100 signatures reached
To: Duke University President Brodhead & Board of Trustees
BOYCOTT DUKE UNIVERSITY: RACIST WORKER ABUSE STOPS NOW!
A group of nine students are currently occupying the main administrative building at Duke University to demand accountability and justice for Black & Brown workers. Students occupied the President’s Office after an exposé on racist worker abuse at the hands of three top Duke administrators appeared in the university’s independent student newspaper. The administration has remained unapologetic and silent on university’s racist abuse. Yet, it has threatened peaceful student occupiers with arrests and disciplinary action, including suspension and expulsion.
We demand accountability. We are Duke Students & Workers in Solidarity—a coalition of students and workers at Duke University in struggle together against institutional racism and violence—and we demand that Duke University employ the services of outside counsel for immediate investigation of rampant racist abuse of its service workers, specifically within Parking & Transportation Services (PTS).
We urge Duke University to dismantle its history of plantation politics and take immediate action to appropriately address systemic discrimination, abuse, and silencing of workers through relentless intimidation.
We call upon dutiful citizens to boycott Duke merchandise and to cease making any donations to Duke University—until officials are held accountable and face immediate consequences for their abuse of authority, until impacted workers receive thorough and transparent due process, and until all workers at Duke University receive a living wage of $15/hr that will strengthen their ability to meet their basic needs with dignity.
In the words of one PTS employee, “Until then, a plantation will remain the name most appropriate when referring to this organization that we call Duke!”
We demand accountability. We are Duke Students & Workers in Solidarity—a coalition of students and workers at Duke University in struggle together against institutional racism and violence—and we demand that Duke University employ the services of outside counsel for immediate investigation of rampant racist abuse of its service workers, specifically within Parking & Transportation Services (PTS).
We urge Duke University to dismantle its history of plantation politics and take immediate action to appropriately address systemic discrimination, abuse, and silencing of workers through relentless intimidation.
We call upon dutiful citizens to boycott Duke merchandise and to cease making any donations to Duke University—until officials are held accountable and face immediate consequences for their abuse of authority, until impacted workers receive thorough and transparent due process, and until all workers at Duke University receive a living wage of $15/hr that will strengthen their ability to meet their basic needs with dignity.
In the words of one PTS employee, “Until then, a plantation will remain the name most appropriate when referring to this organization that we call Duke!”
Why is this important?
Racist abuse of service workers is rampant at Duke University, and has been consistently and purposefully concealed by its administration for many years. In August 2014, Executive Vice President Tallman Trask hit Ms. Shelvia Underwood—a Black female subcontracted worker of McLaurin Parking and Transportation—with his car and angrily drove off after hurling an anti-Black racial slur. Despite being in need of medical attention and reporting the incident immediately to the officials, Ms. Underwood received no on-site law enforcement assistance to address Trask’s assault in violation of North Carolina law (N.C.G.S. § 20-166). Further, she never received an apology or reparations, and upon reporting the incident to the Duke University Police Department two days later, the investigation and disposition of her case was fraudulently mishandled by Duke officials. The police report pertaining to this incident failed to reflect EVP Trask as the assailant in the incident. In fact, his name did not appear in the report at all. The police report also failed to mention that the incident involved a motor vehicle. In essence, all incriminating information was purposely omitted as a means to protect EVP Trask. In bringing the matter to closure, the incident was recorded and filed as “concerned behavior.” Had the incident been properly recorded as “vehicular assault,” it would have been categorized as a criminal offense and thereby subject to public record. Hence, their misguided need to misclassify the incident. And lastly, Duke Police coerced Ms. Underwood, who was afraid of losing her job, into agreeing to cease further pursuit of the matter if EVP Trask were to offer her a sincere apology. She never received that apology. Ms. Underwood has since filed a lawsuit in order to receive the justice she rightfully deserves.
Our coalition was formed not only in response to the assault of Ms. Underwood, but also in response to the long history of racist abuse of Black & Brown workers at Duke University exposed in recent news coverage. We—workers and students in solidarity—say: Enough, no more! Worker abuse ends now!
1. We demand the immediate termination, without compensation, of EVP Tallman Trask III, VP Kyle Cavanaugh, and PTS Director Carl DePinto.
2. We demand that Tallman Trask issue a public apology to Ms. Underwood, all former and current PTS employees who have suffered racist abuse, and all of Duke and Durham’s community for his hateful, violent, and negligent actions.
3. We demand that Tallman Trask pay full legal and medical reparations to Ms. Underwood.
4. We demand that Duke University hire competent, outside employment counsel, approved by Duke Students and Workers in Solidarity, to conduct a full investigation into Parking and Transportation Services, the Office of Institutional Equity, and the Duke University Police Department in regards to their respective handling of Ms. Underwood’s case, as well as the unlawful discrimination complaints and reports filed by former and current PTS employees. Said counsel is to have no pre-existing relationship with Duke University, Duke University personnel, administrators, or board of trustees.
5. We demand a comprehensive and transparent review and revision of Duke’s employment standards and guidelines for sub-contracted workers, to ensure that they match the employment standards for Duke employees.
6. We demand transparency and community input in the recruitment and selection process for Duke administrators.
7. We demand that the minimum wage for Duke employees and sub-contracted workers be raised to $15/hour and for this rate to be indexed to keep up with inflation. This pay rate is closer to a living wage that strengthens their ability to meet their basic needs with dignity. Every worker deserves to be paid a fair wage and provided with the ability to make a decent living.
If you would like to support Duke Students & Workers in Solidarity, please contribute to our fund for basic necessities for the student occupiers & legal fees for Duke workers at: https://www.gofundme.com/hqx4aqas. We will continue to boycott and occupy until our demands are met.
#DismantleDukePlantation #TakeOutTheTrask #DumpDePinto #CanCavanaugh
Our coalition was formed not only in response to the assault of Ms. Underwood, but also in response to the long history of racist abuse of Black & Brown workers at Duke University exposed in recent news coverage. We—workers and students in solidarity—say: Enough, no more! Worker abuse ends now!
1. We demand the immediate termination, without compensation, of EVP Tallman Trask III, VP Kyle Cavanaugh, and PTS Director Carl DePinto.
2. We demand that Tallman Trask issue a public apology to Ms. Underwood, all former and current PTS employees who have suffered racist abuse, and all of Duke and Durham’s community for his hateful, violent, and negligent actions.
3. We demand that Tallman Trask pay full legal and medical reparations to Ms. Underwood.
4. We demand that Duke University hire competent, outside employment counsel, approved by Duke Students and Workers in Solidarity, to conduct a full investigation into Parking and Transportation Services, the Office of Institutional Equity, and the Duke University Police Department in regards to their respective handling of Ms. Underwood’s case, as well as the unlawful discrimination complaints and reports filed by former and current PTS employees. Said counsel is to have no pre-existing relationship with Duke University, Duke University personnel, administrators, or board of trustees.
5. We demand a comprehensive and transparent review and revision of Duke’s employment standards and guidelines for sub-contracted workers, to ensure that they match the employment standards for Duke employees.
6. We demand transparency and community input in the recruitment and selection process for Duke administrators.
7. We demand that the minimum wage for Duke employees and sub-contracted workers be raised to $15/hour and for this rate to be indexed to keep up with inflation. This pay rate is closer to a living wage that strengthens their ability to meet their basic needs with dignity. Every worker deserves to be paid a fair wage and provided with the ability to make a decent living.
If you would like to support Duke Students & Workers in Solidarity, please contribute to our fund for basic necessities for the student occupiers & legal fees for Duke workers at: https://www.gofundme.com/hqx4aqas. We will continue to boycott and occupy until our demands are met.
#DismantleDukePlantation #TakeOutTheTrask #DumpDePinto #CanCavanaugh