UNH facilities staff win contract after ten hours on strike University of New Haven facilities workers picketed outside campus on Thursday morning. At 2 p.m., the union reached a new contract with the University, an organizer confirmed to the News. Words by Ariela Lopez and Tyson Odermann. Photos by Christina Lee.
WEST HAVEN — After 10 hours on strike, the University of New Haven’s facilities workers won a new contract with the University on Thursday.
Marching, chanting, waving signs, blaring Bob Dylan through loudspeakers and tapping rhythms on tin pails and plastic suds buckets, the University of New Haven’s facilities staff began picketing for a better contract early Friday morning. The facilities staff, which includes custodians, laborers and mechanics, is represented by UNITE HERE Local 217, which also represents UNH’s food services staff, whose contract was finalized last week with third-party food service Sodexo US. The union, which has called for improved health insurance, workplace safety and job security for facilities workers since February, authorized a strike last week.
At 3:30 p.m., an organizer with Local 217 confirmed in a text message to the News that the two sides had settled a contract that would be ratified at 9 a.m. on April 12. The News was not able to confirm the details of the contract, and the union did not respond to further requests for comment.
By 4:30 p.m., the university’s West Haven campus was free of picketers.
In the morning, the News spoke with strikers and organizers as the union’s chants rang through the rainy streets surrounding the campus. Five employees spoke of significant recent cuts to the facilities staff, as more tasks are assigned to non-union contracted workers. Workers said that the facilities staff shrunk from over 50 to 38 members in the past decade, even as the university expanded its physical facilities.
Since the union began contract negotiations in September, three of the 38 facilities staff members retired. At the picket line, the strikers feared the three would not be replaced by union workers.
The University of New Haven did not respond to the News’ requests for comment on the strike or the contract ratification.
Dispatches from the picket line
Members and organizers from Local 217 and other unions arrived on UNH’s campus at 5 a.m. and dispatched strikers to the campus’s vehicle entrances. By the university’s main entrance on Boston Post Road, union organizers set up a tent under which they stored signs, ponchos, water, coffee and boxed croissants for the strikers.
Eight strikers marched in a circle in front of the drive-in entrance, chanting, “Hey hey, ho ho, union busting’s got to go,” and “What do we want? Contract. When do we want it? Now,” alternating their calls for a contract and for job security.
Patricia James, who works for Yale Facilities and is a member of Local 35, Yale’s service and maintenance staff union, came to UNH at 5 a.m. to show her solidarity and support for the strikers. She said she knew what it is like to be “out here” trying to get a satisfactory contract from a prestigious university. She told the News that she planned to dedicate a couple of hours before and after her work shift to join the picket line.
Across campus, another group of eight strikers continued their picket line march in front of a different drive-in entrance on Isadore Street.
Ken Wilson, a cook at UNH’s Marketplace dining hall, shoved his picketing sign into the back of his hoodie, where it hung out, lopsided. Wilson came out to strike in solidarity with the facilities workers, despite the food services contract having been finalized. He told the News that students and faculty have been supportive of the strike, and student workers have come out to support the rallies.
As cars lingered by the Isidore Street entrance, strikers marched across the driveway. Most vehicles, after pausing, kept going, some honking in support. One vehicle, however, turned into the entrance.
“Strike today, keep it moving,” the organizers called out, continuing to block the driveway.
As the car struggled to break through, a UNH police vehicle approached from inside the campus, sirens wailing. The strikers moved to the side to allow the car to enter.
Officer Thomas Minar, who drove the police vehicle, told the News that he was assigned by his sergeant to station himself by the entrance. He said that the strikers were allowed to congregate, but not permitted to prevent vehicles from entering.
“They had specific instructions, they were already warned not to block traffic,” Minar said.
Just before 7 a.m., rain began to drizzle on the strikers, who continued their picketing. Scabby the Rat, the iconic 12-foot inflatable mascot of the American labor movement, joined the strikers outside the university’s main entrance as “Redemption Song” and “Like a Rolling Stone” played from speakers.
Mike Mazzucco, a licensed plumber who has worked for UNH for around seven years, told the News that he hopes the new contract accounts for workplace safety, alongside job security.
As the university contracted workers more often and reduced its union facilities staff, Mazzucco said, the amount of workers on any given shift has decreased, leading to situations that could present dangers to workers’ safety. Mazzucco said he felt disturbed by the increase in contract workers, many of whom worked overtime. He and Damian Mercado, another facilities employee, also said that many of the contracted workers do not speak English.
Ron Hurt, who represents Ward 3 on New Haven’s Board of Alders, said he came to strike before his own job to support workers’ rights.
“I’m a union baby,” Hurt said. “If they can come to work everyday and do this job, I think they should have a good contract.”
The University of New Haven enrolls over 4,000 undergraduate students.
Contact Ariela Lopez at ariela.lopez@yale.edu and Tyson Odermann at tyson.odermann@yale.edu.