Sweatshop Petition Circulated At HMS

Students at Harvard Medical School (HMS) formally joined the fight against sweatshop labor in a petition delivered yesterday to HMS Dean Joseph B. Martin.

The petition, which contained 237 student and faculty signatures collected by two HMS students last week, called for Martin to issue a statement urging the University to adopt a strong anti-sweatshop policy.

"A statement from the Dean of Harvard Medical School supporting the ideas encompassed in our letter would be a powerful force to change the deplorable sweatshop environment," the letter reads.

David J. Sher and Joyce F. Liu '98, both first-year medical students, wrote the letter and collected the signatures. Sher said the petition was motivated by the recent campus-wide surge in anti-sweatshop activism.

College students in the Progressive Student Labor Movement (PSLM) have been agitating the University to adopt an anti-sweatshop code of conduct for factories that manufacture University apparel.

The points in the petition were similar to a letter sent to President Neil L. Rudenstine by members of the Progressive Students Labor Movement (PSLM) lastweek, Sher said.

The PSLM demands, among other things, fulldisclosure of factory locations, independentmonitoring of facilities and higher wages forfactory workers.

"I had already been familiar with the topic andI realized it was becoming more of an issue andthere was an opportunity to make a differencehere," Sher said.

"As future physicians many of us feel thatadvocating for human rights is an important partof our professions," he added.

Liu and Sher distributed the petitions tofirst-and second-year medical students lastThursday. By Friday afternoon they had received237 signatures.

Sher delivered the petition to Martin's officeyesterday morning, and has been notified by thedean's staff that Martin will respond to it byWednesday.

Martin could not be reached for comment, butSally A. Baker, a University spokesperson, saidMartin would not have a chance to comment on ituntil today or tomorrow.

Sher said he hopes that the dean will announcea "positive angle" on the petition.

Presley Professor of Psychiatry and SocialMedicine Emeritus Leon Eisenberg was among the HMSfaculty that signed the petition.

"I find that it would be a violation of simpledecency if American universities allow their logosto be put on products manufactured by the use ofsweatshop labor," he said.

Other faculty signatories included KassProfessor of the History of Science Allan M.Brandt and Takeda Professor of Cell Biology DanielA. Goodenough '66.

PSLM will be one of the groups rallying infront of University Hall this afternoon, insupport of a stronger University policy againstsweatshop labor.

Sher said HMS students hope to attend therally, but most first-year medical students have amandatory class this afternoon.

"Cambridge is an M2 [bus] ride away [from HMS'sBoston campus]," he said. "It's a little moredifficult than stepping outside our dorm room."

But Sher said he thinks the petition will helpthe cause.

"I think this is an excellent opportunity forDean Martin, the Medical School and Harvard toactually make a difference in the lives of thepeople who are making the products that we wear,"he said

The PSLM demands, among other things, fulldisclosure of factory locations, independentmonitoring of facilities and higher wages forfactory workers.

"I had already been familiar with the topic andI realized it was becoming more of an issue andthere was an opportunity to make a differencehere," Sher said.

"As future physicians many of us feel thatadvocating for human rights is an important partof our professions," he added.

Liu and Sher distributed the petitions tofirst-and second-year medical students lastThursday. By Friday afternoon they had received237 signatures.

Sher delivered the petition to Martin's officeyesterday morning, and has been notified by thedean's staff that Martin will respond to it byWednesday.

Martin could not be reached for comment, butSally A. Baker, a University spokesperson, saidMartin would not have a chance to comment on ituntil today or tomorrow.

Sher said he hopes that the dean will announcea "positive angle" on the petition.

Presley Professor of Psychiatry and SocialMedicine Emeritus Leon Eisenberg was among the HMSfaculty that signed the petition.

"I find that it would be a violation of simpledecency if American universities allow their logosto be put on products manufactured by the use ofsweatshop labor," he said.

Other faculty signatories included KassProfessor of the History of Science Allan M.Brandt and Takeda Professor of Cell Biology DanielA. Goodenough '66.

PSLM will be one of the groups rallying infront of University Hall this afternoon, insupport of a stronger University policy againstsweatshop labor.

Sher said HMS students hope to attend therally, but most first-year medical students have amandatory class this afternoon.

"Cambridge is an M2 [bus] ride away [from HMS'sBoston campus]," he said. "It's a little moredifficult than stepping outside our dorm room."

But Sher said he thinks the petition will helpthe cause.

"I think this is an excellent opportunity forDean Martin, the Medical School and Harvard toactually make a difference in the lives of thepeople who are making the products that we wear,"he said