**UPDATE**
On May 1, members of The New School Communist Student Group called for an occupation of the University Center cafeteria in response to the mass layoff of the cafeteria workers. These workers, all of whom are people of color, many of whom are women, will lose their jobs, their pensions and their benefits. The Communist Students dared to struggle when the union told the workers to reapply and pray they would be one of the few to be rehired. They refuse to leave without a fight. And we will occupy the cafeteria until ALL the demands are met by the administration. They have made the following demands of the school’s administration: 1. Every Job Saved 2. Higher Wages 3. Same Benefits 4. Tuition Vouchers 5. Resignation of New School treasurer Steve Stabile 6. Worker-Student control of the cafeteria We the students at The New School stand in solidarity with the cafeteria workers. The greedy administration will not commit to the demands of the workers and instead makes flimsy promises in attempt to save face. We will fight against this white supremacist and male-dominated institution until EVERY DEMAND is met. JOIN US FOR A NOON RALLY AT THE NEW SCHOOL UNIVERSITY CENTER TO CALL ON THE NEW SCHOOL ADMINISTRATION TO MEET THE DEMANDS OF THE WORKERS We will be holding a picket outside the University Center while continuing the third day of the occupation. Stand shoulder-to-shoulder with the workers to show the greedy New School administration just how powerful we can be when we UNITE in SOLIDARITY. ALL CONTINGENCIES CONCERNED WITH THE RIGHTS OF WORKERS UNITE! JOIN US IN THE STRUGGLE AGAINST THE RULING CLASS. ALL OF US OR NONE. EVERY SINGLE JOB.
Facebook: Worker-Student Solidarity Rally
On May 1, 2018, students at The New School occupied the University Center cafeteria in response to the mass layoff of the cafeteria workers. As of 5:00 PM, the occupation has been ongoing for the past 32 hours, with more than 50 students staying overnight in support of the workers.
In March 2018, The New School administration announced the mass layoff of unionized UNITE HERE Local 100 cafeteria workers. In official communication, the administration justified the layoff on the basis of providing higher quality food through a new food service provider. But in private, Steven Stabile, Vice President for Finance and Business and Treasurer at the New School, has said the real problem is the union. Amidst this change, The New School encouraged workers to re-apply for the same jobs, but workers have no guarantee that they will be rehired. New School Vice President of Labor Relations, Keila Tennent-DeCoteau, announced that the university does not expect to rehire the majority of the workforce under this new contract, ultimately breaking up the union. If all of the workers were to be rehired, they would remain unionized. The administration has proposed that some of the jobs will be replaced with cheap student labor, in an attempt to pit the students against the cafeteria workers by making them compete directly for low wage work. Many of the cafeteria workers have been with the New School for over a decade; if these changes go through as planned, they will not only be losing their jobs, but their pensions, health care, and any certainty about their futures.
In solidarity with the cafeteria workers, the Communist Student Group has organized an occupation of the cafeteria until all demands are met. We demand “every job to be saved, higher wages with same benefits, tuition vouchers for cafeteria workers and their families, resignation of Steve Stabile, and worker-student control of the cafeteria.” The New School brands itself as a progressive, forward-thinking institution, but the mass layoff of workers—especially workers of color, exposes the University’s blatant hypocrisy. In fact, the University’s corporate approach to managing a nonprofit educational institution will put many of these workers and their families in a precarious situation. In a time when communities of color are under increased attack by the federal government, we call on the New School administration to meet the demands of these workers and their families. We, the student body of The New School, are dedicated to remaining militant and holding this occupation in solidarity with the workers until Steve Stabile and the New School administration come to the cafeteria and meet the demands of the workers. We call on everyone to join in this struggle.
Press Contacts: Morgan Raspanti, (201) 316-4558, raspm659@newschool.edu
Cafeteria Location: 63 5th Avenue, 2nd floor
Follow the action on Twitter: #occupyTNS #allofusornone #occupythecaf
Website: New School Students and Workers United
Facebook Page: New School Communist Student Group, May Day Struggle Committee
Twitter: @newschoolreds
Insta: @mayday_newschool
Venmo: @Solidarity-4-Ever