Members of the Yale College Republicans hosted a barbecue Friday right next to where members of the Local 33 graduate student union participated in a hunger strike, the New Haven Register reports.

The College Republicans served a meal of barbecued beef, baked beans and corn to those on the plaza, just a few feet from the tent Local 33 had erected to house hunger strikers protesting the school’s decision not to negotiate a contract.

Yale College Republicans barbecuing by union fast site pic.twitter.com/qf687cckxB — gabrielwinant (@gabrielwinant) April 28, 2017

Local 33 was not fazed by the Republicans’ barbecue, but instead focused on staying healthy and not eating. Eight Yale University graduate student teachers have not eaten in days, the New Haven Register reports.

“I’m not really focused on that,” Aaron Greenberg, Local 33 chairman and political science graduate student teacher told the New Haven Register. “I’m focused on making sure we have lots of water, make sure I’m healthy. We have a check-in with our nurse this afternoon. We are focused on that.”

The union chapter said it wants the hunger strike to be a source of joy, and invited others to join in when one of their members got too hungry. “Instead of eating your lunch, sit with us and lift our spirits,” reads a flier Local 33 distributed on campus earlier this week. “When one of us cannot continue, come take our place.” (RELATED: Yale Students Have Symbolic Hunger Strike, Eat When Hungry)

Local 33, the graduate student teachers’ union which is part of the international labor union UNITE HERE, is protesting the school’s decision not to negotiate a contract. Greenberg said the school is stalling until President Donald Trump appoints a new head of the National Labor Relations Board, someone who might be harsher to the union’s requests.

Greenberg said Yale President Peter Salovey, along with “top members of the Yale administration and members of the Yale Corporation are deciding to side with Donald Trump over members of their own community. I think that is unacceptable. I think that is despicable. They say we have to wait so we are waiting without eating.”

Local 33 and the Yale College Republicans did not return The Daily Caller News Foundation’s request for comment.

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