Harvard prepares for looming foodservice strike

Harvard University officials and students are stockpiling food in response to a potential strike by the school’s foodservice workers that could begin as soon as Wednesday, reported The Washington Post.

Students have been seen taking food from the dining halls back to their dorm rooms, and the Cambridge, Mass., university has been purchasing increased amounts of frozen food, according to dining staff accounts mentioned by student newspaper The Harvard Crimson.

The school has reportedly stored so many frozen items that it has become difficult for workers to also store food needed for its current offerings.

“Things like stuffed peppers, mac and cheese, and soups are taking up so much space in the freezers that a lot of halls don’t have the space to hold the current menu items we need,” dining services worker and union organizer Laquiesha Rainey told The Harvard Crimson.

If the strike goes into effect, it would be the first time Harvard’s foodservice employees have taken such action during the academic year. Their contract with the university, which included a no-strike clause, expired in mid-September.

The team first announced its plan to strike early last month, after months of negotiations with the university over healthcare costs and the desire to increase wages to at least $35,000 annually.

Related:Harvard dining staff to go on strike

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