Housekeeper Unionization--  On Wednesday February 28, Director of Human Resources Lauren Turner told students and faculty that their presence at the negotiation meeting between the college and the housekeepers was "not appropriate". At the request of the housekeepers, students and faculty tried to observe this session of negotiations.
        Last semester housekeepers voted to affiliate themselves with the United Automobile, Aeronautical, and Agricultural Implement Workers (UAW) Local 2322. Now they are trying to negotiate a new contract with management. Union Representative Flo Stern conceeded to the closed meeting for the sake of expediency, but noted that there is nothing illegal or unprecedented about the presence of observers at these sorts of meetings. Director of Facilities Management John Bryant later told a student that this particular meeting was closed to observers. The Wednesday meeting was the third session of the first contract campaign between the newly unionized housekeepers and the college. Students and faculty, surprised by the need to have closed door meetings, hope to be able to attend the next session of negotiations.
          --Andera Parr, '03
            origionally printed in the Mount Holyoke News

Fall 2000 Events:

Americanas, Latina Heritage Month-- With MEChA and LaUnidad, we sponsored a series of events, including a talk by one of the founders of Equal Exchange, and a vigil/speak-out on Indigenous Resistance, for October 12, as a reaction to Columbus Day.

Sept. 26 Rally at Wal-Mart--  Co-sponsored a rally at Wal-Mart, to show solidarity with Wal-Mart's non-unionized workers, and to protest the meeting of the IMF/WB in Prague.

Spring 2000 Events:

Fair Trade Coffee Day of Action-- Fair Trade Certified Coffee is now served in Blanchard cafe, as well as in the dorms, thanks to a semester-long fair trade campaign.

Diallo Rally-- With over 70 people in attendance, and speakers, poets, and activists present, the vigil was quite successful in drawing attention to the Diallo case, and the issuses of racism and police brutality in general.  A follow-up action meeting is being planned.

Pay Equity Day-- Held on April 11, a month early because school will be out by May 11, the SCA handed out buttons, information, and tried to highlight the fact that the average women makes 27 cents less for every dollar a man does.  This is 37 cents for black women, 47 cents for latina women.

IMF/WB Protests--About 20 women from the SCA and other members of the MHC community attended the protests in Washington, D.C. 

Fall 1999 Events:

National Day of Action--  At Mount Holyoke College, a day to encourage women's involvment in political and social activism.

World Trade Organization local protest--  At Amherst Common, to raise awareness of the economic and political injustices perpetuated by the World Trade Organization's undemocratic policies.