[act-ma] THU 5/29, 1 PM, HOLD HARVARD ACCOUNTABLE FOR RACISM, VICTIM-BLAMING, UNION-BUSTING & ENVIRONMENTAL DESTRUCTION

[Geoff Carens]

Dear All,

On Thursday, May 29, starting at 1 pm, workers, students and supporters
will hold a visibility action at Harvard's Commencement exercises. We will
meet at the Smith Campus Center, 1350 Mass. Ave., Cambridge, steps from the
Harvard Square Red Line MBTA station. Our action will begin shortly before
a speech by right-wing, anti-union billionaire and ex-NYC Mayor Michael
Bloomberg. Please join us! The Facebook event is
here<https://www.facebook.com/events/632006280206869/?ref_notif_type=like&source=1>
.

We will let attendees know about the following cases of campus worker abuse:

*Johany Pilar*, who sued Harvard for sexual harassment, has faced threats
and retaliation in Campus Services, where she was called an "embarassing
Latina," by the boss. Johany has been denied a transfer out of the
department where she was repeatedly harassed.

*Marvin Byrd*, referred to as "that dirty black man," by the same
administrator, has been relegated to the lowest salary grade of any union
member in his department, despite long service & a good work record.
Marvin, who is partially disabled, has recently faced threats of
termination.

The same Campus Services boss also demoted HUCTW* Rep *Nassim
Kerkache*three salary grades, because his English supposedly wasn't
good enough for
the job he'd done for 9 years! Nassim defended his co-workers, and the
reward for his activism was to be downgraded and stripped of his
responsibilities.

*Judy Rouse* was terminated for being a diligent shop steward in Campus
Services, an environment where managers referred to workers of color as
"animals" and "monkeys." Judy faced threats at work, called the HU Police
Dept, and was subsequently fired, and slapped with a no-trespass order by
the HUPD.

Long-serving Maintenance Technician *Paul Casey* was laid off soon after
returning from a disability leave, supposedly for "lack of work," even
though he was very busy in his job. Paul's duties were simply distributed
to other workers, and colleagues are sure he was laid off due to his
needing surgery and having to take a leave.

These abuses must be understood in the context of Harvard's refusal to even
consider divesting from the fossil fuels that directly threaten our planet,
despite having a $32.7 billion endowment, massively larger than any other
university's. Harvard's recent response to a student who dared to protest
this moral blindness was to have him
arrested<http://www.thecrimson.com/article/2014/5/1/divest-protester-arrested-mass-hall/>.
Harvard has come under
fire<http://www.thecrimson.com/article/2014/4/14/responsible-investment-rally-argentina/>for
its huge timber plantation in Argentina, which has wrecked wetlands
and
mercilessly exploited local workers. The University is also under Federal
investigation for its handling of sexual assaults on campus. 100 cases of
sexual assault have been reported just over the past three years at
Harvard, and activists say the Harvard's horribly flawed investigative
process discourages survivors from taking action.

Together, we can put healthy pressure on Harvard to end its immoral and
discriminatory behavior! For more information, please click
here<http://twoharvards.wordpress.com/about/>.


In Solidarity,

Geoff Carens, Union Rep, HUCTW*
Delegate, Industrial Workers of the World / IWW


*Harvard Union of Clerical and Technical Workers