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From restaurant workers to grocery store staff, food workers risked their health to keep New York City running during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. Now, food workers across the city — from Starbucks to Chipotle — are organizing for safer, fairer workplaces. What do these recent organizing efforts mean for the estimated 40,000 CUNY students who work in the food industry? How do students’ working conditions impact their ability to persist in college, and what can be done to make sure students know their rights within the workplace?

Join the CUNY Urban Food Policy Institute on Thursday, April 20 from 3:30-5pm for the virtual launch of our latest report, “Making CUNY A Place to Educate and Organize New York City Food Workers: A Call to Action.” Our report authors will share findings from our interviews with CUNY students who work in the food sector, and discuss how students’ working conditions impact their education. You’ll also hear from our panel of students, CUNY administrators, labor organizers, and elected officials on ways that CUNY can support its students in organizing for workplaces that help them reach their full potential and thrive on campus.

Panelists include:

  • Tiffany Cában, New York City Councilmember
  • Stephanie Luce, Professor of Labor Studies, CUNY School of Labor and Urban Studies
  • Andrea Vásquez, First Vice President, PSC-CUNY
  • Jeremy Espinal, Organizer, Fast Food Campaign, SEIU 32BJ, Hunter College Alumnus
  • Jack Pellicano, CUNY Student and Food Service Worker
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