Several graduate students at Yale – who already receive a $30k-per-year stipend, full health benefits and receiving $40,000 a year in free tuition, by the way – have decided they’re unhappy with their school’s union benefits.
In response, eight students with the school’s Local 33 union have decided to hold a hunger strike in front of Yale President Peter Salovey’s house until the school meets their demands. According to the Yale Daily News, the move prompted fellow students and school administrators to express concern that these students may be taking things a bit too far and causing a health hazard to themselves.
Which would be a legit concern -- except that this particular hunger strike doesn’t actually involve not eating. In the explaining the temper tantrum protest, the students said the strike is only “symbolic,” and that students can get up and go get food when they’re hungry. Here's a photo of the pamphlet Union 33 issued before the demonstration, posted on Twitter by a former Yale student:
Update: the Yale grad student union is holding a *symbolic* hunger strike (they eat when hungry) Still inspirational https://t.co/vWIHUjiHrF pic.twitter.com/oGdSbn752h
— Dimitri Halikias (@DHalikias) April 26, 2017
Bold move, Yale. Bold move.