ANTI-SWEATSHOP HUNGER STRIKE

Friends,

Students representing numerous Purdue organizations, including the Purdue Organization for Labor Equality, Amnesty International, the Purdue Alliance of Libertarian Socialists, and the Marxist-Humanist Network, are currently engaged in a HUNGER STRIKE and CAMP-IN until Purdue President Martin Jischke signs the Designated Suppliers Program (DSP). The DSP ensures that Purdue logoed apparel is made in factories which follow three basic guidelines:

1. Workers in these factories have the right to form a democratic union if they desire, or already have such a representative body.

2. Workers in these factories can bargain toward a living wage.

3. The Purdue Code of Conduct (which has already been approved) is followed.

For seven years now Purdue students have been struggling to make Purdue a sweat-free campus. Over the course of the past year and a half, we have attempted to reach an agreement with the university but have not received a positive response nor any concrete answers as to the university's problems with the DSP. Purdue's apparel monitoring organization, the Workers Rights Consortium, has already endorsed the DSP. 30 peer universities, including Indiana University and the University of Wisconsin-Madison, have already adopted the DSP.

The hunger strike, which began on Friday, 17 November, will continue until Purdue unequivocally accepts the Designated Suppliers Program. Students have also been occupying various campus buildings 24 hours a day despite intense police harrassment. The occupation will continue throughout the Thanksgiving holiday.

What you can do to help us:

1. Contact the Purdue Board of Trustees, President Martin Jischke, and Vice President of University Relations Joe Bennett

Purdue Board of Trustees

E-mail: trustees (at) purdue.edu

Phone: 765-494-9710

Fax: 765-496-7465

President Martin Jischke

E-mail: mcjischke (at) purdue.edu

Phone: 765-494-9708

Vice President of University Relations Joe Bennett

E-mail: jlbennett (at) purdue.edu

Phone: 765-494-2085

2. Send letters of support to the strikers c/o purdue_ole (at) yahoo.com

On behalf of the Hunger Strikers