Twelve students refused to stop their hunger strike after eight days on Saturday in a show of protest against the extremely low wages the university workers receive.

Hundreds of the university's contract employees reportedly make less than seven dollars and 25 cents an hour, which is not enough to pay for their basic necessities in Charlottesville, where the university is located.

The employees, mostly female African Americans, struggle in a city where the costs of living are nearly 10 percent higher than the national average.

This inequality has disturbed some of the students whose pleas have been consistently ignored by the authorities.

Despite serious health concerns, the student protesters have vowed to stay strong until the university gives in to their demands and increases the workers’ wages.

The UVA would need to spend USD 4.2 to 5.8 million yearly to pay all the direct employees the USD 13 per hour that the protesters advocate. The protestors note that the figure makes up less than 0.25 percent of the university's USD-2.487-billion annual budget.