Yale President Richard Levin said the university would continue to run with temporary workers and managers performing duties.
Civil-rights activist Rev. Jesse Jackson was among the students and workers picketing at the university, according to The Chronicle.
The Boston Globe reported that Mayor of New Haven John DeStefano became involved in the dispute in an attempt to lead the parties to resolution and prempt a strike.
Retirees are among the protestors complaining that their pensions are minimal. On Tuesday evening, eight of them occupied a conference room at the investment office, refusing to leave unless they were allowed to talk to David F. Swensen, Yale's chief investment officer. They were granted a meeting on Wednesday.
Although some strikers claim that they are willing to negotiate at any time, others believe that Yale President Richard Levin should give the workers demands more consideration, according to The Globe.
Yale officials stated that their offer to the workers was more than respectable, with annual pay increases, signing bonuses and a pension plan that would provide those with 30 years of service with after-tax income of 83 to 93 percent of their final salaries.
The strike comes as students begin arriving this week and classes begin on Sept. 3. Yale plans to reimburse upperclass student for their boarding fees so that they can use the money to buy their own food during the strike, but freshman dining halls will remain open.
This is the second strike at Yale this year. The first occurred for five days in March. Strikes have preceded eight of the last ten contract renegotiations at the university.
-Min Kim