April 29, 2000 Columbus, Ohio
For more info, contact Yoshie Furuhashi (at 614-299-3313 / furuhashi.1 at osu.edu) or Mark D. Stansbery (at 614-252-9255 / walk at igc.org).
OSU SIT-IN CONTINUES; WORKERS STOP TRAFFIC IN STRUGGLE FOR LIVING WAGES
As the deadline for the impending strike approaches, Local 4501, Communications Workers of America (representing service and skilled trade workers at the Ohio State University), together with student, faculty, and community activists, are stepping up the struggle. Today, at 8 AM, about one thousand workers and supporters marched ten blocks from the union hall at 27 Euclid Ave. to Bricker Hall (190 N. Oval Mall) -- the administration building on campus -- stopping the traffic along on the way.
Workers, students, and other supporters have occupied Bricker Hall since Wed., April 26, and today is the fourth day of the sit-in. The building has become a "Liberated Area" and strike headquarter. The sit-in will continue until the OSU management will meet all the demands of Local 4501.
Besides paltry wage increases that fail to make up for years of neglect that has left workers making, adjusted for inflation, less than fifteen years ago, the OSU management is demanding the merit pay system. Gary Josephson, president of Local 4501, says that members are firmly opposed to the merit pay system that allows supervisors to exercise favoritism and to punish workers arbitrarily. Further, the OSU seeks to divide workers, offering separate packages which will require workers at the OSU Medical Center to settle for less than other CWA members on campus; Josephson says that members are united in rejecting this "apartheid" tactic.
On April 28, President Kirwan, forced to stay away from his office and to move a meeting to the Fawcett Center, reportedly said that he would use "whatever means necessary" to stop the "disturbance" at Bricker Hall.
On Sunday, April 30, a candlelight vigil for Local 4501 will begin at 8:30 PM in front of Bricker Hall. All are welcome. The strike will begin on May 1. -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: not available Type: text/enriched Size: 2222 bytes Desc: not available URL: <../attachments/20000429/93f35220/attachment.bin>