South Florida Sun-Sentinel (Fort Lauderdale), March 10, 2007, Saturday

Copyright 2007 South Florida Sun-Sentinel

South Florida Sun-Sentinel (Fort Lauderdale)

Distributed by McClatchy-Tribune Business News

March 10, 2007 Saturday

SECTION: STATE AND REGIONAL NEWS

HEADLINE: Union increases pressure on NSU: School official defends choice of janitor companies

BYLINE: Douane D. James, South Florida Sun-Sentinel

BODY:


Mar. 10--Nova Southeastern University has worked hard to promote itself as a dynamic, fast-growing private school that serves the community.

But critics of the university's decision to switch janitorial contractors after low-wage service workers sought to unionize say the Davie-based school let the community down.

Some elected officials have taken the side of the janitors and blasted the university. NSU officials say the backlash is unfair.

"It's disappointing to hear the vitriolic comments," said George Hanbury, the university's chief operating officer. "But we do feel we make valuable contributions to residents in Broward County."

The janitors' union is leading a campaign to pressure university leaders to instruct its contractors to rehire employees who were not retained during last month's switch.

"The [university is] beginning to undo the public goodwill they've spent years building up," said Hiram Ruiz, a leader of the Service Employees International Union.

Since early last year, the SEIU has organized janitors and groundskeepers who work at the university in a crusade for higher wages and health benefits. Roughly 330 custodial workers at the university earned as little as $7 an hour with no health benefits.

In October, the union formally won the right to represent the janitors. Last month, the university announced it would replace Boston-area-based UNICCO Service Co. with locally owned firms. In the changeover, the union lost the right to represent the workers at the bargaining table. The union claims more than 100 former workers were not retained.

In the interim, the pro-labor campaign has picked up more support in the community, including U.S. Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz, D-Weston, Broward County Commissioner Kristin Jacobs and several state legislators.

But Hanbury said that he thought those officials are misinformed.

The new contractor picked to handle the janitorial services, TCB Systems of Miami, hired roughly the same number of custodial workers as were employed by the old contractor, he said. Hanbury said he did not know how many of the current workers are former UNICCO employees.

Officials at TCB Systems could not be reached for comment.

Hanbury said the university required that TCB raise wages and provide health benefits, but did not establish anti-union hiring preferences.

"All we've said is, 'We hired a firm and they hired the employees,'" he said.

But critics such as County Commissioner Ken Keechl reject that explanation.

"Who are they kidding?" Keechl said, accusing the university of union-busting. "Everyone knows exactly what's going on here."

Richard Hurd, a Cornell University labor studies professor, said it's common for universities to assert that they are neutral parties in labor disputes.

"Universities are concerned about public image and don't want to look like they're unfair," he said.

But Hurd said the SEIU has grown adept at applying public pressure to achieve its goals, noting that the union's membership has grown swiftly despite a national decline in organized labor.

The union has filed labor relations complaints charging that the university asked its contractors to avoid hiring any union activist workers.

Union officials also have asked the County Commission, state legislators and congressional representatives to reassess public funding to NSU.

Two dozen union supporters picketed outside the Signature Grand in Davie, where President Ray Ferrero Jr. was accepting a humanitarian award from the National Conference for Community and Justice on Friday.

In coming weeks, more protests and community marches are planned, including ones that involve the NAACP and religious leaders, Ruiz said.

Labor expert Hurd says if the university plans to hold its position, it should be prepared for a persistent pro-labor effort. "Nova Southeastern should not expect the SEIU to just go away," he said. "They'll stick with it for a long time."

Douane D. James can be reached at ddjames@sun-sentinel.com or 954-385-7930.

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