The Eagle’s editorial board is comprised of its staff but does not represent every individual staffer’s views. Rather, it provides an insight into how The Eagle, as an editorially-independent institution, responds to issues on campus.
On Sept. 27, American University’s chapter of the Young Democratic Socialists of America announced that American University janitors union, SEIU 32BJ, won a contract with increased wages and additional benefits. These negotiations were conducted between SEIU 32BJ and Aramark, a hospitality company through which AU outsources their custodial labor. Although these successful negotiations are cause for celebration, the University’s role in ethical employment practices and student roles in community development leave more to be desired.
AU’s staff and students have historically supported union efforts, leading marches, protests and disrupting campus operations to bring necessary attention to employment rights. Students at AU are often introduced to ethical, or unethical, employment through these demonstrations. Through this lens, union demonstrations at AU not only play a critical role in sustaining employee livelihoods, but expose generations of students to vital advocacy efforts.
Recent campus mobilization, led by YDSA, reflected this historic commitment to unions by organizing a protest on the Letts-Anderson quad on Sept. 19 and leading a march across campus for the University’s janitorial staff on Sept. 25. The University’s janitorial staff demanded liveable wages, better benefits and sustainable working conditions, all of which they said had been lacking in previous contracts.
While both students and faculty supported the janitorial staff as vital AU employees, the University’s administration took a different perspective. AU’s administration remained adamant that the janitors were Aramark employees and had no AU status as outsourced workers. The importance of organized support from students and staff cannot be understated, but administrative aversion to accountability and students’ day-to-day treatment of janitorial staff are still isolating our janitors, the people most fundamental to University operations.
During negotiation efforts, University Communications and Marketing stated that AU would have “no input” in contractual negotiations, due to the janitorial staff’s primary employment with Aramark. This rhetoric isolates organizers and employees from the administration, depicting AU officials as powerless. However, in paying Aramark for the upkeep of the University, the administration demonstrates the opposite with their resources, power and direct role in employment. Companies like Aramark are dependent on University agreements and contracts, emphasizing the administration’s capacity for input. As the administration holds a substantial amount of power in contracting with Aramark to hire hiring and contracting janitorial employees, it has an ethical obligation and overwhelming ability to provide janitorial staff with just employment.
Ethical employment also includes kind treatment and engagement from the community. Although American University prides itself on its commitment to such community engagement, the administration does not live up to this pride in their treatment of janitorial staff. In diverting responsibility for the ethical employment of janitorial staff, while also mandating they represent the University with AU logos on their uniforms, the administration only upholds engagement and inclusion when convenient.
The refusal of the University to meaningfully include janitorial staff in AU’s community is reflected in the student body. The supportive political actions taken by students are appreciated avenues for aid, but they do not overwrite the student body’s treatment of janitorial staff and their work as invisible.
The maintenance of the University takes great care and consideration from janitors on campus, and this same care and consideration should be extended to them not only for their work, but for them as people. When entering common spaces, classes or stepping out onto the quad, students must acknowledge the individuals that make every activity and interaction possible. Although protests and demonstrations may feel more directly powerful, that type of power is not always needed to make a positive impact. Simple greetings or conversations with campus employees would foster the environment AU preaches about, but more importantly, it would bring our University together.
Contractual efforts do not have to stop at liveable wages and increased benefits, nor should they. As a University with substantive resources and power over ethical employment, AU could also expand benefits to classes with credits or English proficiency courses. As a campus, students can lead this shift in ethical employment by acknowledging janitorial staff as caring and hardworking members of our community, as opposed to passing strangers on campus. These efforts create an inclusive and just environment, where administration may otherwise attempt to redirect responsibility.
This piece was written by Rebeca Samano Arellano and edited by Abigail Turner. Copy editing done by Luna Jinks and Charlie Mennuti.
