Employees, the University, and students clash over overtime wages for maintainence staff .

An invisible struggle that has been raging since May could find a resolution today as the University and the Service Employees International Union (SEIU) meet at the negotiating table. Attempts to renew the contracts of approximately 270 members of the SEIU at BC have been deadlocked over a University effort to cut overtime costs. “We’ve been meeting three to four times a month… working under a mutual agreement to extend the contract on a month-by-month basis,” said Bob Lewis, VP for Human Resources and BC’s chief negotiator. “The heart of the issue is that we are looking to be able to contract out work in order to avoid some overtime.”

Currently, the University pays custodians overtime rates of $30 to $40 per hour for cleanup after sporting events and other special events. Article 18 of the union contract currently prohibits BC from contracting this work.

“People rely on that overtime,” said a union employee who wished to remain anonymous. “They wait weeks for just four hours of it. A lot of people would have to go out and get part time jobs elsewhere.” Another employee added, “Early in the negotiations, we offered a one year pay freeze. The University refused it; they want to cut costs.”

Union organizers and employees gathered at Hillside Plaza yesterday for a ‘Hat Day’ show of solidarity before the final negotiation of the month, joined by students and professors.

Students have taken up the workers’ cause, with a petition already circulating and a teach-in event planned. “We want the University to enter negotiations with the mindset of Catholic social teachings,” said Katie Sellers, a graduate student at the School of Theology and Ministry and the creator of the petition.

The University was unable to say how much it spends overall on these overtime costs, and it remains unclear where the cost-cutting idea originated.

A union employee was skeptical of the University’s intentions in removing Article 18 entirely. “They want to take away all special events, and keep us at our regular 40 hours. At one time, BC custodial staff was considered family. Now we’re just numbers.” Employees seemed to suggest that escalation of contracted work was a primary concern. “If they’d put down in writing what they want, we would definitely consider that,” stated a union employee. Lewis was adamant about the University’s commitment to workers. “They’re great, long-term employees, and we have no intention of doing anything to affect their job security at all. If we do contract this out, we’d contract it out to a union contractor, in fact, the same union that represents these employees. So far the union has been unwilling to work with us on this.”

Still, “as a union worker here, I think it’s a great place to work,” clarified the employee. But “BC has stated at the negotiating table that they are lowering the standards here – grass being cut less, furniture being replaced less – and that’s not sitting well with the union. We’re not going to do short work, because we have high standards. That’s why BC is BC.”

University Spokesman Jack Dunn acknowledged that the university is trying to cut costs, but said that it is trying to do so without the “lay off s that have occurred at universities throughout the country, including 300 at Harvard, and 400 at Stanford, among many others. To do so, and to continue to moderate our tuition increases, we have to examine ways of reducing expenditures.”

Dominican Sister Mary Priniski, OP, formerly of Catholic Scholars for Social Justice and The Labor Guild in Boston, believes firmly in the connection between Catholic social teaching and labor rights. Now a regional superior for her order, she retains her strong support for labor. “Th e Catholic Church has said forever that workers have the right to a living wage, to collectively bargain, and to have decent working conditions. Th e Catholic position is that a normal workweek should be enough income for a family to live on…if workers absolutely have to do overtime to survive, then they should be allowed to do that. These are the broad, concrete principles, but every local level has practical implications which need to be taken into account.”

Katie Sellers, busy bringing together student support for the union, praised the University’s record. “Th is is what I’m proud of, as an alumna and a student,” said Sellers. “I am so encouraged by the example BC has been setting. To no longer be demonstrating that example is something I question… We’re not supposed to be a typical university; we’re supposed to be a Catholic university. We go above and beyond. How else can we expect to be a model of social justice?”

Sellers’ initiative is backed by students from groups as diverse as OLAA, UGBC, 4Boston, and GJP. In fact, says Sellers, “The teach-in is a new phrase for me- it’s a GJP thing. We’ll come together, have a discussion, and learn about the issue. I really think this is going to snowball.”

Bob Lewis acknowledged students’ commitment, but said “The only way this is going to get resolved is at the negotiating table. There’s nothing that’s going to bring about a solution other than both parties sitting down and working it out. I’m optimistic that reasonable people can come together and come up with a reasonable solution.”

When they sit down once again at the negotiating table, Lewis and union officials will again attempt to end the impasse around contracting labor. But Katie Sellers reminds the community that its true identity is reflected in its actions.

“We’re men and women for others…building community is what we’re called to do as a Catholic community. Let’s do it.”