17-day Johns Hopkins occupation
Students win concessions, vow to keep fighting
By Workers World Baltimore bureau
Students from the Student Labor Action Committee at Johns
Hopkins University ended their 17-day occupation of the
admini stration building on March 16 after winning a set of
concessions from the university.
The agreement between the students and administration will
result in modest wage increases for the lowest-paid workers
at Johns Hopkins--especially the 900 workers at the hospital
and School of Public Health.
The agreement also stipulates measures that open Johns
Hopkins to public scrutiny of its wage structure.
Student organizers vow to continue their fight for a
living wage--$7.90 an hour--for university workers. The
administration still refuses to agree to this demand.
Students emerged from the administration building carrying
picket signs and chanting: "What do we want? A living
wage!"
They were greeted by scores of placard-waving students and
community supporters. Students and their supporters
immediately held a rally in front of the administration
building.
Dr. Chester Wickwire, former chaplain at JHU and a
civil-rights and peace activist, lent humor to the rally. He
told those gathered that in order to avoid the scrutiny of
campus security, he was forced to discuss strategy with
student leaders in the womenbathroom.
Wickwire also described how the administration tried to
force an end to the sit-in by turning off heat and air
conditioning. "But these students were courageous and brave,"
he said.
Sharon Black Ceci, organizer for the All Peoples Congress,
received cheers when she said: "The administration wants to
label us--the community participants in the occupation--as
outsiders. But it is Johns Hopkins that is the outsider. They
pay no taxes and are a privileged entity.
"Johns Hopkins must be made accountable to the
community."
Ralph Hughes from the Center for Poverty Solutions, Unity
for Action President Bill Goodin, City Councilwoman Bea Gaddy
and other community representatives addressed the rally. All
commended the students and pledged support.
Student organizer Julie Eisenhardt said: "This battle is
not over. Johns Hopkins has not seen the last of us. Our
fight is not about a few pennies. We want the elimination of
poverty.
"We do not want the workers to have to beg for health care
and education. These are their rights."
She concluded, "Johns Hopkins must know that we have just
begun to build links with the community and [will] continue
this fight."
This article is copyright under a Creative
Commons License.
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