From: Lita J. Roibal (lolitaroibal@hotmail.com)
Date: Thu Nov 29 2001 - 23:59:27 EST
---------- Forwarded message ----------
Date: Thu, 29 Nov 2001 14:31:45 -0800 (PST)
From: Owen Cen Li <owenli23@Stanford.EDU>
To: seas-members@lists.Stanford.EDU, labor-slac@lists.Stanford.EDU,
aaleaders@lists.Stanford.EDU, diversity@lists.Stanford.EDU,
csre-majors@lists.Stanford.EDU, csre-minoris@lists.Stanford.EDU,
aa-policygroup@lists.Stanford.EDU, headwaters@lists.Stanford.EDU,
justice-is-pal@lists.Stanford.EDU, phenomenarnia@lists.Stanford.EDU,
murray-wanna@lists.Stanford.EDU, ethical-jobs@lists.Stanford.EDU,
asian-americas@lists.Stanford.EDU
Subject: 6 Students Arrested
PLEASE FORWARD WIDELY
Dear Members of the Stanford Community,
It is currently 2:15PM. Concerned members of the Stanford community have
rallied, marched, been physically assaulted, and gotten arrested today to
combat an unfair and unjust practice: the proposed subcontracting of
hospital workers.
As many of you know, the Stanford Hospital's VP of General Services, Lou
Sakson, has pledged to sign an agreement "as soon as he can" to
subcontract out housekeeping jobs at the hospital, declaring that he will
continue to do so without regard for worker's rights or dignity.
Today, 8 students, co-chairs of the Asian American Student
Association, Pilipino American Student Union, Movimiento
Estudiantil Chicano De Aztlan, Peace and Justice Coalition at
Stanford, the Student Labor Action Committe, and
their members, confronted Lou Sakson in his office, demanding that
the Stanford Hospital, whose practices we all have an undeniable stake
in, does not begin to engage in a labor practice that exploits workers and
denies them the right to organize.
Sakson has shown no regard for the fact that poverty wages will be paid
and benefits denied, meaning workers will have to take on 2-3 jobs to have
enough to eat. He believes that $8/hr. is a living wage in Palo Alto. He
does not care that subcontracted workers will not be trained adequately
to protect workers and patients, that using a subcontractor means high
turnover and low worker loyalty/investment, or that in the past,
subcontracting at the hospital has actually INCREASED, rather than
decreased costs.
He has shown no interest in listening to concerned voices. He refuses to
consider halting subcontracting or stopping the practice until a review
board can be established that determines whether the practice can be
justified. He has also failed to explain the logic in signing a contract
that will represent less than 1% of budget cuts, but will affect all the
workers 100%. This situation is unacceptable, especially in an institution
of higher learning, especially for a socially conscious and racially
conscious community.
In an overwhelming show of unity and support for the 1/3 Asian American,
1/3 Chicano/Latino, and 1/3 African American hospital housekeeping workers
and SEIU Local 715 union, 8 Students confronted Sakson in his office.
After trying to give us the runaround, Sakson and hospital security
resorted to physical assault when we tried to stop him from shutting his
door on us. SLAC Co-Coordinator Monica Henestroza, who put her arm in the
door to stop it from being closed, was personally assaulted by Sakson, who
continued pushing against her caught arm even as she screamed in pain.
Mecha co-Chair Leticia Ramirez was also abused by hospital security, who
attempted to violently pull her away from the door entrance by grabbing
her aggressively and pulling. Other students were also abused.
Meanwhile, more than one hundred students representing all segments of the
Stanford community assembled in front of Memorial Auditorium in protest of
the subcontracting practice at 12:30 PM. After about 25 minutes, they
marched to the hospital.
This may be hard to believe but it is all on videotape. From the first
delegation team, five of the eight students were arrested by Police,
while one delegate videotaped the entire scene and the two other
delegates of the second team reported back to the more than 100 students
who had assembled outside after hearing of the rally in the last two days.
Arrested students include our AASA chair, MEChA co-chair, a SCPJ officer,
and SLAC officers.
Currently, 100 students are rallying outside President Hennessy's
office in Building 10 of the main quad, demanding that Hennessy, who has
been negligent in taking responsibility for the subcontracting issue and
answering student, worker, faculty, staff, and general community member
demands that this unjust process be stopped and reviewed.
STUDENTS DO NOT NEED TO BE ARRESTED IN ORDER TO BRING ATTENTION TO AN
EXPLOITATIVE, UNJUST, AND DISCRIMINATORY PRACTICE.
As students, we promise that if our voices and the voices of the community
are not heard, we will be forced to escalate. We are all responsible for
the workers on our campus. Our ties to the workers of Stanford Hospital
are undeniable. To not speak up for what is right would be a tremendous
act of violence.
Start mobilizing now. Call your parents, your friends, your acquaintences,
the press. More details on mobilization will follow.
in struggle,
The Stanford Community
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