The OneSource protests aftermath

Last school year, several Tufts students supported and helped the University's OneSource staff in its battle to formulate a new contract with increased wages. Numerous protests were held at Tufts and throughout Massachusetts, as awareness of the treatment of janitors became a highly visible issue.

The movement inspired Tufts students to form SLAM (Student Labor Action Movement). With SLAM's support, the OneSource staff at Tufts was able to procure a salary increase. Additionally, an ESL (English as a Second Language) program was started.

Now that the protests on the part of the OneSource staff and SLAM have abated, are the University's janitors satisfied with their raise? Has their hard-won new contract proved to be a panacea?

There is widespread agreement among custodial staff members that though things may not be perfect, they are certainly better than they were.

Irlanda Castillo, a OneSource cleaning staff member in Hill Hall, expressed her gratitude on behalf of everyone on the custodial staff, to all those who helped last year. "Students and professors were a community and really helped," she said.

A major benefit that came about from the movement last year was the creation of the English as a Second Language program. Classes are held every Saturday morning for an hour and a half at Eaton Hall for all who are interested in improving their English.

"We want to thank the students for helping with the [ESL] classes; they do a very good job," Castillo said. Castillo has worked with the organization since the start of the program.

Freshman Yanelly Molina volunteers at the ESL classes on Saturday mornings. "It is a beneficial program because there are only so many jobs you can have that do not require English, and those are usually the lowest paying jobs," Molina said. "Obviously, no one wants to remain doing these menial jobs, so the ESL program is a place where people can have the opportunity to improve themselves."

However, the once-a-week ESL classes -- the only time the janitors can spare -- may not be sufficient time, says Molina. "Unfortunately, because many of the janitors have to hold two jobs, that one and a half hours is the only time they have to learn English and it is not enough," Molina said, adding that there is a class for beginners and a more advanced one with a focus on grammar.

Despite the pay increase, custodial workers still have to pay union dues which have recently gone up to $27 per month, according to a OneSource janitor. The issue is difficult for Tufts students to address, as it is an issue solely between the janitors and the union.

The OneSource company pays directly to the union, as do other similar cleaning companies. This means that a janitor holding two jobs has to pay twice. However, under union policies, he or she should actually pay one due for the first job and only half the dues for the second job. Many custodial workers find themselves in this situation and have filed complaints, yet as of press time, they are still waiting to see what will happen.

"It is like Communism. No one has a choice whether to be part of the union or not," Castillo said.

Another current problem is that despite increasing dues, the union decreased benefits, according to some of its members. Until last year, scholarships were established for workers' children, but now that program no longer exists. Also, as of two years ago, English, computer, and citizenship classes were provided by the union, but today there are no such classes.

Union workers want to restructure the organization of the union. They wish to have elections, form committees within the union, and presently have workers placed on the executive board to be able to truly express workers' needs.