Sunday, April 11, 2010

Scene Thirty-Two: SEIU Vigil on the Green

From noon today onward, members of the SEIU Local 560 are holding a 24-hour vigil on the Green for laid-off employees. This coincides with a series of teach-ins being held around campus by Dartmouth Students Stand with Staff to inform members of the Dartmouth community about what is and isn't being done in the budget cut/lay-off process.

More than 130 chairs form a circle on the Hanover Inn corner of the Green.

Each represents a position that was either a) not refilled when vacated, or b) eliminated during layoffs. Each represents an individual.

It is pretty chilly tonight. Chilly enough to make me shiver on my way to Topside, anyway. I went for Kashi, but I left with brownie mix. Fifty minutes after mixing oil and eggs and candy corn into the chocolately powder, I again braved the New England night to take my warm pan of sweets to the crowd occupying the Green.

I can't give them their jobs back, but I can thank them for not backing down.

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