UA R6 (2015-2016): Requesting Specific Information on Labor Practices at Weill Cornell Medicine – Qatar
Amended
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- Resolution:
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Day:
February 23, 2016
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Action:
Amended
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Summary / Notes:
- File Attachments:
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Text Attachment:
University Assembly | www.Assembly.Cornell.edu/UA
1 U.A. Resolution #6
2
3 Requesting Specific Information on Labor Practices at Weill
4 Cornell Medicine – Qatar
5 February 9, 2016
6 Sponsored by:
7 Alexander Thomson, Graduate/Professional Student; Executive Vice Chair,
8 University Assembly
9 Matt Indimine, Undergraduate; Undergraduate Representative, University
10 Assembly
11
12 On behalf of:
13 UA Campus Welfare Committee (Passed 6-0-0 on 2/2/2016)
14 Cornell Organization for Labor Action: Carunya Achar, Michael Ferrer,
15 Allison Considine, Xavier Eddy, Deepa Saharia
16
17 Whereas, Article III of the University Assembly Charter grants the University
18 Assembly the authority to “examine, on its own initiative, matters which involve the
19 interests or concern the welfare of a substantial segment of the campus community;”
20
21 Whereas, Recent protests have revealed among students, staff, and faculty a
22 substantial interest in the labor practices and conditions at Weill Cornell Medicine -
23 Qatar (WCM-Q);
24
25 Whereas, WCM-Q shares not only the Cornell name, but also its common values,
26 educational mission, excellence in research, and commitment to bettering the global
27 community; furthermore, WCM-Q draws faculty from both the Ithaca and New York
28 City campuses;
29
30 Whereas, According to the Operating and Capital Budget Plan FY2016, WCM-Q
31 contributes over $88 million annually to Cornell’s operating budget, which directly
32 affects the financial position of the university as a whole;
33
34 Whereas, Cornell's practices both at home and abroad reflect upon the institution as a
35 whole, impacting the prestige and the reputation of the broader Cornell community,
36 including its administrators, faculty, staff, and students;
37
38 Whereas, Qatari labor practices enforce the kafala system, a migrant-labor monitoring
39 process which requires all unskilled laborers to have an in-country sponsor, usually
40 their employer, who is responsible for their visa and legal status. This system creates
41 opportunities for employers to commit massive labor exploitation with minimal legal
42 repercussions. Migrant workers compose 94% of the Qatari labor force and ubiquitously
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suffer under a system in which employer consent is required to change 43 jobs, leave the
44 country, get a driver's license, rent a home, or open a checking account;
45
46 Whereas, an initial investigation into working conditions in Education City by the
47 International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC) - a global confederation of workers’
48 organizations - found instances of forced labor, cramped living conditions, low wages,
49 and passport confiscation. The results of this investigation were sent to the presidents of
50 universities present in Education City in March of 2014, including Cornell, with only
51 Georgetown responding to the letter;
52
53 Whereas, Cornell University, as an institution, has a moral obligation to ensure that its
54 community members are treated with dignity and afforded the same basic human
55 rights, no matter where they are in the world or in what capacity they serve the
56 university;
57
58 Whereas, WCM-Q recognizes its positive role in society, stating in its mission a
59 commitment “to provide the highest quality of care to the community;”
60
61 Whereas, The 2022 World Cup will place Qatar in the global spotlight, likely exposing
62 Education City, WCM-Q, and Cornell University to increased scrutiny by the media and
63 viewers around the world;
64
65 Whereas, President Garrett responded to these concerns in two letters to Cornell
66 Organization for Labor Action (COLA) in September and October 2015, a response to
67 Student Assembly Resolution 16 in November 2015, and a letter to the Coalition Against
68 Gulf Exploitation (CAGE) in January 2016. However, these responses about labor
69 practices and conditions at WCM-Q have lacked sufficient detail for the University
70 Assembly to objectively evaluate the issue;
71
72 Be it therefore resolved, that the University Assembly, in order to promote
73 transparency, requests information about workforce policies and practices at WCM-Q,
74 specifically:
75 • The composition of the workforce at WCM-Q, including the number of Cornell
76 employees and contracted employees and the roles these worker groups fulfill
77 (e.g. job group and job family analysis),
78 • The names and affiliations of third party employers contracted by WCM-Q,
79 • The policies and standards used by WCM-Q to choose third party employers,
80 • The specific worker protections stipulated in contracts between WCM-Q and
81 third party employers, and Cornell’s options for redress if those stipulations are
82 violated,
83 • Any and all policies and practices WCM-Q uses to ensure Cornell’s standards are
84 being upheld, including the resources available to workers with grievances;
85
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Be it further resolved, that the information in lines 72-84 be made 86 publicly available
87 and presented to the University Assembly by the May 3rd, 2016 meeting;
88
89 Be it further resolved, that the University Assembly requests the details of any and
90 all previous labor investigations or audits conducted at WCM-Q by Cornell, including
91 the investigators, the date(s) of investigation(s), and the conclusions made by the
92 investigation(s);
93
94 Be it further resolved, that the University Assembly requests the details, where
95 known, of any and all previous labor investigations or audits conducted at WCM-Q by
96 external organizations, including the investigators, the date(s) of investigation(s), and
97 the conclusions made by the investigation(s);
98
99 Be it further resolved, that the University Assembly requests, where not in conflict
100 with the law, the details of any and all contact regarding salaries, policies, and
101 protections with contracted staff at WCM-Q;
102
103 Be it further resolved, that the University Assembly requests the protocols and
104 results of any and all monitoring of the working conditions of contracted staff conducted
105 by the WCM-Q administration;
106
107 Be it further resolved, that the University Assembly requests the details of any and
108 all contact with vendors regarding benefits and protections mandated for contracted
109 staff;
110
111 Be it further resolved, that the information requested in lines 89-109 be made
112 publicly available and presented to the University Assembly during a regularly
113 scheduled meeting no later than February 2017;
114
115 Be it further resolved, that the University Assembly will maintain impartiality on the
116 issue of labor conditions at Cornell’s international facilities until further information
117 becomes available;
118
119 Be it finally resolved, that this resolution will be transmitted to President Elizabeth
120 Garrett (upon her return), Acting President Michael Kotlikoff, Weill Cornell Medicine
121 Dean and Provost for Medical Affairs Laurie Glimcher, WCM-Q Dean Javaid Sheikh,
122 WCM-Q director of human resources Omar Baki, and any individuals or organizations
123 involved in gathering the requested information.