In a scene reminiscent of mailmen carrying in bag after bag of mail in "Miracle on 34th Street," protestors from UB Students Against Sweatshops traded sacks of letters for wrappers and old newspapers in an effort to prove what they consider an injustice done to sub-contracted janitorial workers hired by the university.
"We'd like to let everyone know how much trash is left in our lecture halls," said Rachel Wilson, a junior sociology major, via megaphone to students and workers at tables in the Student Union Tuesday at noon. Her message was accompanied by trash apparently cleaned up from one of the Knox lecture halls on Monday night - over a dozen bags worth.
Devan DeCicco, a senior English major, also took part in the protest.
"What's more important than the bag count is that that trash was left in one hall in Knox. The message that we're trying to (get across) is not that students are messy or have too much trash," DeCicco said. "The message we're trying to send is that...this volume of trash shows the importance of the work these janitors do."
According to DeCicco, the janitorial workers that UB contracts receive no benefits and make only $7 an hour.
Dave Ballard, director of the Student Union, said the protest was an unauthorized use of a megaphone, and the trash the protestors brought into the SU was a "safety hazard."
"Students disposed of trash in the middle of the hallway," Ballard said.
University Police responded to the protest, requesting that the students involved disperse and clean up the trash they brought in with them. According to police officials on the scene, no charges will be filed against the protestors.
"I think as long as they're done, we're done," said officer Amy Pedlow.
Photo: Courtesy of Matthew Messina, from the RMBERS' Instagram page
