UNC students seek anti-sweatshop rule

Sit-in focuses on clothing with logo

CHAPEL HILL -- A group of UNC-Chapel Hill students held a sit-in at the administration building Thursday, demanding the university sign an anti-sweatshop policy for its licensed clothing.

About a dozen students spent the afternoon in the lobby of South Building outside the chancellor's office. They spread protest signs and pizza boxes on the floor. About 10 planned to spend the night.

"We're going to put our lives on hold until these workers' rights are respected," said Salma Mirza, a senior history major who organized the sit-in.

A similar protest was held last week at Appalachian State University. Six students there were charged with disorderly conduct and trespassing.

The UNC-CH students asked that the university join the "Designated Suppliers Program." They said that would ensure clothing with the UNC logo would be made in factories where workers earned a living wage. Students said they have also petitioned UNC system President Erskine Bowles, asking him to put all UNC schools on the program.

In a statement, UNC-CH said it is committed to improving conditions for workers and is a member of two labor monitoring organizations. It said an advisory committee to Chancellor James Moeser had explored joining the designated suppliers program beginning in 2005 but didn't reach consensus.

University spokesman Mike McFarland said Moeser met and discussed this issue on Wednesday with a group of students, including those organizing Thursday's protest, for 90 minutes. The university said it was working with nine other major universities to develop enhanced monitoring for smaller merchandise suppliers.