Daily # Trojan
University of Southern California
Volume LXXII, Number 10 Los Angeles, California
Friday, September 30, 1977
Strike committee recommends food service workers’ walkout
By Marc Cornian
^taff Writer
Food service workers here have been urged to strike by the Workers' Strike Committee.
“We hope all the workers will take their last alternative and strike to pressure the university into accepting our rightful demands," said a fiver which was circulated by the committee.
“We all know the university well enough to see through their false concern for the workers' interests. They live only to exploit us and we strive to survive...They do know the power and meaning of a strike. This is the last choice and only weapon of the United Workers," the flyer said.
Guy Hubbard, executive director of auxiliary services, said the university recognizes the workers’ need for better wages but the school can t afford to meet their demands.
The university has offered the workers a 20 cent per hour increase for this year, and 15 cent per hour for each of the next two years.
The workers are asking for an 80 cent per hour increase for each of the next three years.
The Workers’ Strike Committee flyer also lashed out at their union. Local 11 of the Hotel and Restaurant Employees and Bartenders Union.
The flyer said the union would have betrayed the workers' demands and signed the proposals of the university if it were not for the work of the food service negotiations committee. which is made up of workers.
The flyer also said that the union would not guarantee strike benefits for the workers should they walk off their job*. Gus Frias. MECHA chairman, who speaks for some of the workers, said the union planned to make a deal with the university even before the workers had been consulted.
Frias mentioned the possibility ofthe workers ousting the union and dealing with the university directlv.
Frias said that there is a petition going around among workers to oust the union but none of the workers interviewed were aware of it.
Frias said that if the workers were to go on strike without the union's support. MECHA would try to collect funds to support the workers.
GUS FRIAS
“The students will get involved. but right now the workers are taking the initiative,” he said.
“We. the students, have a commitment to help the workers.’’ Frias said.
Many food service workers were not aware of the Workers’ Strike Committee flyer or of the problems with the union. None expressed any desire to strike.
"To tell you the truth, we haven’t heard too much about it.” said I^ena Miller, a worker at Birnkrant cafeteria. “I don’t think we get paid enough, but I'm not for a strike. I wish they could negotiate. 1 just want a decent wage.”
'My livelihood depends on this place.” said another Birnkrant worker, who wished to remain anonymous. “This is my living and I can’t afford to go on strike.”
When asked if she thought a strike might be worth it should it bring better wages, she said. “That's a big if."
Johnny Grant, a cook in Birnkrant. said that if there
Students raising money to repair Alumni Park fountain
To bring about reconstruction of the fountain statue in Alumni Park, six students have organized “The Student Comniitte to Fix the Fountain.”
The group's main function will be to raise the amount of money required to finance the reconstruction.
The committee originated when the members decided to stop complaining about the “oversized bathtub" and do something about it.
The original statue was destroyed in the spring of 1976 when a large tree fell on it during a rainstorm. Since that time, several suggestions have been made, but until now, no steps have been taken.
"Our goal is to obtain the required amount of funds by the end of the semester. We are hoping for a completion date of summer ‘78." said Norman Thomas, the committee's spokesman.
Estimates made in 1976 approximated a reconstruction cost of more than SI0.000
"We want the project to be completely student funded." Thomas said.
"I'm sure alumni would be willing to finance the reconstruction, but I think it would be great if the students contributed this themselves — a sort of gift to the alumni."
The group will officially begin soliciting donations from 11:30 a.m to 2:30 p.m. in front of Tommj Trojan, and wil continue throughout the semester. A table will also be set up by the fountain on days of football games.
“We are hoping for the monetary and moral support from the
(continued on page 2)
were a strike, he'd come to work.
“I’ve walked a picket line for 120 days and I know what it's like. If they go out (on strike), I'm coming to work,” Grant said.
Chicano workers questioned either were somewhat in favor of a strike or did not express an opinion.
Johnny Molina, assistant supervisor of Commons Catering, said, “I've worked here for seven years. I speak both languages (English and Spanish). I'm an assistant supervisor, and I only make $2.87 an hour.”
“Nobody wants to strike,” he said. “But really, we have no choice. We don't trust the union and we don't trust USC.”
Alejandro Rivera, shop steward in Commons, said the workers would wait for their lawyer’s decision before they voted on a strike.
Rivera has worked here for 10 years and earns $2.70 per hour.
Another Chicano worker in Birnkrant said that she would go on strike because, “All I want to do is what my coworkers want to do. I don't know much about unions and laws.”
Brown vetoes increase for state scholarships
By Carla Schalman
Staff Writer
Great financial strain will be put on students and the university as a result of Gov. Edmund G. Brown Jr.'s veto Monday of Assembly Bill 528, a USC official said.
The bill would have increased the maximum California State Scholarship level to $3,200 and the College Opportunity Grant to $4,200.
Because of the veto the maximum scholarship award next year wil! remain at $2,700.
Students will feel the pinch because their state scholarships will have less purchasing power, said the official. John Curry, assistant to the executive vice-president. The expense of attending the university is growing for the students.
The impact will be greatest on middle-income students, said Jerome Walker, director of Research and Program Coordination.
Those in higher income brackets will be able to afford the escalating cost of tuition, and those in lower income groups will qualify for aid. Walker said. Middle income students will have difficulty meeting costs, he said.
“Families must judge between cost and the value of education,” Walker said.
The university faces the problem of trying to meet the tuition deficiencies, Curry said. The gap widens as tuition rises and state scholarships remain the same, he added.
This gap causes a general budget strain, Curry said. At present the university does not know where the extra money will come from.
Options include raising gifts as new sources of revenue and recovering costs on grants and contracts. Another alternative is to recruit more students for departments that can accommodate additional enrollment, he said.
Walker said recruiting and retaining students will be a high priority.
“All private institutions will feel the impact to some extent in terms of enrollment,” he said. “Some of that impact will be anxieties about enrollment and budget strategies.”
“The high quality private institutions will survive despite this development. We'll still hold our own.”
Curry said the full impact of the veto won’t be that apparent this year. It will be more noticeable in the future.
Curry is now compiling a financial forecast that will project the costs of maintaining the university over the next five years. Curry hopes this forecast, which will be completed in two weeks, will be the basis for solving the problem of meeting expenses.
The Assembly bill originally would have raised the maximum state scholarship level to $3,400. The amount was then cut to $3,050 and was finally adjusted to $3,200.
Walker has been corresponding with the Assembly in support of the bill since April. He also contacted Glenn S. Dumke, chancellor
(continued on page 8)
&..SCBSSBSB.
DT photos by Renee Cottrell
WEBB TOWER
Dorm remodeling nears completion
By Marsha Johnston
staff Writer
Trojan Hall residents will get additional bookshelves next week and energy-saving Kil-lerwatt lights when the manufacturer delivers them, as the Office of Residence Halls finishes lip the major part of its ongoing refurbishment program.
Because of miscalculations about bookshelf size and a delay caused by an overwhelming demand for Killerwatt lights, these projects could not be completed this summer.
"We kind of anticipated the delay because of the demand." said R. Randy Rice, director of
the Residence Halls office. "They (the company) have gone to two warehouses since we've known about them."
Universities all over the country have followed the university’s initiative in ordering the Killerwatt light from Johnson Industries. The product consumes about 400 less energy and lasts five to six years, compared with 6 months to a year for regular bulbs.
"We are really trying to respond to our Energy Consenation Program with the Killer-watt lights.” Rice said. “We’ve made the
(continued on page 8)