Coop Won't Remove G.E. Products Despite 900 Signatures on Petition

The Harvard Coop will not remove G.E. products from the shelves despite the petition of 900 signatures that YPSL members presented to Coop directors December 1.

"Nine hundred just doesn't represent a clear and ringing mandate of 60,000 Coop members," said Alexander Zavelle, acting manager of the Coop.

David A. Guberman '71, Harvard coordinator of the Youth Committee to Support G.E. Workers, offered the petition-asking the Coop to discontinue sales of G.E. products-to Zavelle, but the manager refused to take it.

"I think it's outrageous that the Coop won't look at a petition with more than 500 signatures of its members," said Benjamin I. Ross '71, coordinator for the Youth Committee in Boston.

"Only 1000 members have ever shown up for a Coop meeting, and most of the time there are only 30 members present," he explained.

YPSL members have been non-obstructively picketing the Coop since November 22, passing out leaflets in support of the striking G.E. workers and asking people to sign petitions to take G.E. products off Coop shelves. They plan to continue picketing and trying to get the 5000 signatures that Zavelle says are needed on the petition.

"When they have 5000 signatures, then the Coop will start to listen," Zavelle said.