Petition by Winthrop Students Supports Balsam and Union

More than 250 students in Winthrop House have signed a petition drafted by House members supporting Alan Balsam, chief shop steward of the dining hall workers' union, and criticizing the "methods employed by management in threatening Balsam" in the wake of a dining hall workers walkout last Monday.

The Winthrop House Committee, which endorsed the petition drive, yesterday forwarded copies of the petition to Edward W. Powers, associate general counsel for employee relations, Frank Weissbecker, director of the food services, and several members of the administration, Regina Pisa '77, president of the committee, said yesterday.

It was the Winthrop House Committee which originally drafted a request several weeks ago that the House dining hall alter its hamburger-serving policy. Balsam's compliance with the student request reportedly got him in trouble with Buford Simpson, manager of the College Dining Hall, and, according to several witnesses, resulted in a threat by Simpson to fire Balsam.

The alleged threat, in turn, provoked the lunch-hour "emergency union meeting" that Balsam called last Monday.

The University has apparently also considered punishing workers who helped organize the walkout, several workers reported last week.

The petition expresses the Winthrop House students' "sympathy with the kitchen workers and their chief shop steward" and calls the alleged threat to fire Balsam "an attempt to intimidate Alan and the union."

The letter that accompanies the committee's petition also attempts to clarify the committee's role in requesting the burger policy shift.

Powers said yesterday he has not yet seen a copy of the petition, and he declined to comment on it.

Weissbecker could not be reached for comment on the petition last night.

Pisa said the petitions were delivered to University officials late yesterday afternoon and may not have reached all of their addressees while they were still in their offices.

She said the response to the petition was "phenomenal, especially considering it was only distributed at two meals last weekend."

Pisa added that University officials contacted by the committee and by Winthrop students "have been very reasonable and willing to listen to us so far."