campus frequently.
