After weeks of deliberation, the Associated Students UCLA Board of Directors has voted against renewing its contract with Russell Athletic.
The board released a letter addressed to the UCLA community late Wednesday, which followed days of intensive, closed-session discussion.
Russell Athletic has been under scrutiny this year, since a workers’ rights watchdog group uncovered findings of alleged unfair labor practices in Russell-owned factories in Honduras.
Several universities cut their ties with Russell throughout February and March. ASUCLA, which has Russell license much of its UCLA apparel, has been debating its decision since the findings came out.
Netta Avineri, the chair of the board of directors, said ASUCLA’s license with Russell had officially expired on March 31, which she said was a contractual end date independent of the recent developments.
In the weeks leading up to the contract’s end date, the board was in contact with Russell representatives and outlined a letter asking Russell to change its labor practices.
But Avineri said that Russell’s response to the board’s letter was unsatisfactory, and as a result the board voted against renewing the contract.
Avineri noted that the board did not cut the contract short but simply decided not to renew it due to the recent developments and Russell’s response.
Bernice Shaw, an undergraduate representative on the board, said she was glad to see the board come to its decision.
“The decision echoes for what we stand for, which is social responsibility. Russell came back to us with an inadequate response and we had to drawn the line,” Shaw said.
Avineri added that ASUCLA is still open to dialogue with Russell and may consider establishing ties by the May 22 board meeting if Russell makes appropriate adjustments in its labor policies.
But for now, Avineri said the board is looking for new licensees to provide the apparel in the UCLA store.
Jesse Rogel, the vice chair of the board, said the decision was complex and weighed several pros and cons.
Rogel said the board realized the decision could possibly hurt Russell’s employees in developing nations but said the social responsibility of the association outweighed any short-term negative impact.
“This is a global issue and I don’t think anyone has a perfect solution. My hope is that we can help Russell turn into a responsible corporation,” Rogel said.