“At that time, HUCTW was in contract negotiations,” he says. “They got a living wage for their lowest paid, and as soon as they had that, they basically dropped out. They said they didn’t have a living wage problem at HUCTW, and they dropped out. The progressive labor community at large were thunderstruck by that utter lack of solidarity with the campaign.”

HUCTW director Bill Jaeger declined to comment on the Socialist Alternative and the No Layoffs Campaign. The union’s leaders have traditionally chosen not to respond to attacks from the group’s members, defending their own negotiating tactics by pointing to recent wage increases and gains in work security.

The cause of union reform, however, has been picked up by the Harvard Social Forum as well, and as the activist coalition at Harvard becomes more diverse, PSLM and Socialist Alternative members alike expect an eruption of protest activity next year.

Chaudhry says PSLM’s current lull is merely the calm before a storm, likening the general labor movement’s current atmosphere to the years which preceded 2001’s sit-in.

“There is a well of community and campus support for workers on campus that remains and that is deepened as organizing unfolds outside of the context of the large headline-grabbing events like the sit-in,” he says.

Mackinnon confirms that PSLM continues to be motivated by the uncertain labor climate at Harvard and will be getting on board in one way or another, adapting to changes in its own structure as seniors graduate.

If PSLM picks up again, however, it may have to compete with the ambitions of Socialist Alternative.

“I think Socialist Alternative is going to be very involved in playing the leading role as we have this year,” says Dimaggio.

—Staff writer Leon Neyfakh can be reached at neyfakh@fas.harvard.edu.