CHAPEL HILL - About 40 UNC-Chapel Hill students gathered inside South Building on Friday to press Chancellor James Moeser to sign onto a Designated Suppliers Program for logo apparel, most of which is made in developing countries.

The students planned to stay there over the weekend.

About 10 students stayed in the South Building lobby overnight Thursday, protesting the low wages paid to factory workers making licensed T-shirts, hats and other clothing for UNC-CH.

The program the students favor would require factories to pay a living wage "sufficient to support a family of average size." UNC-CH's current labor standard mandates only the higher of the local minimum wage or the prevailing wage in the regional apparel industry.

The program, which could be implemented on some campuses next year, also would demand looser unionizing rules and more independent monitoring of working conditions.

As Moeser left his office about 5 p.m., he joined the students in clapping as they chanted, "Chancellor Moeser, you will know, union-busting's got to go!" He then wished them a nice weekend.

The program was created by the Worker Rights Consortium, a Washington-based nonprofit organization founded by college and university administrations, students and labor rights experts.

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