Bowdoin is keeping tabs on its apparel licensing agreement with Russell Athletic after the company was accused of anti-unionism. The New York Times reported on Tuesday that 12 universities, including Columbia, Cornell, Duke, and Georgetown, have already cut ties with Russell due to the company's closing of a unionized factory in Honduras.
"We're just monitoring the situation," said Director of Dining and Bookstore Services Mary Lou Kennedy. "We haven't made a decision yet."
About 16 percent of clothing in the bookstore is Russell apparel, according to Kennedy.
The Workers Rights Consortium (WRC) and the Fair Labor Association (FLA) have both criticized Russell's action. While Russell has said that the closing was due to "economic considerations," the consortium said that it believed that Russell targeted the factory in part because of its unionized status.
Kennedy said that Bowdoin takes the recommendations of the WRC and FLA seriously, saying, "We watch them closely."
But Kennedy added that because the bookstore does not plan on ordering any new clothing until May, the College has time to see if Russell will change its stance.
"At this point we're still waiting to see what Russell is going to do," Kennedy said.