Spring Break
SLAC rallies for living wage
SLAC has long campaigned for an indexed living wage for all Hopkins employees, and last week's rally pushed the administration on two other issues. According to Clare Monagle, a graduate student and member of SLAC, the group "asked the administration to provide information about the implications of the proposed biotechnology park on the community and workers of East Baltimore."
"We restated our demands that Hopkins join the Workers' Rights Consortium, a group which monitors the use of sweatshop workers," said Monagle.
Monagle said that in October, SLAC sent an open letter to the administration requesting a statement from Hopkins on these issues, but did not receive a response until an hour before the rally, and were thus unable to read it until afterwards. The response was from Linda Robertson, the new vice president for Government, Community and Public Affairs.
"Robertson really did not answer any of the questions we posed, nor did she suggest that she would provide us with an answer in the future," said Miller. "Rather, she merely stated that she, too, is concerned about the same things we are and that she is interested in finding out more. SLAC regards this as a brush-off."
The rally took place at 4 p.m., beginning on the steps of MSE Library and ending at Garland Hall. SLAC estimated that 50 people attended. Four students spoke, and there was also a skit.
While SLAC is known for its campaign for the indexed living wage, Jafri emphasized the importance of the other issues that SLAC addressed at the rally.
"We cannot encourage an indexed living wage on campus while ignoring the fact that the Johns Hopkins sweatshirts sold in our bookstore are made by sweatshop workers in inhumane conditions," said Jafri.