The University’s Career Center is again providing University students a chance for a unique internship opportunity with the Walt Disney World College Program.
And for the fourth straight year, a group of University students protesting what they call Disney’s use of cheap labor pleaded their case with the presentation’s participants outside of Olscamp Hall Monday night.
The group, first organized by a small number of concerned students, has grown each year, and Monday, there were approximately 20 students exercising their right to protest. The group was organized by Andrew Balcerzak and Chuck Curry, who claim that Disney uses sweatshops in order to make the most profit possible.
“We’re not anti-Disney, we’re anti-sweatshop,” Balcerzak said. “Research by the National Labor Committee has shown that Disney has sought out areas of the world where they can get the cheapest labor possible. These countries — Bangladesh, for instance — are happy to get Disney’s business, and when there are numerous factories in the country competing for that business, Disney is able to find very cheap labor.”
Balcerzak’s group, through research done by the Maquila Solidarity Network and the Hong Kong Christian Industrial Committee, who produced a report on labor practices in Chinese contract factories making Disney products, argue that the employees in Disney’s factories in Bangladesh work 15 hours a day, seven days a week, and are paid just 5 cents per shirt they produce.
Docia Buffington, another member of the group of protesters, described the vicious cycle that takes place when these workers stand up for themselves.
“It’s hard for these countries’ citizens, because the countries do need the business,” she said. “But when the workers stand up for their rights, like the employees in Bangladesh did, Disney pulled out and found another factory.”
Other involved with the program disagree.
“It would be naive of me to say that no violations ever occur in Disney-owned factories,” JoAnn Kroll, director of the Career Center, said. “But when the Campus Greens approached me last year about this issue, I took their suggestions and investigated, and Disney has procedures in place to check themselves and make sure they are compliant.”
What Kroll found is that in 1996, Disney implemented an International Labor Standards program that included policies and practices made to protect the interests of workers who were producing Disney products. In addition, Disney launched direct factory monitoring activities in 1997, using professional independent auditors.
“[During my research]I was impressed by Disney’s extensive monitoring activities and commitment to promote and maintain responsible international labor practices throughout the world,” Kroll continued. “Clearly, it is a daunting task to monitor more than 35,000 factories, licensees, and vendors as well as hundreds of company-owned business units. Based on my review of their web site, it appears that The Walt Disney Company has implemented a comprehensive plan to monitor, investigate, and correct violations of international labor law.”
Still, Balcerzak and company insist that Disney is in violation of labor laws.
“They are working in dangerous conditions, and this company can’t even give these workers 57 cents an hour, the minimum wage in these countries,” Balcerzak said.
Campus representatives of the Disney Program continue to be appalled by the protesters.
“The Disney people I’ve talked to are shocked when they hear about these protesters,” said Kelly Patenaude, one of the representatives. “Their labor relations people work hard with private investigators to do their best to fix these problems, if they arise. I think some of these protesters forget about what Disney is providing to college students. Companies want students who have worked at Disney.”
