Dining service workers and concerned students rallied outside of the Campus Center on Thursday, protesting the imminent use of student meal points at Thai Gardens restaurant on Main Street. The demonstrators drummed on empty buckets and water cooler jugs as they walked in a circle, chanting “No points off campus!”
Union leaders, workers and several members of the United Student Labor Action Coalition (USLAC) also canvassed Main Street on Tuesday, distributing flyers and calling for a consumer boycott of the restaurant.
“It was great to see how many people in local businesses were receptive to our mission, because they realize the importance of those jobs at Wesleyan and the importance of preserving them,” said USLAC member Joanna Lawler ’05.
Thai Gardens staff members are finalizing an agreement with Aramark and the Wesleyan Student Assembly (WSA) that will allow for the use of student points in the restaurant. The WSA chose Thai Gardens after their original agreement with Giuseppe’s Pizza fell through. Giuseppe’s owner Rose Aresco decided to withdraw her eatery from the program, claiming that she felt overwhelmed by the controversy.
“It would be the same threat with any restaurant that signed up, whether it’s Giuseppe’s or Thai Gardens or anyone else,” said Laura Goldner, a Campus Center worker.
Goldner, her fellow workers and members of USLAC say that any shift of points off campus will decrease the demand for labor on campus and therefore threaten existing jobs. According to WesShop employee Raquel Adorno, at least one Aramark worker has already experienced cutbacks as a result of other off-campus establishments such as WesWings and the Red and Black Café.
“The [Thai Gardens] program hasn’t even been implemented yet, and we’re already losing hours,” Adorno said.
Thai Gardens spokesperson Pat Hopkins said she and the owners have considered the plight of the campus dining workers. Because the restaurant seats a maximum of 130 people, and because points would only be accepted after 8 p.m. and on weekends, the staff concluded that any effect on campus jobs would be negligible.
“From what we’ve seen from the University and from Aramark and what we know we can handle…nobody’s going to lose their jobs,” Hopkins said. “That was the first thing we asked.”
Adorno said that campus workers have already offered to provide service after 8 p.m. Because Thai Gardens will be accepting points during late-night hours, workers claim that they have been denied an opportunity to work.
The Administration and the WSA maintain that the majority of the student body is in favor of off-campus points use, as demonstrated in a Sept. 26 referendum where 51 percent of student voters supported off-campus points.
“If workers and students choose to boycott Thai Gardens, I fully support their right to do that,” said Dining Committee Co-Chair Rebecca Solow ’05. “In general, I support students’ rights to use their points as they choose.”
President Douglas Bennet added that the off-campus points program is intended to help, not hurt, Middletown business owners.
“This pilot program complements Wesleyan’s commitment to Middletown and its merchants. We will work with both merchants and our students to ensure that it can proceed.”
Solow also expressed concern that Thai Gardens—a small Middletown business—is being punished for making a smart business decision.
She does not expect many Wesleyan students, however, to participate in the boycott.
“I don’t think the boycott is going to be successful,” Solow said. “I think students are aware of the complexity of this issue, but they’re also aware that this is a temporary program that won’t affect jobs.”
Hopkins said that the contract has yet to be signed. She and the restaurant owners will meet with an attorney next week to review the contract and finalize the plan.
“We appreciate the business that Wesleyan brings us and we want to do everything we can to encourage that,” she said. “We’re just looking forward to a resolution.”