On Jul. 31, about 150 militant Union of Needletrades, Industrial & Textile Employees members raided the University of Wisconsin Bookstore claiming the clothing in the store was produced in “sweatshops.” UNITE protesters ripped open the doors and began marching into the store, chanting and shaking cans filled with pieces of metal as employees and patrons watched with “amazement and dismay.” At each level of the store, a contingent peeled off to march around that floor while the bosses continued to the administrative offices. Richard Metcalf, boss of the Midwest Regional UNITE demanded to see “someone in authority.” When denied, UNITE sat down in the halls and began singing a union anthem ”We Will Not Be Moved,” while on the floors below their followers continued to march and chant. As the Madison Police Department moved into positions around the store, UNITE marched out and briefly terrorized a second store up the street. The UNITE members were not even from Madison; they were there for a 4-day union meeting. ”We don’t know what products they are talking about,” said a store official. The university is working with other universities on developing a code of conduct for the Collegiate Licensing Co., which produces goods for 160 campuses. [Capital Times 08/01/98]
