Flier incident shows need for communication

If anything can be learned from the events of last week, it's that a little communication goes a long way.

Last Friday, members of SCCAP's Labor Action Committee put hundreds of fliers inside copies of The Santa Clara, without any prior authorization from TSC staff members.

Contained in the flier was an article that had been previously submitted to TSC's opinion section for publication, accusing Bon Appetit management of workplace harassment and stripping workers of health care benefits.

Later, in a Facebook group dedicated to the committee's cause, the group's creators claimed that the submission had been "rejected by The Santa Clara for some unclear reasons."

This accusation could not be further from the truth.

After sending his submission in, the author was told that the article could not be printed as it was written, due to the serious accusations being made against Bon Appetit without any kind of reply or comment from Bon Appetit management.

Still, the author was told that TSC would like to follow up on the information for a news story for the following week, and that we would appreciate any information he may be able to offer.

But instead of getting a response, TSC staff members found the flier inserted in hundreds of copies of the paper on Friday afternoon, giving off the impression to some that the flier had been endorsed by TSC.

Not only were these actions disrespectful and irresponsible, they also undermined our ability to cover this important story in an objective manner.

What's even more disheartening is that these fliers trivialized the issue of worker's rights by pitting two student groups against each other and creating a completely unnecessary conflict.

Given that the offices of TSC and SCCAP are less than 30 feet away from each other, this breakdown in communication is especially inexcusable, and bewildering.

As a staff, we strive to reflect the diversity of Santa Clara in our coverage and include as many different causes and ideas as possible within our pages.

However, our ability to maintain our status as an independent and objective voice on this campus depends on our maintaining uncompromised standards of fairness and integrity, no matter how much we'd like to support a cause.

In this case, these standards were not met.

Given the history of Bon Appetit workers struggling to receive adequate wages and health benefits, these latest accusations hardly seem like anything that's hard to believe, or anything new.

But to print blatant accusations against Bon Appetit, or anybody for that matter, without giving them a fair opportunity to respond, would make TSC nothing more than an outlet for campus gossip and rumors in print.

Given the fact that widespread activism oftentimes seems to be lacking here, the aims of the students who make up the LAC are certainly admirable. Earlier this week, Bon Appetit apologized to workers for lack of explanation surrounding the changes in health benefits, a success that can be attributed at least in part to the activism and commitment of these students.

In the future, though, we hope that the LAC and other activist groups on campus will realize that cooperating with, not subverting, The Santa Clara is not only responsible, but will also help them to work more effectively to further their cause.

Because when that cause is something as serious as workers' rights, there should be no greater concern.