Bargaining teams for Stanford and the union that represents 1,260 university technicians, maintenance staff and service workers have agreed to meet again Tuesday, Dec. 13, to continue negotiations specifically on pension and benefits issues. Stanford also has created a website (http://www.stanford.edu/dept/ucomm/labor) that will provide students, staff and the community with information about the labor dispute and the Dec. 12 service workers' strike.

Leaders for Service Employees International Union Local 715 announced on Thursday afternoon that up to 2,600 bargaining-unit workers from the university and Stanford hospitals will take part in a 24-hour strike that is scheduled to begin on Monday at 5 a.m. Zev Kvitky, president of United Stanford Workers, the on-campus chapter of SEIU Local 715, made the announcement in front of an estimated crowd of 300 university service employees, students and other supporters. They gathered in White Plaza to support the union's effort to renegotiate retiree benefits and other issues for the university-side employees.

Bargaining teams for the employees and the university have been meeting since October pursuant to a contract re-opener that applies to a limited number of issues. Both sides entered another round of talks earlier on Thursday, but the teams were unable to reach an agreement. The university has asked a federal mediator to take part when negotiations resume on Tuesday.

"Stanford is widely recognized as a leader among universities in its academic mission and we understand this reputation is largely a product of a world-class faculty and staff," said Alan Acosta, director of university communications and associate vice president for public affairs. "We believe that our salary and benefits package reflects both the excellence of our organization and the quality of our workforce, as evidenced by the fact that each year more than 50,000 people apply for jobs at Stanford. We agreed to reopen negotiations with the union to discuss certain pension and benefits issues. The parties have agreed to continue negotiations on Tuesday and we are still committed to resolving these issues at the bargaining table."

SEIU Local 715 represents a bargaining unit of 1,260 university service workers, as well as a separate group of 1,412 service workers at Stanford Hospital and Lucile Packard Children's Hospital. On Thursday, rallies were held simultaneously at White Plaza and in front of Stanford Hospital. On the hospital side, bargaining-unit employees marched to the children's hospital, while the rally on the main campus ended with a march to Building 10, which houses university President John Hennessy's office.

At White Plaza, groundskeepers, food-service staff, janitors and other service employees held up picket signs as they marched into the Main Quad. They were joined by students from the Stanford Labor Action Coalition, MEChA de Stanford and the Asian American Students' Association. Afterward, they gathered in front of Hennessy's office and loudly reiterated their demands.

"This was a difficult decision for this team to make," Kvitky, an operations engineer at the Stanford Linear Accelerator Center (SLAC), said at the rally, citing the dedication of longtime service workers in attendance who have remained at the university through tough financial times in years past. "We consider ourselves a part of the Stanford community—and a very important part."

Although protesters chanted loudly while they marched, the rallies were peaceful, said Stanford police Chief Laura Wilson.

In a statement released by the local on Friday morning, Kvitky said the union may call a strike of "unlimited duration" if upcoming negotiations fail to produce a resolution. The contract for the university service employees, which make up a portion of Stanford's 11,000 employees, expires on Aug. 31.

Acosta said the university plans to operate normally on Monday and will ensure that students and faculty continue to receive necessary services.

Hospital service workers who belong to a separate bargaining unit of the local voted on Nov. 22 to strike. (Their contract expired Nov. 13.) They are governed by a separate labor agreement. Bargaining teams for the hospital and the union had been meeting on a separate set of issues since Sept. 27. Martha Marsh, president and chief executive officer of Stanford Hospital and Clinics, said in a statement released on Friday afternoon that the hospitals are prepared for a strike and that systems are in place to ensure that patients and families will continue to receive high-quality care.

On Monday, workers will strike at the entrances of both hospitals, at SLAC and in front of the Facilities Operations offices at Bonair Siding. Kvitky said that union laborers in the Bay Area, such as Teamsters delivery truck drivers, as well as construction crews affiliated with the building trades, have agreed to honor the picket lines. Some of the student groups at Stanford also plan to show their support for the strike.

"We're all in this together," said religious studies Professor Tom Sheehan, who also spoke at the rally in White Plaza and marched with the protesters. "There's an old adage, 'An offense to a brother or sister is an offense to us all,' and that applies to faculty and staff."

Stanford's labor-dispute website, set up by the Office of University Communications, includes a link to a letter from Diane Peck, executive director of Human Resources, which she e-mailed to all non-bargaining unit employees on Friday morning. The letter includes a question-and-answer portion that outlines policies regarding employees who choose to work or not work during a strike. The letter also includes statements as to how all employees—strikers and non-strikers—should conduct themselves and interact if there is a work stoppage.

"Stanford is committed to continue operating during any strike. We have obligations to our students and the community that we must make every effort to satisfy," Peck said. Her letter states that Marguerite shuttles are expected to continue running if there is a strike, perhaps with slight variations in routes and/or schedules.

Also on the website, a statement to students from Shirley Everett, associate vice provost for Residential and Dining Enterprises, says Stanford Dining has a plan in place to consolidate dining facilities and extend hours of operation to maintain service. Similarly, Everett says, the Student Housing Office will continue to respond to urgent repairs on an as-needed, emergency basis and provide core custodial services during the strike.

A letter to students from Greg Boardman, interim dean of student affairs, also is posted on the website. Monday is the first day of Autumn Quarter finals for students. Monday is the first day of Autumn Quarter finals for students.