UC Funds Donuts and Coffee for HUDS Workers

The Undergraduate Council distributed $200 worth of donuts and coffee Thursday to picketing Harvard University Dining Services workers.

The Council’s Executive Committee voted Thursday morning to allocate funds for the workers, who began a historic strike Wednesday as the University and UNITE HERE Local 26—the Boston-based labor union which represents HUDS workers—failed to reach an agreement the night before. The vote follows the UC’s previous 45-3 decision Sunday to endorse the HUDS workers’ intent to strike.

Rather and Banks at a UC meeting last Sunday. By Annie E. Schugart

Members of the UC distributed the coffee and donuts at 1:30 p.m. Thursday in the Science Center Plaza. UC Vice President Daniel V. Banks ’17, who helped with distribution, called the event a “success.”

“We've endorsed the strike and we really want to make sure we put actions behind our endorsement,” said UC President Shabia Rather ’17, who also helped distribute the snacks to HUDS workers.

Typically, funding decisions by the Undergraduate Council must be approved by the body as a whole, but the Executive Committee has permission per the group’s constitution to spend up to $200 from the UC’s operations budget without a full vote. Since the full Council typically meets on Sundays, the provision helps the Executive Committee make time-sensitive funding allocations, according to Rather.

“They've spent so much time feeding us every day, the least we could do is return the favor,” Rather said. “Really this is a sign of appreciation more than anything else.”

Rather and Banks also met with University President Drew G. Faust on Wednesday to discuss the ongoing HUDS strike, their stance on the University’s sanctions on unrecognized single-gender social organizations, and their concerns about financial need limiting students’ abilities to become leaders of campus groups. This was the last formal meeting between Faust, Rather, and Banks during their tenure leading the UC.

“We do want to make sure the administration knows that we are supporting the workers and that we are concerned about them.” Rather said.

Rather and Banks also presented to the Faculty Council last week on the sanctions against unrecognized single-gender social organizations—which starting with the Class of 2021 will bar members of such groups, including final clubs and Greek organizations, from holding leadership positions in student groups and receiving College-endorsed fellowships like the Rhodes and the Marshall. Rather and Banks had planned to share their thoughts to the Faculty Council “most likely in an op-ed" sometime this week; they have not yet publicly voiced their opinion on the policy.

“I think it's pretty clear that right now, Harvard is suffering from some division—whether that's between students who support and oppose the policy on single-gender organizations, whether that's between HUDS workers and the University,” Banks said, adding the meeting was about how to address such conflicts.

Further action by the UC to support HUDS may depend on the length of the strike.

“We are going to continue discussing,” Rather said. “But it all very much depends on how long the strike lasts. Negotiations are still continuing.”

—Staff writer Brian P. Yu can be reached at brian.yu@thecrimson.com. Follow him on Twitter @brianyu28.