Category | News

Slave trade alive and well

Published on February 17, 2009 by Patrick Ellrich

Anti-slave labor “Not for Sale” campaign educates students on impact of purchases
David Batstone, a leader in the fight against human trafficking and child slavery, visited KSU last Wednesday night to speak to students about the business side of ending global slave trade and to launch a new organization, Free2Work.

David Batstone speaks to students in the burruss Building on Feb. 11. Photo by Patrick Ellrich

Batstone is known as “The Instigator” for a campaign called “Not for Sale,” which is a “campaign of individuals, musicians, artists, businesses… and schools, united to stop the trade of the 27 million people who are enslaved today,” according to its Web site, www.notforsalecampaign.org.

“I am thrilled to be at KSU today to launch Free2Work,” Batstone said as he unveiled his brand-new Web site to an audience of students in the Burruss Building. “This is the first time Free2Work is live and functioning.”
Batstone told students that the concept of Free2Work is a very simple one: “It’s about creating the possibilities of work and gaining access to capital.”

As Batstone paced back and forth on the stage, he asked students, “Who here is in favor of slavery?”

Batstone expected that no one in the audience would raise their hands.

“It’s a no-brainer that everyone should be free to work,” he said. “But unfortunately, as I began to research supply chains and study how products wind up on our shelves, I realized that this is not a foregone conclusion.”

Examples were used to explain how many of the companies and everyday products the students use are directly linked to child slavery: cotton, chocolate, tires and cars.

Not for Sale by David Batstone

“If you drove a car here today that is a Ford or Toyota and has Firestone tires, I would like to congratulate you because you have a fully-made slave car,” Batstone said, surely shocking some members of the audience.

“Free2Work came out of a way to invite companies to be the best of what they could be and be a pioneer… in Free2Work,” said Batstone.

Free2Work’s Web site, http://www.free2work.org, invites individuals to check companies to see if they are Free2Work organizations and to report companies who use slavery. The Web site also invites companies to sign up and become a Free2Work advocate.

“We are going to make this spread like wildfire,” said Batstone. “I’m convinced of this more than I have ever been convinced of anything because this generation, 35 [years-old] and under, cares about how products are being made.”

Batstone isn’t shooting for 100 percent of consumers to catch on to Free2Work; he is hoping to influence 21 percent of consumers because “21 percent of consumers shift the market, reputation and brand.”

“Change isn’t about writing a letter to your congressperson; it’s about companies doing the right thing and people encouraging companies to do the right thing,” said Batstone.

Batstone concluded his speech by explaining to students that it is worth paying a little more for a freely-made product because it will ensure someone’s freedom.

Merrill Beckwith, host of the event and a junior majoring in finance, reflected on Batstone’s speech.

“Having David here today was eye-opening and brought reality to what slave trade is and how it is involved in our economy and pointing out to students how they can go out and promote Free2Work.”

David Batstone is the author of the books “Not for Sale” and “Saving the Corporate Soul.” The Web sites for his organizations include: http://www.notforsale.org, http://www.free2work.org, http://www.slaverymap.org and http://www.rightreality.com.