Victory for Wesleyan Janitors - United Student Labor Action Coalition at Wesleyan University - Brief Article

Progressive, The, May, 2000

Middletown, Connecticut

Olivia deBree (holding bullhorn) is an organizer with the United Student Labor Action Coalition at Wesleyan University. She and other students demanded that the school side with campus janitors, who unionized in December to win better wages and benefits. Frustrated with the slow pace of contract negotiations, students occupied the school's admissions office for thirty-three hours in early April. University President Douglas Bennet then agreed to draft a code of conduct that would guarantee a living wage, benefits, and job security for all contracted campus workers.

"It's great that Wesleyan finally took responsibility," says deBree.

For more information, go to the web site at www.wesleyan.edu/uslac.>

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