PSLM Decries Recent Firing

Around 20 students and workers demonstrated at three Harvard buildings yesterday, protesting the firing of Adams Houses’ custodial chief and the use of non-unionized outsourced cleaners.

Calling the protest a “Tour of Shame,” the group marched from Holyoke Center to 1280 Mass. Ave., a building rented by Harvard that organizers said was being cleaned by non-union janitors, and then to Adams House.

Aaron Bartley, a rally organizer representing the Service Employees International Union (SEIU), said that Harvard has offered no legitimate explanation for last month’s firing of seven-year employee Michel Montimer.

Bartley said the firing was typical of the University’s relations with its workers.

“This is part of the disrespect that the University has for custodial workers,” Bartley said.

Bartley and other protesters also cited Harvard for violating labor policies put in place in 2002, including a pledge not to use non-unionized outsourced labor to force down wages.

Bartley said he found non-union workers—employed by Andrade Cleaning and Commercial Cleaning—performing custodial duties for several Harvard buildings, including 1280 Mass. Ave., the University Information Systems building at 60 Oxford St. and an operations building at 1230 Soldiers Field Rd. He said their wages ranged from $7 to $8 per hour without benefits, significantly less than the union wage of $12.35 per hour.

Emma S. Mackinnon ’05, a member of the Progressive Student Labor Movement (PSLM) and also a Crimson editor, said Harvard wasn’t following up on its promises.

“More than a year after claiming to settle the living wage issue, Harvard still aggressively outsources to undercut unions,” Mackinnon, who is also a Crimson editor, wrote in an e-mail.

Associate Vice President for Human Resources Polly Price said yesterday she was unaware of protestors’ claims, and a University spokesperson declined comment on Montimer, citing a policy of not commenting on individual personnel matters.

Bartley and other protesters said that the continued outsourcing of janitorial duties—whether to unionized workers or not—has made for a divisive workplace.

Bartley said that UNICCO—which is responsible for janitorial operations in many of the Houses—may be moving to force out Harvard’s Facilities Maintenance Operations (FMO) employees.

Montimer said his UNICCO-employed superintendant had “no respect for FMO workers” and told the workers that he could do anything he wanted.

According to Bartley, FMO management cited Montimer’s poor working relationship with his supervisor and the failure to answer a page as reasons for his firing.

Yesterday’s protest was conducted without incident, monitored by the Harvard University Police Department.

Protesters spoke through a megaphone, and one, dressed in a suit and tie and standing in a garbage can, handed out fliers to passersby.

“The union has started a fight against [Commercial Cleaning] so that it will treat workers with dignity and respect,” one protester declared as the group rallied at the 1280 Mass. Ave. building. “We will be here until Harvard forces this company to respect its workers.”