Democrats won't cross a debate picket line, so DNC hopes to end labor dispute before Thursday

Tom Perez

The Democratic National Committee is pressing for a resolution of the labor dispute that’s threatening Thursday night’s presidential debate. All seven candidates who qualified for the debate said they will skip the debate rather than cross a picket line after contract negotiations broke down between food service workers at Loyola Marymount University and the company that employs them.

In a statement Friday, DNC Chair Tom Perez said he “would absolutely not cross a picket line and would never expect our candidates to either.” Perez was labor secretary under President Barack Obama.

Now, DNC communications director Xochitl Hinojosa says that Perez “understands how much of a priority it is to get people back at the table” and “We expect it to happen promptly.” 

Sodexo, the company that provides food services at Loyola Marymount, recently walked away from negotiations with workers in UNITE HERE 11. Those workers now have perhaps their greatest leverage to press for a fair contract, while national attention is on their struggle.