METU students: "We want affordable and decent dining halls"

At Middle East Technical University (METU), more than 1,000 students marched to the rector's building to protest against poor quality, under-portioned meals in the cafeteria, inadequate staff numbers and poor working conditions of cafeteria workers. Students who marched with 5,000 petitions gathered in recent weeks which also included their demands, made a statement in front of the rector's before handing the petitions over to the authorities.

POLICE OBSTACLE AT SCHOOL ENTRANCE

About 1,500 students expressed their demands with the currency they carried during the march; they chanted "The cafeteria worker is not a slave", "Cheap, decent dining hall" and "Verşan Kök cannot be rector of METU".

While the action was ongoing, the presence of detention vehicles with police at the entrance gates of METU provoked a reaction. During the talks held in front of the rectors office, students said; "When we take action against the poor conditions of the cafeteria in defence of our most basic right, the rector is able to bring the police to the school. Only 22 workers work in METU cafeteria, but the rector is trying to increase the number of security instead."

PRICES DOWN, PORTIONS UP

Stating that the management of METU kept making excuses in an attempt to dismiss their demands the students have submitted the following demands, with the condition that food prices should not be increased:

“Lunch and dinner choices should consist of 4 different alternatives including soup and main meal options, the quality of the food served and the portion sizes should be improved, improved hygiene conditions should be offered, breakfast and dinner menu should not be the same, the number of workers and the capacity of the dinner hall should be increased, weekend menu should be served, breakfast should be offered daily,  Vegan food options should be improved to include 4 different options, a vegetarian menu should also be created in line with the previous requests, A La Carte restaurant to be kept open 23.00 hours, the student card should offer the option for cash top ups.”

METU residents had been campaigning for 2 weeks with petitions containing their demands. During the campaign, there were also acts of noise in the dining hall. The students gathered more than 5,000 signatures throughout the campaign with the support of community and youth organisations. (EVRENSEL DAILY)