Students, faculty and staff are organizing to protect economically vulnerable members of the Stanford community. They have raised their collective voices to urge the university administration to exercise empathy in this pandemic by providing full benefits and pay to all service workers through the end of the school year.

Throughout the Spring, Stanford Students for Workers’ Rights have advocated for workers on the Stanford campus. Due to their actions, the issue has been covered in local, regional and national media. They have reached out to the alumni community and SAPAAC with the following information.

About the Campaign

“In its response to COVID-19, Stanford has laid off hundreds of subcontracted workers since March, refusing to pay all service workers and refusing benefits to protect them. For the subcontracted workers who are still employed, they are not offered paid sick leave and only had guaranteed pay until April 15, not through the end of the spring term. Stanford Students for Workers' Rights have demanded that Stanford guarantee pay continuance and health benefits for all service workers.

Stanford later stated on April 14 that they would commit to pay directly employed workers until June 15 and "support" income and benefits for subcontracted workers.

However, on April 22, union representatives said that the administration's "support" has either been benefits without pay, legal counsel without pay, or simply nothing for different groups of subcontracted workers. Laid-off workers have not received pay since they were fired, and workers are still not receiving hazard pay or additional sick leave. Stanford is still not being accountable to its promises and commitment to its workers.”

How can alumni support by taking action? Stanford Students for Workers’ Rights and the broader coalition of faculty and staff supporting the campaign have suggested the following options for alumni willing to take part:

Join a No-Donation Pledge for graduating seniors, alumni, and donors to withhold donations until Stanford provides compensation, protection, and communication to all workers

Sign a Petition for Stanford to commit to pay continuance for all service workers through Spring Quarter

Visit a GoFundMe to support all laid off Stanford service workers at this time

Purchase a Sticker with all proceeds from sales going toward the fund to support laid off workers

Add your stories to a Form where the community shares service workers have positively impacted your life

You can follow the campaign on Twitter (@stanford_swr), Instagram (@stanfordswr) and Facebook (Stanford Students for Workers' Rights). You can also participate in their Twitter campaign with this guide.

Coverage in the Stanford Daily, Palo Alto Online and The Washington Post

[Open Letter to Stanford] Contracted workers deserve the same benefits as your ‘regular’ employees (Stanford Daily, March 23)
https://www.stanforddaily.com/2020/03/22/stanford-contracted-workers-deserve-the-same-benefits-as-your-regular-employees

Stanford, unlike other schools, stiffs its subcontracted workers (Stanford Daily, March 29)
https://www.stanforddaily.com/2020/03/29/stanford-unlike-other-schools-stiffs-its-subcontracted-workers

Stanford commits to pay continuation for regular employees through June 15 (Stanford Daily, April 14)
https://www.stanforddaily.com/2020/04/14/stanford-commits-to-pay-continuation-for-regular-employees-through-june-15

Following public pressure, Stanford reverses decision on pay for contracted service workers (Palo Alto Online, April 15) Undergraduate students led advocacy campaign for cooks, janitors laid off during the shutdown
https://www.paloaltoonline.com/news/2020/04/15/following-public-pressure-stanford-reverses-decision-on-pay-for-contracted-service-workers

Stanford’s stated support for subcontracted workers has been misleading, union says (Stanford Daily, April 24)
Julián, Joaquin Castro (‘96) join chorus calling for expanded worker protections
https://www.stanforddaily.com/2020/04/24/stanfords-stated-support-for-subcontracted-workers-has-been-misleading-union-says

Students, union say Stanford refusing to honor pledge to help displaced contract workers (Washington Post, April 28)
Student activists and union leaders say Stanford University is reneging on a promise to help laid-off janitors and dining staffers employed by independent contractors.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/education/2020/04/23/students-union-say-stanford-refusing-honor-pledge-help-displaced-contract-workers