Facilities Workers March In Front of Malley

By Samantha Juda

 Students, facilities workers and their families marched through campus Saturday demanding concessions from the university during ongoing contract negotiations. The demonstration took place during Preview Weekend when prospective students and their parents visited the university. Santa Clara Police Officers and Campus Safety officers stood by during the demonstration, while the pep band provided a rousing soundtrack that included the university fight song. The Union did not receive permits to protest on campus, but the university did not prevent the rally, according to Santa Clara's Communications Director Deepa Arora. "The university has made a generous and fair offer to the union," she stated. The university and SEIU Union began negotiations on their new contract in January. One of the main elements of the negotiations is centered on health care coverage for the facilities workers. The facilities workers have been supported by students in the Labor Action Committee, a section of Santa Clara Community Action Program. "(We) will continue to support facility workers until they feel they have an affordable health care plan," said Tim Carlson, SCCAP's Empowerment Department Coordinator.

Contact Samantha Juda at sjuda@scu.edu or (408) 554-4849.