While most of UMBC went into its quiet summer routine, about a hundred campus workers were left unemployed after Abacus lost its contract for janitorial services with the university. The new contract (Landover-based janitorial company OneSource), which is slightly over one million dollars cheaper, will offer a moderate wage increase to the fraction of remaining service employees. However, many are questioning whether or not the change will be truly beneficial when considering OneSource’s new restrictions and job demands.

The contract went into effect on August 1st, with the announcement of who would be dismissed from campus in the first round of lay-offs not coming until the day before the announcements took place. As one employee summed up the collective uncertainty in the time leading up to the change, “They have us standing on a string which they feel they can tense and loosen as they want.”

After one month of settling in, OneSource is still going through inner struggles as management and supervisors conflict over an appropriate staff total. OneSource has about 100 employees right now and wants to cut that number to an estimated 63, which would result in an average of two employees per building. Members of the UMBC community and janitorial staff that have spoken about the issue feel the drastic cuts desired by OneSource are detrimental to cleaning performance. This is also noteworthy since OneSource was approved to supply UMBC with janitorial labor under a performance contract. If the company fails to meet the agreed-to performance standards it will suffer a financial penalty.

Many campus employees say that they feel squeezed as a result. “What they need is profit,” commented one, “but they get paid the same no matter how many employees they have. So, they simply plan to overwork us.” Staff members complain that they have yet to receive carts and cleaning supplies that they need. A couple of female staff members over their 50’s are forced to climb into windows because they are not provided stepladders. The sharp cuts in employment have dramatically increased the workload of those who remain; Harbor Hall went from having 6 employees to 2. The entire Commons only has 3 people. Employees have effectively had their workload doubled, even tripled in some cases, for a wage increase that amounts to less than $1. Yet job cuts are still expected and at least twenty more employees are expected to be laid off. Although OneSource representatives have warned of impending lay-offs, three separate dates have gone by in which employees were told to expect dismissals, only to have the date pushed back, keeping staff members and their families under constant stress.

The confusion and uncertainty that began with the announcement of the change has not abated. Larry*, who has worked at UMBC for over a decade, asked his project manager for information on how to properly lodge a complaint, but his manager said he did not know the proper information and would get back to him. The obstruction of basic, legal information has forced many employees to the peak of frustration. Potomac janitors were about to walk-out on the job on a hot mid-August day because they were being denied such employment information. Thursday morning, two business days before Labor Day, Daniel* complained about a lack of information. “We don’t even know if we got vacation days, sick days, man, we still don’t even know if we’re off for Labor Day,” he said. He then walked into the office to try to receive answers to his questions but was told his question would be answered later in the day. “They told me they’ll let us know whether we’re getting paid or not at the end of the shift.” This is information which is written in employee contracts, yet somehow cannot be properly delivered when requested.

Talking to the public is another issue. According to the new rules & regulations posted in the office, it is explicitly stated that employees cannot talk with faculty and students about any work-related matter. In fact, two weeks into August, a meeting was held in which employees were told not to converse with students, period.

Employees have had to express their complaints and talk about the issues while squeezed into their office, which previously used to be the University Center’s kitchen. In fact, if it weren’t for the desks pressed in between old sinks and rusted stoves, one would almost believe food was still being prepared there. The move from their offices with ample space in the central area of University Center’s first floor to the cramped kitchen left many staff members feeling embittered and disrespected. During shift changes, many employees (some of whom are over 55) are forced to stand outside for their turn to punch in and out. One employee summed up the collective frustration: “They came here without honesty… [and think that] they are working with a bunch of ignorant people, but they are wrong.”

Meanwhile, those Abacus employees who were dismissed have bigger worries, such as whether or not they will actually be relocated to another work site. Though Richard McGee, president of Abacus, has been quoted as saying “We are trying to place as many workers as possible”, this seems to be the only glimmer of hope for UMBC’s lost service employees, some of which had been members of the campus community for well over 15 years.


* These names have been changed to protect the identity of sources.