Sit-In Draws Counter-Protest, But No Talks

For the 46 members of the Progressive Student Labor Movement (PSLM) occupying Massachusetts Hall and the core of supporters outside, yesterday, the second day of the group’s sit-in became trying as the University maintained its position that it would not cave to demands for a living wage.

University administrators refused to negotiate yesterday with the student activists, who demand a living wage of $10.25 per hour for all Harvard employees. PSLM members were finally told late yesterday afternoon that one of University President Neil L. Rudenstine’s assistants was trying to schedule a meeting for the student protesters.

But PSLM’s tactics are beginning to alienate some fellow students, particularly first-years in surrounding Yard dorms and some of the 24 students living upstairs from the occupied portion of Mass. Hall.

A debate on the Harvard Hillel email list yesterday questioned whether to withdraw Hillel’s endorsement of the PSLM’s living wage campaign.

Moshe Y. Spinowitz ’02 initiated the email discussion, and said that while he was originally a supporter of the campaign, the tactics of the past two days have forced him to reconsider.

“Disregarding, for the moment, the merits of the cause, Hillel should not be in the business of endorsing groups involved in illegal activities—especially those directed against the university,” Spinowitz wrote.

Mass. Hall residents say they have been forced to call Harvard University Police Department (HUPD) at least a dozen times to request relief from PSLM’s chanting.

A group of about 20 frustrated students, most of them first-years, organized a counter-protest yesterday evening to criticize the PSLM’s methods. They walked silently past the picketers in front of Mass. Hall, holding signs reading, “Stand Strong, Rudenstine” and “PSLM: Being a Nuisance Since 1:23 p.m. Wednesday.”

“We don’t disagree with the living wage, we just think some of the tactics they’re using are wrong,” said Jim E. Kruzer ’04.

“It’s hurting their cause,” P. Joseph Konzelmann ’04 agreed yesterday. Konzelmann hung a sign reading “Jail PSLM” from his third floor Mass. Hall window. “They’re disrupting the peace. It’s like going to a concert and trying to do work.”

From inside the building, Maddy S. Elfenbein ’04, a member of PSLM, responded to the counter-protestors.

“We appreciate the sacrifice of the students inside Mass. Hall, whether willing or not,” Elfenbein said through the open Mass. Hall window. “But this issue is too important to be subsumed under the desire of a few students to get their sleep.”

PSLM member Benjamin L. McKean ’02 said he, too, was unconcerned with the counter-protest.

“I really don’t think it’s even important enough to comment on,” he said from inside the building last night.

Despite the counter-protest, PSLM has garnered visible support over the past two days.

Yale’s Students Against Sweatshops held a solidarity rally in front of the president’s office yesterday afternoon.

Nearly 50 students turned out for a candlelight vigil at 9 p.m. last night, featuring spoken word poetry and a fire-eater.

Despite the administration’s repeated refusal to negotiate and the slight erosion of student support today, PSLM members say they vow to remain in the building until their demands are granted.

Students camping out inside the building remained hopeful yesterday, and said they had anticipated the current situation and are prepared to wait.

After a fitful night spent in sleeping bags spread out on antique Oriental rugs, the protesters rose early yesterday morning to greet University employees on their way to work and continue negotiations with HUPD officials as to what rooms in the building they could occupy.

“The only negotiations we’ve been granted are absurd questions about space,” PSLM member Amy C. Offner ’01 said. “They think this is an excellent way to distract us from the living wage issue.”

When Provost Harvey V. Fineberg ’67 attempted to walk into his Mass. Hall office in the mid-morning, he was blocked by PSLM members who requested that he spend three minutes reading over their demands.

Fineberg declined to read the PSLM literature and instead promptly left the office, said a protester inside the building.

“We took his leaving as an opportunity to celebrate the fact that he couldn’t go to work today,” the student said.

As the day wore on, trash accumulated on tables around the building and half-eaten cans of peanut butter and bags of bread covered most surfaces. Piles of fruit littered the main hallway.

The ranks of the picketers outside swelled throughout the morning. At its peak yesterday during a noon rally, more than a hundred supporters circled around Mass. Hall in support of the occupiers.

To the beat of a drum and tambourines, Offner responded to yesterday’s Harvard News Office press release.

She countered the claim that only 400 workers earn less than the $10.25 per hour figure, saying a broader definition of the word “worker” reveals that more than 1,000 workers earn such poverty-level wages.

“This is a horrific thing that needs fixing today,” Offner announced to the cheers of the assembled crowd.

As the day wore on, University spokesperson Joe Wrinn and Associate Dean of Harvard College David P. Illingworth ’71 quietly observed the events and chatted with the protesters through the open Mass. Hall windows.

Illingworth seemed undaunted by the occupation of the administrative building as he stood outside in the early-morning sun yesterday.

He said his primary worry is for the well-being of the students nearing their 48th hour inside the administrative building.

“I’ve been inside a couple of times and everyone seems comfortable,” he said.

“Despite this kind of thing happening, I’d like to think we are still one community,” he said as the students inside the building began to poke their heads out the window. “I’ll cling to that.”

—Staff writer Daniela J. Lamas can be reached at lamas@fas.harvard.edu.