UWO resolves custodial conundrum
“Hey, Hey. Ho, Ho. Keep the Jobs at UWO!” was the chant arising from a gathering of UW-Oshkosh students and staff during a demonstration on September 6, 2022.
Out of an effort to improve custodial staff retention rates, on August 22, all UWO custodial staff and grounds workers received an email from Dr. Robert Roberts, Vice Chancellor of Finance & Administration, informing them of the proposal called “SSC Services,” which would contract all custodial work to a private service from Tennessee.
The protest brought a broad mix of students and just over 100 custodial staff to UWO in an attempt to stop the proposal from being passed.
Although this company would pay a greater hourly rate, it would also remove the state employee status that custodians currently hold, resulting in a loss of career benefits such as paid time off, WRS retirement benefits, and health benefits. Losing these benefits would cause a disruption in the amount of custodians UWO has. Anne Louis, a UWO janitor celebrating over 20 years of service, was one of those whose benefits were at risk.
“I’m guessing a lot of people aren’t going to stay because we are losing a lot of our state benefits,” she said.
This proposal resulted in over 1,500 signatures on a petition aimed to stop the proposal from being passed. After receiving many poor responses, Head Chancellor Andrew Levitt withdrew the proposal, saying the decision was in the best interests of the university.
Many employees and students have made the point that this proposal would have gone against UWO’s core values listed on the UWO website. Some of the values that are expected to be cultivated on campus include an ‘inclusive workplace,’ ‘shared governance,’ ‘sustainability,’ and ‘workplace success.’
Working under a subcontractor would have been ineffective, according to staff and students. Many had concerns about how successful they would have been if the proposal had gone through.
“We’ve heard of strict rules from this contractor, which would not allow us to talk to the students,” Louis said. “The students are what motivate us to do our job; our pay is never really the reason.”
Over the past few years, particularly during the pandemic, retention rates of these staff have been dropping significantly. According to Levitt and his cabinet, this company was proposed to be instilled to raise these low retention rates. Louis believes it would have had the opposite effect.
“It’s definitely going to make it worse. No matter the bonus you give, it’s no longer a state position. The benefits aren’t going to match the ones the state gives you,” she said.
After the protest and immense number of collective signatures, the university released their decision regarding the proposal. Since UWO’s decision came out, denying the passing of the proposal, all custodial staff and grounds workers will be able to remain working under the university’s leadership, allowing them to keep their state benefits. As of now, all custodial staff will continue to be recognized as a part of UWOs staff and a part of its union.
By Kassandra Bowlus-Jasinski
Oshkosh West Index Volume 119 Issue I
October 3, 2022