At a union meeting last night, almost 200 dining hall workers unanimously voted to authorize their negotiating committee to call a strike if necessary.
They then joined the members and supporters of the Progressive Student Labor Movement (PSLM) in Harvard Yard and in the middle of Mass. Ave.
President of Hotel and Restaurant Employees Union, Local 26 Janice Loux called the strike authorization vote after telling the workers the general demands the negotiating committee will ask from Harvard in its new contract.
The current contract expires June 19.
"In our last contract we did well, but this time we must do better," Loux said.
According to University spokesperson Joe Wrinn, this vote does not signal a problem in Harvard-union relationships.
"It's a method of positioning yourself as you go into negotiations," he said. "It's not a call to arms against Harvard."
Higher wages are the main concern of union members, said Loux. In particular, she said the union will ask for higher wages for cash operations workers, most of whom earn less than $10.25.
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