Some Boston College employees who are members of the Service Employees International Union Local 615 (SEIU) may have violated a provision of their contract with BC. Article 14 of the contract between BC and SEIU members prohibits the Union from engaging in “strikes, stoppages, lockouts, picketing, banners, or advertisements concerning any matter in dispute between the University and the Union or the employees.” Union members and students held a rally outside of Hillside on October 26th in an effort to oppose the proposed removal of Article 18 from the contract, which prohibits BC from hiring outside contractors to work overtime hours that would be given to Union employees.

Bob Lewis, BC’s vice president for human resources and representative in the ongoing negotiations, believes that the demonstration was in violation of Article 14, but said that the union disagrees with his assessment: “I believe the union went beyond what it is entitled to do under the contract; the union feels it was a form of communicating with its members.”

However, BC graduate student and pro-union activist Kathleen Sellers disagreed with Lewis’ assessment. While she acknowledged that she is not qualified to interpret a contract, she believes the event was an informal gathering that did not violate the terms of the contract: “Some workers were eating lunch together in a very open, public space on campus and a few students joined them. €That’s far from picket lines obstructing traffic or interrupting work. €Honestly, I think it builds such a nice sense of community to be reminded now and again that we are all invited to the table– to share a meal together at this Catholic University.”

As protests of BC’s proposal continue with a growing facebook page and online petition, the rest of the contract details the benefits that all SEIU members receive.

BC is currently required to pay Union employees time-and-a-half for every hour worked over the standard forty hour work week, meaning that for every additional hour worked over forty hours, employees receive 150% of their regular hourly wage.

Appendix A of the contract found on SEIU Local 615’s website details the hourly wages that BC service employees earn as of June 1, 2008. For example, electricians and helpers currently earn between $21.80-$30.66 per hour; appliance repairmen earn between $21.80 and $29.86; plumbers earn $21.80-$30.66; carpenters earn $21.80-29.91; locksmiths earn $29.11-29.91; painters earn $21.80 to $25.93, and instrumentation mechanics and electrical technicians earn $30.76.

Even more menial workers earn well-over Massachusetts’ minimum wage of $8.00 per hour. Custodians currently earn $14.61-$20.14; athletic maintenance employees make $20.05- $21.78; and mailroom workers earn $19.77-$20.98. Considering the time-and-a-half rate workers earn for each additional hour over forty worked, employees listed here would earn in between $21.92 and $46.14 per hour. Taking into account the median salary of $24.59 listed in Appendix A and the salary range of $14.61 to $31.01, the median time-and-a-half rate of Union employees is $36.89 with a range of $21.92 to $46.52 per hour. While these statistics do not take the number of employees earning each particular wage rate into account, it does represent the possible salaries that SEIU Local 615 members at BC can earn according to the contract.

Unionized employees also enjoy extensive benefits beyond base pay up to four times Massachusetts minimum wage. Union members are given fourteen paid holidays each year, and employees required to work on holidays enjoy a time-and-a-half pay rate for hours worked.

Employees also have the opportunity to earn paid vacation days, unlimited sick day accumulation with incentives for not using sick days, sick leave for work-related injury, eight weeks paid maternity leave for females, pay for jury duty, severance pay in the event of downsizing, group life insurance, a pension plan, medical and dental insurance, and full tuition remission for children of employees.

The SEIU proclaims itself to be the fastest-growing union in North America, with over 2.1 million members in the United States, Canada, and Puerto Rico. Representing workers in healthcare, public services, and property services, the SEIU actively boasts its work to help elect President Barack Obama and its efforts to pass the current healthcare reform bill in congress.

SEIU Local 615, the chapter representing BC’s service employees, oversees union activities in Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and New Hampshire. Electronic filings with the Massachusetts Secretary of State indicate that SEIU Local 615 has donated to the Gay and Lesbian Labor Activist Political Action Committee, the Coalition for Our Communities, Democratic State Representative William Lantigua, and former Boston City Councilor Felix Arroyo.

Boston College and SEIU Local 615 have recently extended the contract to December 1, 2009, but negotiations are still ongoing.