[Antiracism] Nova Workers in Southeast Florida Need Your Help!

[Marty Nathan]

This is from Greensboro Justice Fund Grantee, the South Florida Interfaith Worker Justice. Please take a moment to read and act:

There are 350 workers at Nova Southeastern University who are comprised of janitors, landscapers, and maintenance workers.  The workers were facing harsh workplace conditions in addition to only earring about minimum wage of $6.40 an hour without healthcare benefits.  Clearly it is difficult for anyone to survive on 46.40 an hour, not to mention the difficulty in finding any apartment below $650 per month in the Miami area.  Families are being priced out of Miami and in some areas, such as the Florida Keys, workers have to be bussed in from the north because they have been priced out of the housing market. 

The workers stood up for their right to a voice on the job through electing union representation.  Shortly after the workers won their union, Nova Southeastern University did not show their support of improved working conditions for these contractual employees on their campus.  Instead, Nova asked the contractor, UNICCO, to re-bid on their services.  350 low-wage workers' jobs are at stake and families will soon be at risk.  Nova has the authority to require any contractor to retain the current workers.  Nova also has the authority to tell any contractor to recognize the union that these workers have elected.  Under pressure from SFIWJ, Nova has only publicly stated that the workers would keep their jobs through the holiday season and that they will re-address the issue on January 15, 2007.  That deadline is rapidly approaching.  Nova will not release the status of the workers' jobs nor will they assure us that the jobs will be saved. 

Now is the time for President Ray Ferrero, Jr. to feel national pressure.  He needs to know that all eyes are on him and that we haven't forgotten the plight of these 350 workers and their families. 

Please call and email President Ferrero to express your support and ask him to retain the jobs of janitors, landscapers, and maintenance workers. 

Ray Ferrero, Jr.

www.nova.edu

3301 College Avenue, Davie, FL  33134

ferrero at nsu.nova.edu

(954) 262-7575 

Source:  http://www.nova.edu/cwis/pubaffairs/news/forms/NovaReprint.pdf  

Best wishes for a very fulfilling 2007, 

Sara J. Shapiro, MSSW

Coordinator, South Florida Interfaith Worker Justice

Phone:     (786) 264-1708

Fax:         (786) 264-1859

Website:  www.sfiwj.org


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From: Tanya Aquino [mailto:taquino at seiu11.org] 
Sent: Wednesday, January 10, 2007 12:23 PM
To: Seckyf at aol.com
Cc: 'Hiram Ruiz'
Subject: nova release out- sent for translation 

For Immediate Release:                                Contact: Tanya Aquino cell: 321-960-3802

January 10, 2007 

Janitors and UNICCO Begin Contract Negotiations,

But Nova Still Mum on Workers' Fate 

Miami-Janitors at Nova Southeastern University began formal negotiations with UNICCO to secure a contract that provides janitors with a way out of poverty.  

"We are glad to finally have a voice in our futures and a chance to bargain an agreement that protects all the working families at Nova," said Fritz Hector, a landscaper at Nova and member of the bargaining team.  

The nearly 350 Haitian and Latino groundskeepers, janitors, bus drivers and maintenance workers at Nova Southeastern University fought for and won the right to sit down at the table and negotiate with UNICCO over working conditions, wages and health care last October.   The University's response, however, was to re-bid the cleaning contract it currently has with UNICCO. 

Religious and political leaders have called on Nova to protect the workers' jobs and make possible higher wages and better working conditions for the contract workers on its campus. 

Congresswoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz, who has been a vocal supporter of fair wages and benefits for the workers, welcomed the start of contract negotiations.  "It is unconscionable that a respected institution such as Nova, whose work benefits so many in our community, keeps those who clean and maintain the university living in poverty."   

Wasserman Schultz has met with Nova president Ray Ferrero and spoken directly to the members of Nova's Board of Trustees, urging a positive resolution.  "This situation has dragged on far too long, Nova should take steps now to ensure that UNICCO is able to pay these workers fair wages," Wasserman Schultz added. 

Janitors at NOVA earn less, and have fewer benefits that their co-workers at other South Florida universities including the University of Miami and Florida International University. Janitors at NOVA earn just over $7.00 an hour, far less than Broward County's living wage of $11.48 an hour.  

# # # 

Tanya Aquino | Communications Assistant
SEIU Local 11
1680 Michigan Ave, Suite 1100 | Miami Beach, FL 33139
Office: 305-672-7071 x: 244 | Fax: 305-672-9501
Cell: 321-960-3802
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