#occupytns

Student-worker solidarity occupies The New School

By Workers World New York bureau

Since May 1, there has been an ongoing occupation of the cafeteria at The New School in New York City. Students and workers there seized the cafeteria on May Day and have been holding it in protest of the university’s attempt to layoff of 35 members of UNITE HERE Local 100. The school wants to replace these union workers — all of whom are Black and Brown workers — with nonunion or student workers or “rehire” the workers — with no health benefits or pension plans

The New School is traditionally known as a left-leaning school, so the anti-worker administrations plans have reverberated in the student body. The Communist Student Group organized the cafeteria occupation, with more than 50 multinational and multigender students currently holding the space and asking for support at #OccupyTNS.

Students are demanding every cafeteria worker’s job be saved, at higher wages, along with benefits, pensions and tuition vouchers for workers and their families. Other demands include resignations of key New School management, worker-student control of the cafeteria management, and full reimbursement of workers’ wages withheld during the occupation.

New York City: First day of the strike of the graduate student workers at The New School and the continued occupation of cafeteria to demand the rehiring of the union cafeteria workers with higher wages and retention of all benefits. 

Solidarity with cafeteria workers ! Solidarity with the striking graduate workers!

  #OccupyTheNewSchool #ShutDownNewSchool

New York City: Solidarity with cafeteria workers and student occupation at The New School, May 6, 2018.

“After our #Marx200 event, we brought a cart of food and a few dozen people to #OccupyTNS to learn more about we can show solidarity. Tuesday strike for grad workers is just around the corner!”