Democratic debate to proceed after labor agreement reached

WASHINGTON
(AP) — The Democratic National Committee announced Tuesday that the
Democrats’ next primary debate would proceed as planned this Thursday,
after the party stepped in to help arrange a settlement to a labor
dispute that had threatened the forum.

DNC Chair Tom Perez said in
a statement that he helped “bring all stakeholders to the table … to
reach a deal that meets their needs and supports workers.” All seven of
the candidates who qualified for the debate at Loyola Marymount
University in Los Angeles said late last week they would boycott the
debate if it meant crossing a picket line, after a union representing
workers on campus threatened to continue picketing over their failure to
reach a collective bargaining agreement with food service company
Sodexo.

UNITE HERE Local 11 says it represents 150 cooks,
dishwashers, cashiers, and servers working on the Loyola Marymount
campus. It had been in negotiations with Sodexo since March for a
collective bargaining agreement without reaching a resolution, and
workers began picketing in November over the issue. Perez, a former
Labor Secretary under President Barack Obama, had expressed support for
the candidates’ decisions not to cross the picket line, and personally
stepped in to help broker an agreement and avoid canceling the debate.

Massachusetts
Sen. Elizabeth Warren, Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders, former Vice
President Joe Biden, Mayor Pete Buttigieg of South Bend, Indiana,
Minnesota Sen. Amy Klobuchar, environmental activist Tom Steyer and
businessman Andrew Yang have all qualified to appear at Thursday night’s
debate.