Congresswoman Pressley & Rep. Decker Speak Out for Custodians before Contract Negotiations at Harvard University

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Livestream recording: https://www.facebook.com/32BJSEIU/videos/1922716528329048

For more photos and videos (including some of Kevin Brown’s closing remarks), see Dropbox here: https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fo/fk8y1mkmvq3tjiiq5kka9/AMxsdSXWG_pWN297-Lw9bhM?rlkey=tkqsnltl3yv0esynhf1i4126y&st=dskhd9u1&dl=0

All material is reproduceable courtesy 32BJ SEIU

CAMBRIDGE, MA — At noon today, hundreds of Harvard custodians and their allies gathered for a rally with Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley and State Representative Marjorie Decker outside the Harvard Square building where negotiations on union contracts for more than 800 cleaners would later recommence after a two-month break.

Two agreements — one covering direct employees; the other, employees of cleaning contractors at the university — expired in mid-November after weeks of negotiating failed to reach agreement on wage increases and other issues. Despite a subsequent one-day strike and the admission of a federal mediator to the talks, the two sides remained far apart as talks broke for the holidays.

Framed by uplifting union songs by choral ensemble B VOCAL, the half-hour rally included speeches from workers, union officers, and elected officials who made clear that talks have made so little progress because Harvard seems unwilling to own up to some basic “veritas,” or truth — the word emblazed on Harvard’s seal.

Kevin Brown, Executive Vice President of the custodians’ union, 32BJ SEIU, summed it up at the rally’s close. “Fifty-seven billion dollars [the amount of Harvard’s endowment last year], is a lot of money —truth?”

“Truth!” the crowd rang back.

“Harvard can afford to give people average cost-of-living increases every single year of the contract — truth?”

“Truth!” the crowd answered even more loudly.

“Wealth can lead to arrogance,” Brown said quietly.

“I know that Donald Trump is trying to take Harvard’s money, but they have more money than he can take– just look at all the construction everywhere!” said Sonia Pires, a custodian at Harvard for 25 years. “If they can do that, why can’t they give us an increase that we need?”

“If Harvard has failed to create a funding stream or a plan that protects its frontline workers from inflation, that is a choice,” said Harvard security officer Heather Hayes, a member of the 32BJ SEIU bargaining committee for security officers at the university. “It’s a deliberate choice to devalue and fail to fairly compensate the workers whose bodies are on the line for the Harvard community.”

Hayes continued, “During the last snowstorm, custodians were out in brutally cold temperatures and blizzard conditions for nearly two straight days— we’re talking day and night, doing backbreaking labor —shoveling so classes could resume and people could move safely across campus. Many of us, security guards and custodians, slept over at work during that storm. If we didn’t, we wouldn’t be able to make it to work the next day…And to be valued so little by an institution that depends on our labor every single day is deeply disappointing.”

“What you’re asking from [Harvard] today is nothing – their endowment has continued to grow!” said State Representative Marjorie Decker. “And while we fight for their right to academic freedom, which we believe in, we need them fighting for economic justice right here at home!”

“Harvard can do better,” Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley told the crowd. “This is not an appeal for benevolence…this is the respect that you and your families deserve.”

As Kevin Brown told the crowd, the Congresswoman had also agreed to say a few words at the opening of the bargaining session, but she was refused entry by Harvard management.

“That’s arrogance and ignorance,” Brown said. “But the good thing is, there’s always time for redemption. And we are going to go up there today and hope Harvard can get some redemption. Is there always time for redemption?”

“Truth!” the crowd shouted back.

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With over 180,000 members in 12 states and Washington, D.C., including 20,000 in Massachusetts and Rhode Island, 32BJ SEIU is the largest property service workers’ union in the country.