Thirty-five union activists were arrested here at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst today. [April 29, 2002]
In March, UMass Resident Assistants made history by becoming the first group of undergraduate student workers to unionize with UAW Local 2322. Although the state certified the election, University administration has violated state labor law and refused to bargain with the RA union.
Today 15 UAW union activists and supporters staged a sit-in in the offices of student life in the Whitmore administration. Many more occupied the hallway in support of the sitdowners. The administration shut down the entire building in response. Police arrested and forcibly removed the sitdowners from the building and loaded them onto a prisoner transport.
More union activists picketed in front of the prisoner transport in solidarity with the detainees. We were also arrested. In all, thirty five of us were arrested. This is the largest mass arrest at UMass in ten years. We are currently all out on bail awaiting arraignment. You heard it here first.
In Solidarity,
Omar el-Malah