Milwaukee, WI – Marquette University staff members and their supporters picketed outside the administration building on January 27 in the biting cold. Marquette University recently announced the firing of nearly 40 longtime staff members, while the university is set to bring in nearly $10 million in federal COVID stimulus money, which was ostensibly passed to help prevent layoffs like this one.

Protest organizers called out the administration, accusing them of lying in order to justify the terminations as COVID-related. Organizers say Marquette administrators have not provided any evidence that job cuts were fiscally necessary, noting that the recently published university budget included a $12 million surplus.

“Hey admin, you are liars!” Marquette staff, students and union supporters chanted outside the University President Michael Lovell's office. One staff member led the crowd with a bullhorn, shouting “Hey Lovell, rich and rude, we don't like your attitude!”

This is not the first time Marquette staff have protested Lovell's pretentious, anti-worker policies. For about two years, graduate students and non-tenure track faculty have been actively organizing a union, staging several pickets and sit-ins in opposition to union-busting tactics by Marquette administration. More information on the union can be found on their Twitter at @MarquetteUnion.

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