HRLA leader Joshua L. Oppenheimer '96 said the alliance would likely begin its petition campaign later this week by tabling at the Freshman Union for signatures in support of Hicks.

The petition will also urge changes in HDS management, Oppenheimer said, as well as call for action on the issue of worker sick leave, break time, disciplinary write-ups, and alleged retaliation against workers who file grievances.

Oppenheimer said he plans to discuss the Hicks case and more general issues in a meeting today with Director of Human Resources Diane B. Patrick.

Several dining hall workers have told The Crimson they were forced to work even when sick, a charge Berry denied. The workers spoke on condition of anonymity, many of them saying they feared reprisals from HDS management.

"Our position is that not only should Darryl get his job back, but his termination is a symptom of the old sickness in the dining services, particularly at the Union," Oppenheimer said. "I really think it's a climate of unfair labor practices, of dehumanization, and I think more than that, Darryl's story really shows us that it's also a climate of racism."

Assistant Chief Shop Steward James H. Neil, on disability leave from the central College Dining Hall, said shop stewards in particular have had difficulties working in Harvard dining halls.

"If you talk out, they think they don't have to go by the book," Neil said. "They'll kind of make it hard for you, try to put some kind of pressure on you."

But former HDS Assistant Director for Administration Dale M. Hennessey said HDS managers do not threaten their workers.

"Shop stewards are elected to represent the employees and they speak for them, so hopefully their voices are heard without fear of retaliation," said Hennessey who recently left Harvard to become director of food services at Mount Holyoke College.

"The dining services I know had an open door policy," Hennessey said. "I think we worked very hard at trying to make the employees feel they had a voice."

But in interviews with The Crimson last week, several of Hicks' co-workers at the College's largest dining hall echoed his complaints about discrimination and harassment. One employee said "morale sucks" at the Freshman Union.

BSA's Tombar said he would investigate the firing by talking to Hicks and other workers at the Union before making a presentation to BSA members at the group's meeting tomorrow night.

"If all the information is consistent with what [Oppenheimer] told me, then I don't think there will be a problem with our getting involved [with the petition effort]," Tombar said. "We'll probably make some decisions by Wednesday night.