Duke administration has not acted in good faith.

Today, negotiators denied

workers the opportunity to join student protesters in todays negotiations. Now,
they refuse to continue discussions unless the occupiers leave the Allen building.
Yet again, administration is showing that they only value the opinions of a few
members of Dukes community, and only when they are forced to by
overwhelming media attention and campus support. By excluding workers from
negotiations, Duke is demonstrating that they do not value the voices of the
workers who are responsible for the day-to-day functioning of our university. The
7 demands that Duke Students and Workers in Solidarity (DSWS) has made
reflect the needs of workers in Parking and Transportation Services (PTS) as well
as workers across Dukes campus. Denying those who have been most affected
by the discriminatory practices in PTS from having a seat at the table to share
and discuss their experiences is unacceptable. DSWS is a coalition of students
and workers, current and former. Workers are the ones most affected by the
persistent racism and harassment embedded in Dukes administration and
management. The voices of workers must be centered in conversations
regarding oversight, wages, and their treatment. Student occupiers refuse to
negotiate without workers at the table.
Dukes official statement states that they have worked very hard with the
students who currently occupy the Allen Building to enable productive
discussions, including providing amnesty to the nine students in the building and
offering solutions to several of their demands. This statement is dishonest. They
have negotiated on the original seven demands for less than a full day, and only
two of seven demands were discussed. Last nights amnesty was only a
concession in response to community pressure; it was not granted because they
desired to engage in honest and thoughtful negotiations. During the entirety of
this process, administration has continued to be inconsistent: they have
threatened students with arrest, expulsion, and suspension and later implied that
that was not true; they have stationed security at the doors of the Allen building;
they have blocked media from campus and then invited them later for a press
conference; and they have remained vague and changed the conditions of the
agreement. From the beginning, DSWS has been consistent in our demands.
Administrators continue to be confused about what we are working towards.
The implication that the occupation is not peaceful and has disrupted the normal
functioning of the Allen Building is completely untrue. In a statement from last
night, the university said While these discussions continue, the Allen Building will
be closed for all regular business on Monday, April 4, so that the university can
ensure the safety of individuals on campus. Who is unsafe here?
The decision to close the Allen Building was made by Duke. At no time did
DSWS request, suggest, or demand that the Allen Building be shut down for any
purpose or reason. DSWS continues to reiterate that closing down the Allen
building is unnecessary. Faculty and administrators can easily access their
offices and meeting spaces. There is no reason for classes to cancelled or even
moved to another location. Dukes administration is simply choosing to close the
Allen building in order to disrupt classes and cast our campaign in a negative

light. In fact, students are only occupying the administrative part of a single level
of the Allen Building, and their presence does not disrupt classes or any other
functions of the Allen Building. Indeed, not only has security been posted by
every entrance, but they have also been posted inside so that occupiers cannot
even enter the rest of the building.
The administrations attempt to blame occupiers for restricting access to the Allen
building is a clear attempt by the University to distract all of us from the issues at
hand: the workers abuse that they are allowing to continue. The initial threats to
arrest protesters and pursue disciplinary action, followed by their recent
inconsistent decisions, serve only to pressure protesters inside the Allen building
and out to leave. These threats and ultimatums have shut out and silenced
voices in the negotiation process. They will not do anything to right the wrongs
that have occurred under Dukes management. Tonight, we invite the
administration to take the opportunity to grow as leaders of our Duke community
by courageously addressing and resolving the issues in the presence of those it
affects the most. We ask them to invite Duke workers to the table.