UPDATE: The AJC reports that four of the seven students arrested are Emory students.
The Associated Press reports (via the AJC) that seven protesters have been arrested on the Emory University quad after refusing to leave a cluster of nine tents set up to protest the university’s food services vendor.
Emory hasn’t confirmed yet if any or all of the protesters are university students.
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From AJC: “The students have said they were concerned about how the company treats its workers.” Do we know any specifics about the maltreatment. I have to confess that I’m a softie when it comes to cafeteria workers. One grandmother was a high school cafeteria lady from the day her children went to high school through retirement. (Per her instruction, I still make sure that I have a variety of colors represented on my children’s plates and never so much to overwhelm them.) A friend’s Mom works in a local college cafeteria. And some of my children’s favorite school staff are cafeteria ladies. Not to mention how much they love the “Lunch Lady” series.
Gonna be some angry phone calls incoming from Connecticut today.
+1
NOW YOU LISTEN TO ME, YOUNG MAN. YOU STOP ALL THIS PROTESTING NONSENSE THIS VERY INSTANT OR YOUR MOTHER AND I ARE GOING TO FLY DOWN THERE AND TAKE THE KEYS TO YOUR BMW. DO WE HAVE AN UNDERSTANDING?
Way harsh. Can’t you just turn off the Neiman Marcus card for, like, 2 weeks?
Here’s a question that some might see as having an obvious answer, but I challenge you to give it.
Why is it socially acceptable to chide the wealthy? National myth and widely held beliefs certainly push us to think if we only had a bit more money we’d be happier. But that’s been proven many times over not to be true.
Sure, the rich have nothing on poor, struggling populations in terms of sympathy – which I’m assuming invokes a “no chiding policy” but rich kids lives are not as easy as far as I can tell. Unlimited choice can be a stifling lifestyle. Not to mention wealth easily exacerbates personal flaws.
I have a feeling it has something to do with having a “choice”. But how much choice does a rich kid have?
And no, I didn’t grow up rich. Just posing an uncommon question.
Good question. Think about how in alot of movies, especially when we were little, the bad guy was the rich guy, and it’s the poor/”little” guy who overcomes the obstacles placed by the rich guy. Class envy is very powerful. Wisdom I have heard is that money does not change people, it only accentuates who they already are.
It’s okay to chide the wealthy in the same way it should be okay to chide everyone of every stripe. Not as an act of cruelty but as an ongoing collective effort to limit obnoxiousness. In a culture with no shortage of self-esteem and visions of grandeur, the age old practice of selectively knocking your mates down a few pegs when necessary couldn’t hurt.
As Steinbeck said, “… socialism never took root in America because the poor see themselves not as an exploited proletariat but as temporarily embarrassed millionaires.”
We all need correctin’ from time to time.
What would be a similar chide of a poor person?
In a current Clark Howwrd commercial, he tells people that have lost their jobs and are really hurting that they were already running on fumes while employed and they should have known to save money for a rainy day. If that isn’t chiding the poor for being poor…
I think the point is chiding spoiled rich kids, not just any kids who are rich. It’s one thing to be born into a wealthy family — it is another to be given the keys to a brand new BMW upon turning 18, as is true of many Emory kids.
Emory issued a letter yesterday about the conflict itself. It seems to be a conflict between the organization that employs the food service workers at Emory and a service workers union with many accusations on both sides. It’ll be interesting to see the post-arrest statement as well…
The letter from Emory’s president can be found here: http://www.emory.edu/home/news/special/student-and-workers-in-solidarity-letter.html
The mistreatment of low paid black workers by Emory University was a big issue when I was a student there (1971 grad). I recall demonstrating in support of a unionization effort by the workers in 1970 that was effectively squashed by the administration. As a student I got to know numerous cafeteria and maintenance workers and I also have (and still have) great empathy for the workers. My parents (in Pennsylvania, not Connecticut) were not thrilled when they got the letter of warning to me from the President of Emory.
The tone of the letter above is way nicer that the letter the members of the student support group (and their parents) received from then President Atwood in 1970. I am glad to hear the workers finally do have a union.
Emory’s getting ready for graduation on the lawn and these kids had several large tents set up on the grass for multiple days. If they refused to move and were rightfully arrested then why is this a story? Because it involves students protesting on behalf of a union and worker’s rights. If the college republicans set up several tents on the quad protesting a conservative cause and were arrested I doubt there would be such amazement from the community.
When will people start to realize the numerous NEGATIVE effects of unions on workers and communities in the long run. Near term concessions to unions often only make the conceding firm or organization less competitive. (See domestic auto’s demise in the rust belt and the resurgence of foreign auto production in the South with right to work states).
if you think that the workers were the cause of the auto makers demise, I can only say wow.
It was by no means the only reason, but the fact that they were heavily unionized played a large part in the demise. And if you don’t understand that, I can only say wow.
wow. i thought decatur was full of lefties, not neal boortz acolytes.
The lefties are out protesting, planting trees, and bringing food from farm to table via safe routes to school. That leaves most of the blogging to the righteous right.
If you ask me, it’s the massive multinational corporations and the govt they’re in bed with that have the largest negative effects on workers and communities.
I support the students who were arrested. They are on the right side of history.
How’s that? I mean, it is one thing to protest the plight of 13 year olds slaving away in some Nike factory in India, who have no hope of finding a different job or of organizing and bargaining collectively. It’s another thing entirely to protest on behalf of American workers who already make well in exces of sweatshop wages and are represented by a very well-financed union. Are the students complaining that SEIU is asleep at the wheel here? Or are they just making spectacles of themselves in some sort of attempt to atone for the guilt that seems to plague some of the over-privileged undergrads at Overpriced U?
In any case, it seems that they were afforded the opportunity to protest, did so, received a written response from the University, and then were finally arrested when they refused to leave in due course. It’s a story, I suppose, though not a particularly interesting one.
DEM, let the youngsters have their day in the sun, dammit. They are probably so giddy with excitement they won’t sleep tonight! They finally have (academia) street cred!
If the arrest scene was the last scene in “Animal House” times 10, with Dean Wormer and everyone being thrown off bleachers and Kevin Bacon screaming for everyone to remain calm, THEN it would be interesting. Otherwise, I agree. Yawn.
You must be lost. Cobb County is thataway. ——>
Not nice. The day Decatur agrees on everything is the day it begins its decline.
A sincere thanks, DM. Really.
Speaking of concessions to SEIU
Corporations? Unions? Man, now I don’t know who to hate.
are you for real? what silver spoon bubble do you live in?
“If the college republicans set up several tents on the quad protesting a conservative cause and were arrested I doubt there would be such amazement from the community. ”
Speculating on how you assume the community would react to this scenario that you’ve made up isn’t really a substantive argument, nor does it minimize the actual story here. And yes, this is a story. Students were arrested on campus in connection with a protest. It’s a thing that happened and it’s news.
Also, the failure of the domestic auto industry is a far cry from the allegations of abuse by Sodexo made here. The positive and negative effects of unions on their communities is a conversation worth having, but that issue seems tertiary to what’s going on here.
“It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God”
Matthew 19:24
Aw, that sucks. Looks like the following SEIU big-wigs will be burning in hell:
Leadership
Top 10 International SEIU Leaders & Staff (by Salary) Name Title Total Compensation
Andrew Stern International President $ 306,388
David Regan Executive Vice President $ 265,488
Dennis Rivera Vice President $ 265,216
Anna Burger International Sec-treas $ 252,724
Eliseo Medina Executive Vice President $ 242,286
Mary Kay Henry Executive Vice President $ 231,348
Gerald Hudson Executive Vice President $ 230,671
Thomas Woodruff Executive Vice President $ 218,723
Scott Courtney Organizing Dir $ 204,750
Kirk Adams Executive Board Member $ 197,939
I guess I am supposed to be jealous and outraged, right.
I think you missed the point.
I guess I did.Tell me please.
The point definitely was not to guess as to how you in particular might feel about the information.
I’m not sure what Sage’s post really had to do with the issue at hand, but it seemed relevant to respond that even some of those who claim to be devoted to improving the plight of these poor, exploited workers are “rich” as we seem to have come to define that term nowadays. But I am sure the SEIU rank and file is perfectly happy paying $2.4 million of their hard-earned money to 10 just people (not including benefits).
If you’re not outraged, then you’re not paying attention.
At least that’s what all the bumper stickers on my street say. And I always listen to bumper stickers.
Beats my “If you’re not outraged, you are obviously too well-versed on the issue” bumper sticker.
+1
The quote Sage presented indicated a dislike of the rich (owners and executives of these companies) in the context of this issue. DEM was just pointing out that the top dogs of these unions make a very large salary as well. If I may, I think DEM’s point was that if these big whigs are just out for the money, why would it not be logical that union executives are out for the very same thing?
This post was meant to be under AnotherRick’s.
I guess I totally missed the tie in between the students standing up for the cafeteria workers and the the overpaid union execs. Thanks for clearing that up.
It was in response to Sage’s post…..I don’t understand why that is so difficult.
Wow…guns last week, unions this week. Let’s plan for abortion next week and taxes the following week.
I know, Cuba, I’m poking the bear again.
Are we roasting Social Conservatives (useless) or Fiscal Conservatives (most have a point)?
I am roasting chicken tonight, with BBQ sauce.
WESTCHESTER!
Free Norma Rae!
All right, Token– you just ain’t happy unless you’re stirrin’ it up, are ya? L’il devil, you!
Massive overreaction by Emory administration. Which means somebody is hiding something. I can only hope the local media will investigate and get to the bottom of this contract.
We all know Emory is in the back pocket of Big Cafeteria, which is, of course,in the back pocket of Big Pizza and Big Corn.
SCORE!
Y’know, I really don’t know enough about this issue to say whether the student and the cafeteria workers actually have something to protest, but I’m disappointed that more people aren’t bothering to look past the surface of their own political/philosophical leanings to remember where American workers would be now without unions. Beyond the old rags about corrupt union bosses, mafiosi, “overpaid” union members, and every other stereotype that can be trotted out as an argument for why unions are all inherently evil (they’re a damper on CAPITALISM, damnit!), maybe all of you who’re poking fun at the protesters might want to review the history of why unions became necessary in the first place. And last time I checked, the cafeteria workers weren’t a segment of the unionized industry with a whole lot of clout, so maybe they’ve got legitimate grievances that aren’t getting addressed. Regardless of the students’ political affiliations, I think it’s admirable of them to be passionate about something other than their own interests.
Just think how exciting this would be if it turned out the protesters were actually Republican students demonstrating on behalf of the working man!!! [Token, that one was for you...
]
I’m sure you don’t intend it this way, but this reads like: anti-union sentiment = ignorant and blinded by politics, but pro union = objective view based on deep understanding of history.
Personally, I don’t object to these folks unionizing and trying to get the best deal they can. But to protest on behalf of a group of employees already represented by a union seems a bit silly. If collective bargaining is what is needed to protect these folks, do they not already have it?
>>I’m sure you don’t intend it this way, but this reads like: anti-union sentiment = ignorant and blinded by politics, but pro union = objective view based on deep understanding of history.<<
Well, I'm sure you didn't intend to reduce my statements down to over-simplified, generalized right-wing talking points, but that's how it reads. See how this kind of discourse perpetuates itself?
But to your main point: why would you have any objection to people standing in solidarity with others who are "already represented"? Say you had a friend whom you believed was wrongly convicted of a notorious crime. Say you & his/her other friends felt so strongly about it that they wanted to publicly demonstrate their support of your mutual friend. Say your convict friend has managed to get a really good lawyer– maybe Gerry Spence, or, on a local note, Ed Garland. Would you blow off marching in support of your friend just because you thought he was already taken care of by his legal representation?
Regardless of how you feel about unions, given how ready you & some of the other posters are to mock the Emory student stereotypes of spoilt, indulged, disaffected youth, I'd think you'd be gratified that they were thinking of something else besides those BMWs and platinum cards.
Well, I’m sure you didn’t intend to reduce my statements down to over-simplified, generalized right-wing talking points, but that’s how it reads. See how this kind of discourse perpetuates itself?
_______________
I was just remarking that it read that way — I did not reduce your statements to anything, and made clear that I thought you did not mean it the way it read. You could have clarified if that wasn’t your meaning, but didn’t.
I thought my statements were perfectly clear, and didn’t need clarifying. You, however, didn’t answer my last questions posed directly to you, n’est ce pas?
“I’m disappointed that more people aren’t bothering to look past the surface of their own political/philosophical leanings to remember where American workers would be now without unions.”
I hope you put a timeline on this comment. Early days of unions furthered the growth of the American workers. More modern times, I really would love to imagine where the American workers and America would be now without unions. Booming, I would suppose and with a lot more jobs within our borders instead of shipped around the world.
~1
Yeah, that’s a nice fantasy– but even a cursory glance at the history of modern corporate industrialization will show you that as soon as the bigwigs know they aren’t being watched, they go back to finding ways to screw over their workers to wring that last penny out of the sweat of their labor. Do you really think that in the industries where labor unions are the most entrenched things would be so much “freer” for the owners/officers that they’d voluntarily keep salaries at a liveable wage, provide health benefits, etc.? Odd, isn’t it, that unions haven’t stifled business so much that they’ve kept the salaries of CEOs and corporate officers from escalating into triple percentage points more than their highest paid line workers.
Every serious study shows that unions do stifle competitveness.
George, please define what you mean by “serious”, and if you can, provide a link or citation to such a study. I’d be very interested to know which ones you’re talking about…
Yeah, George, you gotta back up a statement like that, or not be taken seriously.
I am protesting that I had to pay taxes on 4/15.
I dreamed I saw Joe Hill last night
Rebel girl!
I don’t know about unions and Food Service Conglomerates but I side with the lunch ladies every time!
Me too. The rubber gloves and hair nets have always been a total turn on.
Without lunch ladies, elementary school children would not be getting their milk cartons to go with their sack lunches, high school students would be wandering off campus during the middle of the day never to return, and college students would be eating boxed Kraft’s Mac N’ Cheese made on unsafe hot plates in dorm rooms. Lunch Ladies Rock!*
* Disclaimer: One set of grandparents were a lunch lady and milkman.
President Wagner made an issue that wasn’t really known outside of campus into a regional news story. He made seven martyrs for the Anti-Sedexo cause.
My rolling of the eyes to the protesters is their (most likely) youth and naivete and lack of understanding or experience of financial and economic issues. They just regurgitate what they’ve been told by professors or professional protest organizers. They would protest monkeys wearing dresses if People Against Monkeys Wearing Dresses had been there that day. At my age, education (History B.A.; J.D.) experience (some labor and employment law practice), I”m not going to sit at the feet of some never-created-a-job-or-paid-taxes kids who are two years out of their mommy’s house and drink in their “wisdom.” Being passionate about your argument does not make intelligent or correct.
Too true, NotSuze. I feel the the exact same way when I hear uneducated Teabaggers & right-wing bloviators who call themselves “patriots” gnashing their teeth over such important things as President Obama’s birth certificate.
I’m going to make the assumption that these were Emory Law students that led the protest. I would agree that on the surface their actions seem laudable…sticking up for the (already represented) under-dogs.
But who also benefits? The protesters themselves. I’m sure that an entry on the resume along with a smiling mugshot attesting to their act of heroism just might be the clincher that gets you hired at the ACLU or perhaps a big law firm that deals in union matters.
Emory grad students were involved, but no one from the law school.
Yeah, Davo– I have to agree with Dresden. Being an alumna from Emory Law myself, I can attest that by the time students get to grad/professional school, almost all their youthful passion for helping others has been channeled into a singular goal of helping themselves get ahead. They ain’t gonna waste their time protesting for lunch ladies.