From: L. Lebron (lolitaroibal@hotmail.com)
Date: Tue Dec 04 2001 - 13:49:50 EST
Dear national student labor organizers,
A coalition of workers and students are writing to ask for your support for
a labor justice campaign to stop the expansion of subcontracting practices
at Stanford. On Thursday, students and workers will meet with President
John Hennessy, which is probably our last chance to stop the contracting out
of our hospital workers.
Subcontracting constitutes an unethical and unreasonable labor practice
because:
* Subcontracted workers are economically exploited: subcontracted
housekeeping workers are subject to wages $3-7 per hour lower than that of
directly hired workers, which represents a 25 percent cut; they receive few
or no benefits; and they are often unable to organize. Cutting the lowest
Stanford worker salaries by such a large percentage is unfair.
* Justice should never be compromised for financial expediency; budget cuts
do not justify unfair labor practices. To engage in such misconduct to
reduce the hospital budget by less than one percent further damages
Stanford’s presumed standard of integrity.
* The decision making process continues to have distinctly racist
dimensions: while 99% of the housekeeping workers are people of color, the
administrators who continue to place workers as a low priority are
upper-class white males who do not hold the same personal stake in the
issue.
Stanford should not partake in such a practice; our University should
responsibly serve the community. And the subcontracting of ten jobs now will
set a precedent toward eventually subcontracting all 450 janitorial jobs.
We are calling for a moratorium on subcontracting until President Hennessy
creates a policy-making body comprised of worker, student and faculty
representatives to determine a university standard for subcontracting and to
devise a concrete labor Code of Conduct. This Code of Conduct would
establish standards for hiring and union rights, including an established,
fair living wage for all workers.
Student and worker pressure has always remained civil and peaceful. From
the extensive educational outreach, to the gathering of over 300 petition
signatures, to intense phone banking, our coalition has worked hard to
involve the community in this movement for labor justice. Thursday’s
events, while sensationalized by inaccurate reporting by the Stanford Daily,
represent another example of community support. Almost 150 community
members participated in a vigorous three hour-long rally. The delegation of
students who attempted to meet with Lou Saksen also showed their deeply felt
commitment to the issue in a civil way; they were arrested in a hallway for
civil disobedience trespassing (they were sitting-in), and never used any
physical force despite aggression the part of Hospital staff persons.
For their part, Stanford University and Hospital consistently have acted
with gross indifference towards the very real problems regarding worker
respect and quality of life. President Hennessy still refuses to meet with
students and workers. The Stanford administration seems to believe that
they should not be held responsible for providing just wages, working
conditions, jobs, and benefits for the workers of its own community—the
workers that play an integral role in maintaining Stanford's eminent
reputation.
Let President Hennessy know that you believe he is personally accountable
and that you oppose subcontracting. You can do so in a personal letter,
phone call, and/or by signing the enclosed petition.
Please join us in showing support for Stanford workers.
Yours sincerely,
SEIU Local 715, The ASSU (Association Students of Stanford University), the
Asian American Students’ Association, Black Students Union, Movimiento
Estudiantil Chicano/a de Aztlan, Muslim Students Awareness Network, Pilipino
American Student Union, Queer-Straight Social and Political Alliance,
Stanford Asian American Activism Coalition, Stanford American Indian
Organization, Stanford Community for Peace and Justice, Students for
Environmental Action at Stanford, Stanford Labor Action Committee
Read Below for all the Info!!
*************CALL THEM!!
President John Hennessey- 650-723-2481
Saksen-650-723-7108
PHONE SCRIPT:
Hello, my name is __________ and I am a member of ________(optional) and I
am calling to express my concern for the situation of labor issues on campus
as will be discussed at the Wednesday meeting with Stanford community
members. I am asking that the administration allow workers into this
meeting, as they are essential to include in any discussion on labor policy
at Stanford. Additionally, I am asking that the ten housekeeping positions
at the hospital are not subcontracted and that the administration commit to
creating a task force involving workers, students,and faculty to work on a
code of conduct regarding the labor practices at the university. Thank you
for your time.
**************OR YOU CAN FAX/EMAIL them:
The President, Provost, and Saksen have been closing their accounts because
of so many emails, so try the following:
“I just found out that apparently saksen and hennessy have closed their
accounts. Please forward your BOUNCED email to Provost Etchemendy-
etch@CSLI.stanford.edu . Thank you so much for your support!”
“Hennessy's email appears to be working right now. It only takes one second
to add another email address so maybe it's best to do this- use these email
addys and tell others to do the same”:
etch@CSLI.stanford.edu
hennessy@stanford.edu
saksen@medcenter.stanford.edu (currently bouncing)
lou.saksen@medcenter.stanford.edu (currently NOT bouncing)
or send it to faxhennessy@hotmail.com, and it will be faxed to the
appopriate office for you. go "accessible administration!!"
**************LABOR JUSTICE PETITION******************
Dear President Hennessy:
I am with_____________ and am writing in opposition to the subcontracting of
the 10 housekeeping positions at Stanford.
(Maybe add something here about labor campaigns at your school or in your
area)
Stanford’s labor practices should be equitable and just to all the workers
for whom it is an economic employer. Subcontracted workers are
systematically exploited and mistreated by the agencies for which they work.
They do not receive employee benefits and they receive poverty-level wages.
Subcontracting agencies frequently do not even recognize unions.
Subcontracting is an unethical labor practice; Stanford cannot subcontract
any additional positions.
In order to address these problems, we call upon you to:
1. direct Lou Saksen to use the escape clause to cancel the hospital
subcontracting
2. place a moratorium on all subcontracting within Stanford University and
Stanford Hospital until you create a body of students, faculty, union
representatives, workers and administrators to set labor policy standards
for Stanford University.
3. include workers in the meeting you committed to with students on
Thursday, December 6 and meet with both students and workers on for as long
as it takes to negotiate these demands.
As President, you have a responsibility to address the issues raised by the
hundreds of stakeholders in a prompt, sincere and tangible manner.
When you took office as President, you pledged to address labor concerns.
Now is the time to prove that commitment to students, parents, alumni, other
universities across the nation, and the community at large.
We are all awaiting your response.
Sincerely,
_________________________________________________________________
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