Last Thursday afternoon a group of individuals rallied in support of a former University Dining Services employee.

Chants of “shame on ‘Nova!” resonated from the corner of Ithan and Lancaster Avenues as participants gathered around Joy Bracken.

The event brought together members not only of the Villanova community but of the surrounding community, as well.

In addition to students from Swarthmore College and Haverford College, members of Villanova’s faculty and Dining Services, United Students Against Sweat Shops, Service Workers United and United Food and Commercial Workers were also in attendance. For these twenty or so individuals, the rally served as a way in which to raise awareness of the right of workers, and more specifically, Villanova workers.

With neon yellow flyers in hand, bystanders listened to Bracken deliver a speech thanking her fellow rally participants for supporting her effort and promising to fight on behalf of her family and of the families of her co-workers.

The circumstances surrounding Bracken’s unemployment are currently being investigated.

A grievance has been filed with the National Labor Relations Board to determine if the manner in which Bracken was relieved of her duties are consistent with regulations.

The University has categorically denied that there was any impropriety surrounding Bracken’s termination.

The NLRB will rule on whether or not the termination was in compliance with the National Labor Relations Act.

According to Thomas Mahoney, Deputy General Counsel for the University, in any employment termination case, the employee has the option to pursue an appeal process through the University’s chain of command.

In addition, the Human Resources department reviews the employee’s termination to ensure that University policies were followed.