On May 2, 2018, at 10:46 PM, New School president David Van Zandt sent an email to the entire university proclaiming that the university has “a commitment to the value of collective bargaining” and “a commitment to search for more affordable, quality food options.”
The following day, cafeteria workers and representatives from their union went to discuss the demands of the workers with New School Vice President for Finance and Business, and Treasurer, Steven Stabile. At this meeting, Stabile and representatives of Van Zandt reneged on the promises made in the aforementioned email, proposing to rehire the staff in July without a contract until the bargaining process in August. Without a contract, the workers will be vulnerable to being fired, allowing the administration to carry out a de facto layoff as soon as the occupation ends. In Stabile’s proposal, the demand for higher wages would not be met, and the insurance provided between July and August would offer less coverage than their previous insurance. The proposal was rejected by the workers and union reps. The workers have asked that the occupation continue until a contract is signed and the demands, every job saved, higher wages, equal benefits, tuition vouchers, and worker-student control of the cafeteria, and new management, are met.
Following the meeting between cafeteria workers, the UNITE HERE Local 100 union, and Stabile, around 5:30 PM, students marched to Stabile’s office at 80 5th Avenue, demanding that he acknowledge the blatant breaking of promises, clearly outlined in the schoolwide email. When they arrived at the lobby, the superintendent of the building, a non-New School employee, denied the occupants entry by shutting down the elevators. He then made the decision to call the NYPD, who followed the occupants back to the University Center, where they briefly remained to look around before exiting the premises. We would like to emphasize in particular that the police were not called by campus security, or by any New School employee.
After cautious signs of progress in the right direction, Van Zandt and Stabile have suddenly decided to go an alternate route. The occupants, therefore, will remain until administration offers a satisfactory proposal that the workers accept. We will continue to call on the New School administration to do the right thing until they take just and adequate action to correct the many wrongs that they have done this community.
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