University administrations have stalled the organizing efforts of workers on their own campuses and workers around the world for too long– but USAS activists are fighting back in solidarity with workers!
This past spring (April 2008) saw a wave of student sit-ins sweeping the nation, resulting in the arrests of over 50 USAS activists! These students have been campaigning for years for the Designated Suppliers Program, which would support the organizing efforts of garment workers who make collegiate apparel. It is a shame to see our University administrations respond to demands for justice with handcuffs and criminal charges
On April 9, 2008, Appalachian State University students staged a sit-in for the DSP after years of their administration stalling on the issue of sweatshop abuse in their university supply chain. They were arrested two days later. The next week, students at the University of Montana began a sit-in and several of them were arrested on the first day. The day after the Montana sit-in, students at Pennsylvania State University began a sit-in, and over 30 student activists were arrested on the first day.
Directly following the three student sit-ins that ended in the arrests of peaceful students, students at UNC-Chapel Hill began a sixteen-day occupation of their administration building for the DSP. They redecorated the lobby outside the
Chancellor’s office with images of worker struggles at their University since the 1960s– dining hall workers, housekeepers, and garment workers who make UNC apparel.
After sixteen days, the UNC administration ordered the arrests of students who had remained during finals week under 24/7 police watch. On August 18, 2008, UNC students were convicted of “failure to disperse”– but UNC-Chapel Hill was put on trial as well, for abusing workers around the world!
For more information and coverage on the sit-in, see:
UNC Student Action with Workers Sit-in Website
UNC protesters guilty, but sweat free
