Freshman Anli Jiao knew exactly what she was going to wear to class yesterday.

It may have been the ominous forecast predicting rain, the wind swaying Seattle's floating bridges, or simply the mere comfort factor that caused Jiao to pull on a sweatshirt before heading outside.

What weren't outfit-deciding factors, however, were just where and how that bright purple Husky sweatshirt was made.

"I'd heard of sweatshops before," she said. "But I'd never thought of connecting sweatshops with the UW."

Jiao, along with a crowd of about fifty community members, attended a speech last night featuring Carmencita "Chie" Abad, a former garment worker in the U.S. territory of Saipan.

The event, sponsored by the Student Labor Action Project (SLAP), focused on relationships between unethical sweatshop conditions and collegiate apparel, and more specifically the UW's involvement.

"In the garment industry, brands set floor prices for their products; they aren't determined by the market," SLAP member April Nishimura explained. "The University has unique relationships with brands because they own their own logo. Brands have to gain permission in order to use that logo, and therefore have more initiative to please universities."

Abad spoke of her involvement in sweatshop factories to demonstrate the realities of the worker conditions and how universities can promote change.

For six years, she worked as an assistant supervisor in the Sako Corporation, a sub-contractor of Gap and other U.S. apparel stores.

During her time at the factory, Abad and her female co-workers were forced to work 14-hour days and meet exceedingly high quotas that often required overtime without compensation.

The clothing was labeled "Made in the U.S.A."

"These backpacks, these T-shirts, they make a lot of money for U.S. retailers," she said. "Workers in Saipan and countries around the world, they don't see that money."

As assistant supervisor, Abad calculated the "inputs and outputs" of garments every hour, giving her ample face time with her co-workers.

During these interactions, she would listen to their stories of abuse, exploitation and unhappiness.

After learning that one of her friends had been coerced into unknowingly signing her own letter of resignation (she was illiterate and thought she was taking time off), Abad knew things needed to change.

"Enough was enough," she said. "After that, the company stopped hiring Filipinos because I became notorious as a trouble-maker."

Abad began efforts to organize Saipan's first garment worker's union.

The union failed certification by five votes and the company decided against renewing Abad's contract.

But that didn't stop her from pursuing alternatives. Instead of resigning to failure, Abad pleaded her case to the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, ultimately winning a lawsuit in 2002 for $20 million.

The money went to factory workers for unpaid wages and overtime as well as an educational outreach program.

"[The experience] was a great thing for me," Abad said. "It pushed the envelope on how consumers like you and workers like me can press for change in retailers."

Abad now tours with Global Exchange, a non-profit organization working to expose social injustices in order to increase awareness of sweatshop conditions and the "truth behind made-in-U.S. clothing."

By talking to students and touring at universities, Abad hopes her message will continue to cause change.

Abad proposed that the UW join 30 other universities (including UCLA, UC-Berkeley, Columbia University and others) around the nation in adopting the Designated Suppliers Program.

The agreement would require the UW to contract 75 percent of its apparel through ethical suppliers within three years, provide living wages to workers and basic worker rights.

"As students, you have power," Abad explained. "As consumers, you have power. You have the power to make the UW sweat-free."

Reach reporter Tasha Thomas at news@thedaily.washington.edu.