Students at the University of Wisconsin-Madison staged a sit-in in Chancellor David Ward's office Tuesday to demand the school cut ties with Palermo's Pizza because of an on-going strike at the pizza company based on allegations of attacks on workers' rights. A dozen students participated in the sit-in before voluntarily leaving at police requests.  One student, Maxwell Love, refused to leave and was arrested on charges of criminal trespassing and resisting arrest.  Hundreds of supporters of the sit-in rallied outside and a number of them blocked a police van when Love was arrested.

The chancellor's office issued a statement saying cutting ties with the company is “not warranted based on the facts.”

The Palermo Workers Union sent out an e-mail in support of the students:

Right now, students at UW-Madison are occupying Chancellor David Ward’s office.

They’re risking arrest to show solidarity with our fight for justice at Palermo’s Pizza.

Students are not going to allow Chancellor Ward—who you may recall said he would not speak out against Palermo’s continued attacks on workers’ rights—to ignore their demands to cut the university’s contracts with Palermo’s any longer.

Call Chancellor Ward now at 1-877-947-2906 and tell him you’re standing with the students, that you don’t want any students to be arrested and you want UW-Madison to cut its contracts with Palermo’s Pizza TODAY.

Students previously asked university Chancellor David Ward to cut contracts with Palermo’s unless the company hires back fired workers and recognizes their union. Palermo's Pizza workers, who have been on strike since June 1, are demanding safe working conditions and recognition for their union. They also are seeking reinstatement of 90 workers who they say were terminated for organizing.

Workers are being supported by the United Steelworkers (USW), Voces de la Frontera (a Milwaukee-based worker center) and the AFL-CIO.