Post by Modesto Anarcho on May 25, 2007 10:45:53 GMT -5
Fight for food workers: Protesters stage sit-in at UC Davis' Mrak Hall
Published May 24, 2007 - 18:04:23 CDT.
Special to The Enterprise By Sharon Stello\Enterprise staff writer
Fifteen protesters were arrested after staging a sit-in Wednesday afternoon in Mrak Hall, the UC Davis administration building, and demanding that campus food workers become university employees. They are employed by Sodexho, a company contracted by UCD.
It was the second protest this month by food workers and supporters. On May 1, a few hundred marched down Russell Boulevard and 24 were arrested for staging a sit-in that blocked the intersection with Anderson Road.
On Wednesday, the group marched at noon from the Memorial Union Patio to Mrak Hall. The protest started with about 80 people and dwindled to 40 or fewer as the afternoon drew on. The group remained peaceful but loud, pounding on the building's glass doors, chanting and blaring sirens from a megaphone.
Mrak Hall was locked down. Reporters and even some employees were not allowed in the building. Neither were students who wanted to pick up forms or conduct business at the registrar's office. Forms are available online and there were no admissions deadlines they needed to meet Wednesday, a UCD spokeswoman said.
Before the large group arrived to start the rally, and before the doors were locked, 15 protesters entered the building and made their way to a second-floor conference room, hanging banners from the windows and refusing to leave.
After a meeting with administrators, the protesters came downstairs to the lobby, where they sat in a circle on the floor and remained until they were arrested on charges of trespassing, unlawful assembly and assembling to disturb the peace. They were bused to the Davis Police Department and then to the Yolo County Jail where they were booked, cited and released.
Protesters included current and former food workers, students, alumni and leaders of AFSCME, the union that organized the protest and would represent food workers if they become university employees.
The group decided to protest because, they said, university administrators failed to meet their promise to meet within a week or so of the May 1 protest. UCD officials say they're willing to meet and have been in contact with the group, but it's the workers and union reps who won't set a date.
Arooj Ahmad, a UCD alumna and food worker, was one of those arrested. Earlier, she spoke with The Enterprise by cell phone from inside the building.
“They need to realize we are workers, we are students, we matter,” Ahmad said.
Ruben Aguirre, who protested outside, is a student food worker earning minimum wage. He has seen the advantages of university employment. His mother, Ana, is a patient support assistant represented by a union at UC San Francisco Medical Center.
Aguirre said he wants to become a university employee because they get more respect, better pay and benefits and union representation, although they could unionize while working for Sodexho.
Aguirre said he's frustrated by the university's reaction to worker demands.
“I feel like we're not being listened to,” he said. “We're people, we're not just labor.”
UCD is the last of the University of California's 10 campuses and five medical centers still contracting with outside companies to provide food service. At the Davis campus, about 500 food workers are employed by Sodexho and approximately 30 custodians work for other private companies.
Student food worker Kathia Garcia said a majority of workers support the campaign. She declined to release a petition showing this support because signatures are still being gathered and workers are afraid of retribution for signing it.
Reportedly, there's also a petition signed by some food workers who oppose the idea of becoming university employees. A university spokeswoman could not track it down by press time today. Union leaders claim that petition was circulated by managers, so workers felt pressured to sign it.
UCD says it would cost at least $3.2 million more per year to directly hire the food workers. Students who live in a residence hall and have a meal plan would pay about $600 more per year - an increase that could move UCD from one of the least expensive to one of the most expensive UC campuses in total room and board costs, according to the university.
Before the sit-in and door banging started, administrators talked with protesters in the building. They listened to the group's concerns and talked about steps the university and Sodexho are taking to improve pay, benefits and working conditions, which are detailed in a letter from Janet Gong, interim vice chancellor for student affairs.
Workers say UCD's offer is a step in the right direction, but not good enough. They want to become university employees and won't settle for less.
A copy of Gong's letter was ripped up at the protest.
“This is what we think of their letter,” said student food worker Patricia Zermeño.
In the letter, Gong noted that UCD is in a contract with Sodexho through 2010. University leaders say Sodexho has done a good job providing food service for more than 30 years at UCD, making many investments along the way.
“We have chosen to honor this contract and seek ways within it to approach the compensation and employment practices that are at issue,” Gong wrote.
Sodexho, which already meets the Sacramento living wage ordinance, has agreed to raise wages, integrate UCD's Principles of Community into employment practices and use a third-party review system to resolve employee complaints. By June 15, Sodexho plans to present a proposal for improving its compensation plan.
Gong's letter said it would cost an estimated $2.1 million per year to provide improved wages and more affordable benefits to Sodexho employees. Students who live and eat on campus likely would bear much of that cost.
In addition to possibly raising rates for student housing and meal plans, UCD administrators are looking into temporary use of housing and student union capital reserves to help cover costs during the transition. They're also considering a student referendum to increase student fees.
Administrators have reviewed similar experiences at UC Irvine and Santa Cruz.
“Contrary to assertions by others, we've learned that these campuses have actually increased housing and meal plan costs, asked residents of student apartments to subsidize some of these costs, and reduced services,” Gong wrote.
Gong said administrators will discuss options with student governance groups.
“Let me assure you that we are committed to continuing discussions. We welcome free expression and dissent, within the bounds of law and university policy. In all of this, we are endeavoring to respond to the important issues that have been raised while also being vigilant about student affordability,” Gong wrote.
During the protest, campus police had 10 officers on duty compared to four on a normal day. Davis police officers assisted on campus - up to 20 at the height of the incident. The Yolo County Sheriff's Department provided a bus.
University police arrested the 15 protesters in the building and also served a notice to three representatives from AFSCME, ordering them off UCD property for seven days because they “willfully engaged in conduct that disrupted the orderly operations of the Mrak Hall.”
- Reach Sharon Stello at sstello@davisenterprise.net or 747-8043.
Published May 24, 2007 - 18:04:23 CDT.
Special to The Enterprise By Sharon Stello\Enterprise staff writer
Fifteen protesters were arrested after staging a sit-in Wednesday afternoon in Mrak Hall, the UC Davis administration building, and demanding that campus food workers become university employees. They are employed by Sodexho, a company contracted by UCD.
It was the second protest this month by food workers and supporters. On May 1, a few hundred marched down Russell Boulevard and 24 were arrested for staging a sit-in that blocked the intersection with Anderson Road.
On Wednesday, the group marched at noon from the Memorial Union Patio to Mrak Hall. The protest started with about 80 people and dwindled to 40 or fewer as the afternoon drew on. The group remained peaceful but loud, pounding on the building's glass doors, chanting and blaring sirens from a megaphone.
Mrak Hall was locked down. Reporters and even some employees were not allowed in the building. Neither were students who wanted to pick up forms or conduct business at the registrar's office. Forms are available online and there were no admissions deadlines they needed to meet Wednesday, a UCD spokeswoman said.
Before the large group arrived to start the rally, and before the doors were locked, 15 protesters entered the building and made their way to a second-floor conference room, hanging banners from the windows and refusing to leave.
After a meeting with administrators, the protesters came downstairs to the lobby, where they sat in a circle on the floor and remained until they were arrested on charges of trespassing, unlawful assembly and assembling to disturb the peace. They were bused to the Davis Police Department and then to the Yolo County Jail where they were booked, cited and released.
Protesters included current and former food workers, students, alumni and leaders of AFSCME, the union that organized the protest and would represent food workers if they become university employees.
The group decided to protest because, they said, university administrators failed to meet their promise to meet within a week or so of the May 1 protest. UCD officials say they're willing to meet and have been in contact with the group, but it's the workers and union reps who won't set a date.
Arooj Ahmad, a UCD alumna and food worker, was one of those arrested. Earlier, she spoke with The Enterprise by cell phone from inside the building.
“They need to realize we are workers, we are students, we matter,” Ahmad said.
Ruben Aguirre, who protested outside, is a student food worker earning minimum wage. He has seen the advantages of university employment. His mother, Ana, is a patient support assistant represented by a union at UC San Francisco Medical Center.
Aguirre said he wants to become a university employee because they get more respect, better pay and benefits and union representation, although they could unionize while working for Sodexho.
Aguirre said he's frustrated by the university's reaction to worker demands.
“I feel like we're not being listened to,” he said. “We're people, we're not just labor.”
UCD is the last of the University of California's 10 campuses and five medical centers still contracting with outside companies to provide food service. At the Davis campus, about 500 food workers are employed by Sodexho and approximately 30 custodians work for other private companies.
Student food worker Kathia Garcia said a majority of workers support the campaign. She declined to release a petition showing this support because signatures are still being gathered and workers are afraid of retribution for signing it.
Reportedly, there's also a petition signed by some food workers who oppose the idea of becoming university employees. A university spokeswoman could not track it down by press time today. Union leaders claim that petition was circulated by managers, so workers felt pressured to sign it.
UCD says it would cost at least $3.2 million more per year to directly hire the food workers. Students who live in a residence hall and have a meal plan would pay about $600 more per year - an increase that could move UCD from one of the least expensive to one of the most expensive UC campuses in total room and board costs, according to the university.
Before the sit-in and door banging started, administrators talked with protesters in the building. They listened to the group's concerns and talked about steps the university and Sodexho are taking to improve pay, benefits and working conditions, which are detailed in a letter from Janet Gong, interim vice chancellor for student affairs.
Workers say UCD's offer is a step in the right direction, but not good enough. They want to become university employees and won't settle for less.
A copy of Gong's letter was ripped up at the protest.
“This is what we think of their letter,” said student food worker Patricia Zermeño.
In the letter, Gong noted that UCD is in a contract with Sodexho through 2010. University leaders say Sodexho has done a good job providing food service for more than 30 years at UCD, making many investments along the way.
“We have chosen to honor this contract and seek ways within it to approach the compensation and employment practices that are at issue,” Gong wrote.
Sodexho, which already meets the Sacramento living wage ordinance, has agreed to raise wages, integrate UCD's Principles of Community into employment practices and use a third-party review system to resolve employee complaints. By June 15, Sodexho plans to present a proposal for improving its compensation plan.
Gong's letter said it would cost an estimated $2.1 million per year to provide improved wages and more affordable benefits to Sodexho employees. Students who live and eat on campus likely would bear much of that cost.
In addition to possibly raising rates for student housing and meal plans, UCD administrators are looking into temporary use of housing and student union capital reserves to help cover costs during the transition. They're also considering a student referendum to increase student fees.
Administrators have reviewed similar experiences at UC Irvine and Santa Cruz.
“Contrary to assertions by others, we've learned that these campuses have actually increased housing and meal plan costs, asked residents of student apartments to subsidize some of these costs, and reduced services,” Gong wrote.
Gong said administrators will discuss options with student governance groups.
“Let me assure you that we are committed to continuing discussions. We welcome free expression and dissent, within the bounds of law and university policy. In all of this, we are endeavoring to respond to the important issues that have been raised while also being vigilant about student affordability,” Gong wrote.
During the protest, campus police had 10 officers on duty compared to four on a normal day. Davis police officers assisted on campus - up to 20 at the height of the incident. The Yolo County Sheriff's Department provided a bus.
University police arrested the 15 protesters in the building and also served a notice to three representatives from AFSCME, ordering them off UCD property for seven days because they “willfully engaged in conduct that disrupted the orderly operations of the Mrak Hall.”
- Reach Sharon Stello at sstello@davisenterprise.net or 747-8043.