A Blog Called Hope

In a follow-up to the Student Labor Alliance’s last rally held last Tuesday, January 22, about 100 students gathered Tuesday at Providence College and marched across campus, around the administration building, to be met by many of the janitorial staff who will be striking this weekend. The strike has been planned due to a breakdown in negotiations of a new three-year contact between Hurley of America, the contractor which employs the janitorial staff, and the SEIU Local 615. The current contract will expire tomorrow, on the 31^st.

The weekend long strike has been organized in response to the unfair labor practices conducted by Hurley management, including threats and intimidation. Faculty supporters of the janitors will be holding their classes off-campus on Friday so they do not have to cross the scheduled picket line and student supporters have committed to join the picket line.

The Student Congress of Providence College has joined with the Faculty Senate and the Providence City Council in passing a resolution urging that the college pressure Hurley of America to pay a living wage for the contracted janitors. Additionally, our fellow Democrats Rep. Kennedy, Sen. Whitehouse, and State Rep. Gemma have all sent letters to the Office of the President, Rev. Shanley. While the College has publicly stated its neutrality in the struggle, many among the administration have expressed a willingness to pay higher wages to the janitors. An hourly wage of about $14.42 would be necessary to adequately cover the living expenses for a two-parent, two-income household and the average hourly wage of a full-time worker is about $11.43.

It would be enlightening to see how much PC’s profits have grown in the past decade relative to the growth of the janitorial staff’s wages. Additionally, it would be instructive to see how significant (or insignificant) a portion of the PC budget is spent on the janitorial services relative to profits for the College. I’m sure, however, that information will remain private.

Here are the activities that have been scheduled for the weekend.

ee how significant (or insignificant) a portion of the PC budget is spent on the janitorial services relative to profits for the College. I’m sure, however, that information will remain private.

Here are the activities that have been scheduled for the weekend.

Thursday:
1) Candlelight Vigil at the River Ave gates at 11:30pm-12:30am as the contract expires.

Friday:
1) 7 am Coffee Line at the Fennel Gates (Huxley and Eaton)
2) Picketing with the workers all day long

Saturday:
1) 10am Picketing/flyering Welcome Address
2) 12-4pm Picketing/flyering Concannon tours
3) 6-7pm Picketing/flyering basketball game at the Dunkin Donuts center

Sunday:
1) Flyering Sunday 11 am Mass and Peterson post-mass activity

Currently, there is an emerging labor dispute between the janitorial staff at Providence College and Hurley of America, the contractor which provides cleaning services for the College.  Unfortunately, Providence College is stuck in the middle.  This is an all-too-common occurrence: universities often contact out cleaning and food services in order to save money, and the contractors providing those services pay wages which typically are not in accordance with living standards and housing costs.  For a personal example, read this letter to the editor of The Cowl, the Providence College newspaper.

A rally was held at Providence College today at 3pm in support of the janitors and despite the cold, rainy weather a crowd of 60-70 students, faculty, city councilors, and community members were in attendance to show their support.

The janitors are represented by the SEIU Local 615, and the current contract between the employees and Hurley will expire on January 31st.  While the details of the contract negotiations are still largely a private matter, the janitors who ensure that the campus of Providence College is clean every night would like to see their wages and benefits increase.  Likewise, they would also appreciate pleasant working conditions free from their supervisor’s harassment and intimidation.

A full-time janitor makes about $11.50 per hour.  This would be great when I was 18 living at home, but when you do the math it is only $460 a week – before taxes.  Most of these janitors have families they are trying to support and their wages have not kept up with the rapid increase in Rhode Island housing costs (especially in the past 5 years).   According to a report published by the Poverty Institute called the “2006 Rhode Island Standard of Need,” the janitorial staff at Providence College does not earn a “sufficient net income to meet basic needs” of housing, food, transportation, child care, and medical costs.  Both the Providence City Council and the Providence College Faculty Senate have passed resolutions in support of the janitors, calling for a living wage increase in their salaries.

The more fundamental problem at issue is the general undervaluation of low-skilled work in a dynamic American economy.  The irony of low-skilled work is that it is also generally labor intensive (i.e. janitorial staff, housecleaners, garbage collection, etc.).  As a society, to ensure that low-skilled work receives a living wage, we must acknowledge its value.  While doctors, lawyers, investors, and engineers are all rewarded with generous salaries for their education and skills, it must be understood that janitors are also valuable members of the community, performing important functions which should be duly compensated.

We here at the Rhode Island Democratic Party join with the many others and express our support for the janitorial staff at Providence College.  For more information and to offer assistance please contact Kevin Moore at kmoore08@providence.edu.  You could also send an email to the President of Providence College, Father Shanley, asking him to support the janitors by voicing his concern about a living wage.