PSLM Finds Support Among Alumni, Custodians

The 30 students who have occupied Massachusetts Hall for the past 16 days garnered vocal support from Harvard alumni in New York and Harvard Medical School (HMS) custodians yesterday.

About 100 alumni signed their names last night to a statement agreeing not to donate money to Harvard until the administration grants all workers a living wage of $10.25 per hour.

And about 40 custodians marched to the HMS administrative building yesterday morning to demand a living wage for workers and an end to outsourcing.

At about 6 p.m. yesterday, nearly 35 Harvard graduates-including Manhattan borough president Ruth W. Messinger '62-crowded into the lobby of the Harvard Club of New York to conduct a "teach-in" about the continuing Mass. Hall occupation.

As they entered the lobby, 10 graduates locked arms and sat on the floor in an attempt to recreate the sit-in, said Liz Cladeck '99, who helped organize the action.

While sitting on the floor of the Harvard Club lobby, the graduates read a statement of support for the sit-in. Meanwhile, another group of alumni walked through the lobby, passing out living wage literature and collecting signatures.

The club management was "extremely cooperative" throughout the hour-long action, Cladeck said. "It was a very positive scene."

While the alumni recreated the mood of the Mass. Hall occupation in the Harvard Club lobby, about 70 alumni and union workers chanted and picketed outside the club.

The rally attracted about 100 supporters before it came to a close at 7 p.m., Cladeck said.

Yesterday evening's New York City rally was organized separately from the Progressive Student Labor Movement (PSLM), by about a dozen Harvard alumni.

"We saw this event as educational, visible and symbolic," Cladeck said.

She said the graduates hope they do not have to plan any more solidarity actions-but they will if necessary.

"We're just hoping the administration gets the message," she said.

At a faculty meeting called last week to discuss the sit-in, University President Neil L. Rudenstine announced his intention to form a new committee to reexamine issues of low-paid workers at Harvard.

Yesterday, PSLM members said that they put in multiple calls to administrators, but did not receive any response.

The Harvard Club declined to comment last night.

-Staff writer Daniela J. Lamas can be reached at lamas@fas.harvard.edu.