The University of Wisconsin’s contract with Palermo’s Pizza remains in place as Interim Chancellor David Ward’s term approaches an end.

The student coalition UWMad@Palermo’s began protesting UW’s ties with the Milwaukee-based pizza company in late 2012, when student leaders of the coalition heard of the company’s alleged unfair labor practices that included threatening and firing workers for union formation.

The National Labor Relations Board and the Worker Rights Consortium have separately investigated Palermo’s for labor law violations since last year.

While WRC found Palermo’s guilty of violating UW’s Code of Conduct in February, the NLRB’s investigation partially dismissed charges against Palermo’s. The decision was appealed.

Ward issued the first statement in February citing “contradictions” between the WRC and NLRB and called taking action without final findings from the NLRB “premature.”

Meanwhile, student protesters attempted to get Ward to take further action through rallies on Bascom Hill, a vigil outside of Ward’s house, a demonstration at an administration luncheon and an April 29 sit-in protest in Ward’s office, which resulted in the arrest of one UW student.

On the same day as the sit-in protest, NLRB issued a decision to uphold earlier findings.

Ward cited the NLRB decision in his second statement in response to the student protest.

He said in the statement that cutting the university’s ties with Palermo’s at this point is “not warranted based on the facts” but will continue to monitor new information.

UW sociology professor Jane Collins, who served on the labor committee that advised Ward on the issue, said the chancellor should act upon violations of code of conduct for university licensees, instead of the national board’s standards.

New Chancellor Rebecca Blank will begin her appointment in mid-to-late July, succeeding Ward.
Student activists have said the April protest will not be the last one.