NEWS
Union hosts forum on worker worries
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by Becky Vevea
Tuesday, March 11, 2008
Wisconsin Union employees from the facilities unit voiced
their concerns at an open forum held by Union administrators Monday night.
The panel came as a response to a letter signed by 33 Union
employees, the majority of whom were building services employees, which
addressed employee mistreatment and “incompetent management” and was sent to
University of Wisconsin Assistant Dean of Students Suzanne Jones.
“I think one thing we’re really failing at right now is the
fact that we don’t know each other,” said Memorial Union building manager Brian
Falkowski. “We’re all at fault here.”
Wisconsin Union president and UW senior John Barnhardt said the panel was a start to solving communication problems and brought “the right players to the table.”
“I don’t think it fair for us to talk about specific incidences where
individuals were involved,” said Wisconsin Union Assistant Director for
Facilities Paul Broadhead, who was specifically mentioned in the letter sent to
Jones.
The panel was the first of a series of separate panels with
different units of the Union, such as food service, retail and social
education.
“We’re going to look for the overall issues, things that pop
up in all the different forums,” said Broadhead. “We’d like to have a group
that allows the student staff to talk.”
Union Director Mark Guthier mentioned the possibility of a
student employee resource group to facilitate better communication between the
12 student organizations of the Union Directorate and more than 700 Union
employees.
Falkowski said effective communication is a big problem. He
added a potential solution would be to have an employee e-mail system rather
than “doing the grapevine thing like we’re doing right now.”
Jorge Santiago, a building services employee, said the
schedule needs some changing, specifically, adding an extra employee per shift
and setting up wage differentials for less desirable shifts, such as nights,
weekends and holidays.
Both student managers and building services employees
brought up concerns of handling winter weather, suggesting scheduling staff on
an on-call basis.
Union employee Robert Wegner said he does not believe an
on-call list would work in reality.
“It’s a really great idea in theory, but I don’t know how
many people are going to sign up to shovel snow out there, … maybe if you’re
going to give them time-and-a-half or something,” Wegner said.
Also discussed at the meeting were safety issues regarding
transportation to and from late shifts, for which administrators proposed
providing free cabs for employees. Another suggestion was to provide a parking
permit to building managers.
Several employees brought up not being allowed to do
homework during downtime, adding if they don’t find someone to cover a shift
during a time they need to study, they have to come in or they could be fired.
“It’s not like we’re not doing our job,” Wegner said, adding
if employees work hard to get their task done they should be able to do
homework rather than be assigned more work.
Administrators said they are going to compile a list of
concerns from the issues addressed at the forum and will ask for feedback from
all Union employees.
Anonymous (March 11, 2008 @ 11:13am):
This picture is for a different event. This picture is from the WIsconsin Union Design Committee meeting on March 10th. Your story is on the student employee open forum. Both events happened on the same evening.
Anonymous (March 11, 2008 @ 11:22am):
This is a completely biased article?!! Was there even one student worker interviewed here?!? Piss Poor!
Anonymous (March 11, 2008 @ 12:45pm):
yes, there are student employees quoted in this article
Anonymous (March 11, 2008 @ 9:44pm):
BH, your Shout Outs are great and all, but could you please stay away from the issues at the Memorial Union? The crazy rumors I hear from people who don't actually work there make it sound like all of us students who signed the letter are complete morons. In all the articles written, I've yet to read a genuinely well researched piece on the ACTUAL grievances laid out . . . seriously, it's not helping resolve anything . . .
Kind of like these forums.
Anonymous (March 11, 2008 @ 10:04pm):
yes, this is a good article. I was there, and this is a correct report of what happened at the event, and the picture WAS from that event.
Anonymous (March 11, 2008 @ 11:15pm):
So if building managers would get parking permits what about the people from building services or the info desk who have to work just as late at they do?
Safety in getting home at night is definitely an issue, it's why the Union decided to close at 12am on Thursday nights last year but what ever is done for one group must be done for all those involved. It's only fair.
Anonymous (March 15, 2008 @ 12:38am):
9:44- Are ya kidding me? I read your letter and guess what? That letter made you sound like a complete morons. Talk about not having actual grievances laid out. All the letter contained was several pages of whining. About what?? Oh you guys actually have to work when you are AT WORK. I'd be embarrassed to have my name on that letter.
Anonymous (March 24, 2008 @ 1:36pm):
I agree with 12:38... That letter to the DOS office made those who signed it appear like whiney brats who feel they are entitled to everything without any real consequences or work involved. Most of the complaints in the letter were petty. The fact these people didn't lose their jobs is a testiment to how understanding and liberal this univversity is. If that behavior had ocured in the private sector, then you most assuredly would be seeking other employment.
I'm not saying the students don't have some legitimate issues, but the way they went about trying to affect changes did not help their cause.
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