Date of publication: November 16, 2005
Source: The Daily Iowan
By Danny Valentine
Carpal tunnel syndrome, back problems, faulty equipment, and the inability to unionize were the problems plaguing Betty Fuentes, a Colombian flower-plantation worker.
Across the Atlantic Ocean, Clementine Mthethwa of Swaziland, a factory worker, complained of drinking water shared with toilets and a dearth of safety equipment.
The main characteristic the two workers share: They both work for companies providing products to Wal-Mart.
UI Students Against Sweatshops sponsored the two workers' Tuesday visit and lecture about their abysmal working conditions - circumstances members say could be plaguing workers producing Hawkeye apparel.
"Their stories could very well represent the actual working conditions of employees who are making [clothing for Iowa]," said Julia Slocum, a Students Against Sweatshops member.
Despite the anti-sweatshop group sending a letter to UI President David Skorton earlier this year, the university has been slow to move on ensuring that its apparel is manufactured safely, group members say.
"He seems willing to take action, and that is why we are surprised he has been slow to act," said Ned Bertz, a Students Against Sweatshops member.
He added that the student group sent an invitation to Skorton to attend Tuesday's presentation.
Both workers and hosts urged Americans to help, asking for them to send letters to the government and to be more thoughtful shoppers - purchasing fair-trade and union products whenever possible.
"I want you to reflect that there are many workers in the different flower plantations so that all here have their flowers on the 14th of February," Fuentes said through a translator at the Tuesday evening event.
Mthethwa was less forgiving.
"Even if we die, they don't care a damn about us," she said about her employers.
After their speeches, the UI student group showed a 20-minute documentary on Wal-Mart, something Mthethwa said would be very useful in the fight against poor working conditions.
Because the negative effect of large corporations, such as Wal-Mart, affects both workers in the States as well as outside, the two-year machinist thinks "our campaign will be successful."
Although both Fuentes and Mthethwa are current employees of these businesses, they said they have protection and are not worried about educating the public about the working conditions.
"I am not scared at all right now," Mthethwa said. "The people who are scared are the factory owners."