Poets Organizing Workers' Economic Rights - POWER

Hello Whittier College Students,

We are deeply disappointed and saddened by the results of the presidential election. To let our voices be heard, we would like to gather any and all students, staff, and faculty who would like to participate in chalk writing around campus to demand justice for POC, women, LGBTQ and minority peoples who are in fear of their basic human rights. We would like to emphasize our immense disagreement with the winner of the election, Donald Trump. He is not our president. He does not stand for unity. And we must fight to let our voices be heard. If you are against Trump's presidency, please join us.

We are planning to start around 7a.m. and meet outside the Campus Center. Please feel free to invite anyone to participate in this event.

Feel free to contact either:
Brandy Barajas, 626.940.8161
[email protected]

Or
Christina Prieto, (562) 324-3336
[email protected]

Stop by our booth at the Homecoming event! We'll be here until 4

Hey Poets! It's homecoming! Be sure to stop by our table this afternoon! We'll be on the baseball field from 12 until 4pm

Our Bon Appetit Poet workers continue to fight for better wages, vacation accrual, dignity and respect! We won't give up! La lucha sigue, pero si se puede! Here are some pictures after the delegation to bon appetit management.

Today we joined our poet cafeteria workers in support of their contract negotiations with Bon Appétit management and their union representatives from UNITE HERE Local 11. Due to unforeseen circumstances, Bon Appétit management would not allow us, the students, and one professor to stay and accompany our workers during the negotiation. Two of our poet students spoke directly to management politely asking them to reconsider their decision. Co-President of POWER, Luz Castro, mentioned that our student support is to ensure that our workers have a fair and just contract because these workers are our poet family. After two attempts of students speaking directly to management their decision remained the same and they insisted that we, the students, and professor leave the room. While we remained firm yet cordial, Bon Appétit management's reaction to students was very inappropriate, to say the least. As students who take pride in building solidarity with all of our Poet family, especially with our workers, we were extremely disappointed and upset. Nathan Acuña, editor of the Quaker Campus newspaper, was pesent and informed Bon Appétit that he will be printing the first issue on this situation and will remain thoroughly involved and updated on negotiation issues with our CI and TheSpot workers. Castro, then stated our extreme disappointment with the way Bon Appétit handled the situation, and followed by three students and one professor-- all left the room in protest.
However, after we left, new proposals to the current contract were then presented by the UNITE HERE union and now we are awaiting Bon Appétit's response.

Supporting our very own Bon Appetit workers!

The negotiating committee at Whittier College are getting ready for a new contract!

Read the letter to the Editor that we submitted in support of our SODEXO workers!

Letter to the Editor: Dear Whittier College Administration: We, Poets Organizing Workers’ Economic Rights (POWER), write this letter in support of our Whittier College SODEXO workers who keep our campus clean. We have h…

Today, POWER members chalked all around the Whittier College campus in support of our college workers who keep the campus clean and make our food. Here is one of the art pieces created by our very own member, Krista Fonseca.

Today and everyday, we appreciate our college workers!

POWER members featured on the front cover of the Quaker Campus
Fight for 15! Student and worker solidarity.

Extra! Extra! Read all about it!

Poets chalking in appreciation of our campus workers.

Come to our weekly meeting Today, April 20, at 4:30 pm, in the Spot Lounge!

Students and workers from Whittier College's organization, Poets Organizing Workers' Economic Rights - POWER Participated in the FIght For $15 day of Action!