Article: Essential service workers fight privatization and COVID-19 on leading university campuses

Universities have a long history of providing quality jobs to workers, with higher wages, benefits and pension plans, and a decent work-life balance.

“U of T has been cutting good caretaking jobs and contracting out their work to for-profit cleaning companies which pay roughly 30 per cent less in wages and benefits. They claim that they are performing COVID-related cleaning work in over 20 buildings now, but in reality, they are replacing jobs that are being cut indefinitely for penny-pinching savings. What is even worse, private industry is exploiting workers – and particularly racialized workers, who are over-represented in lower-paid and precarious positions. It’s unacceptable that our university supports that, while it says it cares about equity and social justice.”

Allan James, President CUPE 3261

https://cupe.ca/essential-service-workers-fight-privatization-and-covid-19-leading-university-campuses