During Head of the Charles, 1000s to join striking Harvard dining hall workers in largest rally yet

 

1000s to join striking Harvard dining workers in largest rally yet

During Head of the Charles, strikers tell Harvard: “settle now!”

Cambridge, MA—Now in their third week on strike, Harvard dining hall workers are demanding Harvard administrators row faster on reaching a deal to end the strike during Head of the Charles weekend.

With national and international media attention and the widespread support of Harvard students, faculty, and alumni; Harvard administrators failed this week to help workers reach a settlement.

“Harvard administrators are moving like a sweep without a coxswain,” said UNITE HERE Local 26 President Brian Lang. “We’d like to see Harvard work on this a lot faster, but if not we’re prepared to keep striking for as long as it takes.”

Harvard dining hall workers have been on strike since Oct. 5 to earn $35,000 a year and to stop the $35bn institution from shifting health care costs onto workers. Union members from across the eastern seaboard are joining them, along with hundreds of area college students, to demand Harvard speed up its snails pace in meeting dining hall workers’ modest demands.

Marchers will take Massachusetts Ave to march to Cambridge City Hall as the Head of the Charles ends for the day. The march will be led by 9 female dining hall workers who were arrested last Friday, along with Cambridge Mayor Denise Simmons and Vice Mayor Marc McGovern.

What: The 700 striking Harvard dining hall workers and more than 1000 allies

When: Saturday October 22,

Rally at 3pm at Cambridge Common, March at 4:30pm to Cambridge City Hall

Who: Harvard strikers will be joined by Harvard students, faculty, alumni; fellow UNITE HERE members from New York City, Providence, New Haven, Atlantic City, and Philadelphia; and students from Yale, Emerson, Northeastern, Tufts, Simmons, UMass Boston, UMass Lowell.

Speakers include: D Taylor, International President of UNITE HERE; Janice Loux, Executive Vice President of UNITE HERE; Sean O’Brien, President of Teamsters Local 25

Visuals: large protest march down Mass Ave, strikers with picket signs and “If we don’t get it shut it down” signs

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For Immediate Release: October 22, 2016

Contact: Tiffany Ten Eyck, [email protected], 313-515-1807