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Source: The Wesleyan Argus Date: October 7, 2003 Byline: Megan Doughty On Thursday afternoon, owner of Giuseppe’s Pizza Rose Aresco submitted a letter to the “Argus” announcing that she no longer plans to accept students’ meal points at her restaurant. Aresco made the decision after weeks at the center of an exhausting debate between students, campus dining workers and administrators, saying that pressure from union officials made it impossible for her to go ahead with the plan. “Between the union pressure to avoid points and the student pressure to accept them, I’ve become really worn out,” Aresco wrote. The Wesleyan Student Assembly (WSA) and the Dining Committee – a mixed group of students and administrators – devised a plan for off-campus points use last semester in response to student demands for more flexible dining options. Giuseppe’s was first on a list of ten possible pilot restaurants, according to Director of Dining Services Tim Reiss, a member of the committee. While Aresco was originally thrilled at the prospect and took measures over the summer to accommodate points, her enthusiasm has waned amidst the recent outcries from campus dining workers and their union representatives. “Every day I receive phone calls from people begging me not to accept points, and vaguely threatening me,” Aresco wrote. Reiss explained these “vague threats” as union members who promised to picket outside of Giuseppe’s as soon as it began accepting points. He added that a press release calling for a boycott of any points-friendly restaurant was issued last semester when the plan was publicized. "It’s unfortunate that the union has taken some of the hardball tactics that they have,” Reiss said. “It was really sad that Rose got dragged through the mud the way she did.” Representatives of the Local 217 Hotel Employees and Restaurant Employees Union maintain that they are taking such action only to maintain their job security. They believe that external points use not only threatens on-campus positions, but also creates an unpleasant dynamic between Wesleyan workers and Middletown business owners. The union is backed on campus by members of the United Student Labor Action Coalition (USLAC), who have been appealing to fellow students as well as parents, alumni and trustees. “The off-campus points plan pits the livelihoods of on-campus workers with the business interests of the Middletown community,” said USLAC member Joanna Lawler ’05. Weshop employee and union member Raquel Adorno met with Aresco and Middletown mayor Dominique Thornton to discuss the problem. Adorno said that while she and her fellow workers sympathize with Aresco, they have to act aggressively to protect themselves. “It was just what we had to do for our cause,” Adorno said. “It would have been the same at any restaurant. It wasn’t anything personal against Giuseppe’s…it wasn’t anything personal against Rose.” Despite the sentiments of the workers, students voted to go forward with off-campus points use in an online referendum on September 26. Workers and members of USLAC said that they were notified of the referendum at the last minute and were thus unfairly rushed in their preparation of their plea to students. As a result, they believe that their statement was not strong enough to impact the vote. According to Dining Committee Co-Chair Becca Solow ’04, many students are frustrated by the controversy and feel they have little control over the situation despite the referendum. “I think students are confused for the most part about what the resolution to this situation will be,” Solow said. “Most were looking forward to using their points at Giuseppe’s and many are disappointed that the program hasn’t been implemented yet.” Solow and Reiss said that Aresco’s decision does not mark the end of the off-campus points plan. Other options are currently being investigated, including several pizza delivery providers. Reiss encouraged students to come to him with suggestions and concerns regarding the new off-campus points agenda, stressing that student opinion has been – and still is – the driving force behind most recent changes. “I’m here for the students, then the administration and then the community at large,” Reiss said. Adorno and her fellow workers are aware of the continued discussion of off-campus points use, and thus see Aresco’s change of heart as only a temporary victory. “For her to make that decision really helps our cause,” Adorno said. “But it’s an ongoing battle.”
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