University officials have pledged to continue making strides in uncovering information regarding the alleged infringements of workers' rights by a major supplier of UNC licensees.
Investigations by the Fair Labor Association and the Workers' Rights Consortium found last month that Gildan Activewear, a Canadian company that supplies blank T-shirts to UNC licensees - as well as to the licensees of more than 55 other universities - has not met the labor standards set by these organizations.
The company's El Progreso plant in Honduras reportedly violated its workers' rights to freedom of association, failed to pay 39 workers' back wages and allegedly harassed and abused workers.
The University's Licensing Labor Code Advisory Committee now is gathering information from the FLA and WRC, as well as from other universities whose licensees source from Gildan, to decide whether the company should remain a major supplier to University licensees.
But because Gildan could be in violation of the University's code of conduct, it is likely that UNC will ask licensees to cut ties with the company, said Melanie Stratton, a member of Students United for a Responsible Global Environment.
The group is working with the committee to investigate the claims.
"(UNC was) so instrumental in bringing other schools into the WRC," she said. "UNC knows its responsibility to uphold its code of conduct. It will really show a precedent that we support our code of conduct and that we ask our licensees to do the same."
Derek Lochbaum, UNC's director of trademarks and licensing, said it is possible - though unlikely - that the University will experience large financial fluctuations from the case. "It is possible that we could see a decline in revenue."
All UNC Student Stores revenues go to scholarships. Last year, $2.3 million, or 75 percent of the money, went to academic scholarships. About $868,000, or 25 percent, was allocated to athletic scholarships.
