Workers’ rights have always been a passion for University of Wisconsin-Madison junior Melanie Meyer, whose involvement with the Student Labor Action Coalition draws upon a family history of union participation.
As the granddaughter of a United Automobile Workers union local chapter president and daughter of a UAW member, Meyer said her increasing understanding of the importance of the labor movement has greatly inspired her work as a student advocate.
“Workers’ rights are human rights,” Meyer said. “To be an activist and speak up on behalf of people who work very hard is something that is just so important to me.”
Meyer serves as one of three student members on UW-Madison’s Labor Codes Licensing Compliance Committee, a shared governance group that advises administration on matters relating to labor codes of conduct.
Through her work with the LCLCC and SLAC, Meyer played an active role in a campus campaign encouraging Chancellor Rebecca Blank to require all university licensees to sign onto the Accord for Fire and Building Safety in Bangladesh. This agreement, which the chancellor signed March 14 after months of pressure from SLAC, ensures regular safety inspections and repairs in Bangladeshi garment factories.
“The fact that the accord allows the workers’ voices to be heard is extremely significant,” Meyer said. “Although the accord, right now, is only something that affects Bangladesh … for universities to be requiring brands to sign onto the accord … is able to really change the global garment industry in the future.”
Meyer, who majors in legal studies and is pursuing a certificate in criminal justice, said she would love to see a national revival of the labor movement. She hopes young people would be enthusiastic to join such an effort that helps workers’ unions gain strength across the country.
She added activism can help combat passivity and empower students to defend their beliefs.
“One of the great things about being an American is, from a very young age we’re taught that everyone is equal and that everyone has an equal voice and equal freedoms,” Meyer said. “Being an activist and speaking out for what you believe in is just part of being American.”
