Statement from the President of the University of California:
The University of California ("UC") is committed to the timely implementation of the Designated Suppliers Program ("DSP") proposed by United Students Against Sweatshops, under the following conditions:
After an appropriate phase in period (as contemplated by the DSP), UC will require licensees, in the first year of implementation, to buy not less than 25 percent of logo apparel from factories that pay a living wage, respect associational rights as demonstrated by the presence in the factory of a legitimate union or other representative employee body, and sell the majority of their products to university licensees (or to other buyers willing to meet the same standards and pricing obligations as university licensees). If UC determines, following the first year of implementation, that the DSP is improving conditions for workers and helping to achieve compliance with the requirements of the UC Code of Conduct for Trademark Licensees, and that the DSP is also meeting UC requirements with respect to the manufacture and delivery of UC logo apparel, then the percentage requirement will be increased to in excess of 25 percent. If UC determines, following the first year of implementation, that there is a need to reassess ongoing implementation of the DSP, UC reserves the right to do so.
UC will require licensees to pay DSP factories prices sufficient to make it possible for the standards listed in paragraph 1 to be met.
Licensee compliance with the foregoing requirements of the DSP will be enforced by the Workers Rights Consortium in order to ensure verification by an organization that is independent of the apparel industry.
The goal of 500 faculty members has been met!
