Advocacy and solidarity are what the United Students Against Sweatshops (USAS) organization strives for. This proved to be the underlying message during the USAS Midwest Conference held Saturday, Oct. 1 to Sunday, Oct. 2.

Members from Midwest chapters gathered at Grand Valley State University to discuss the organization, its mission and its goals and values.

The conference consisted of various workshops throughout the day including: an overview about the organization, where it will go and how it can improve, how to effectively advocate and how to discuss issues with campus administration.

Attendees learned about developing campaigns, getting messages across to mainstream and alternative media, and activist tactics.

New members were trained on winning campaigns and how to move from apathy to action. Members also discussed their campaigns of the moment, which are specific cases each chapter is working on individually.

The GVSU USAS chapter is currently working with workers and union members of The Rapid due to a yearlong conflict with renewing their contracts.

“Rapid workers are not being treated fairly, their new proposed contracts will negatively affect their healthcare and pensions,” said Emily Dusicska, a member of GVSU USAS. “This has an effect on our community because our university partners with them.”

The organization has also worked with GVSU about the university’s athletic contract with Adidas. Dusicska said USAS has talked to the university’s administration about the unfair labor conditions Adidas has practiced.

Dusicska added that GVSU has put pressure on the company and will impend to cut their contract if a change is not made.

After a brief stint in the mid-2000s, GVSU USAS returned as a chapter five years ago and has been putting on effective campaigns since.

“I joined USAS here at GVSU because it’s a comfortable and collaborative space,” said GVSU USAS member Caitlin McHugh. “I’ve learned our voices matter and we can really make a difference.”

USAS is a national organization with over 150 participating campuses. It seeks to hold companies accountable for the exploitation of employees in the community and overseas in factories where collegiate apparel is produced.

The organization has produced campaigns supporting garment workers in Bangladesh, fought against Nike’s unsafe factory conditions and advocated for union jobs across the country.

Currently, USAS is fighting to help Walmart workers form unions, increasing wages for fast food workers and fighting to keep the U.S. Postal Service out of the control of private companies.

While the organization has been around since 1997, members say they’ve accomplished a lot over the past decade and have no intentions of slowing down.