USC janitorial protests for wages continue
A crowd of janitorial workers and supporters marched from Bovard Auditorium to USC Village Thursday in a continued demonstration calling for higher wages and better health care benefits. The protest follows last Thursday’s negotiations with contractor Aramark, which protesters felt did not adequately address the concerns expressed by the Service Employees International Union.
Demonstrators carried a banner that read: “Janitors READY 2 STRIKE,” a sentiment also expressed at SEIU-organized protests that took place March 31 on campus and April 1 at Union Hall while negotiations were ongoing.
Amid rising costs of living and inflation in Los Angeles, workers gathered a turnout of approximately 100 participants demanding respect, dignity and a livable wage. A large portion of the workforce receives less than $17 per hour, which workers, such as Reyna Diaz, said is insufficient to keep up with the cost of living.
“We’re asking that they respect our work, that they give us a just contract, that they see us as an important part here at the University,” Diaz said in Spanish. “They should consider the cost of living … We are not going to survive on 45 cents.”
One of the lead organizers of the janitorial division at SEIU, Juan Carlos Venegas, said the union looks to challenge last Thursday’s negotiations, as Aramark did not present a counteroffer beyond the 45 cent yearly increase.
“They’re offering 45 cents a year raises for these workers, and that’s just not acceptable,” Venegas said. “It is disrespectful to offer those kinds of increases at the negotiating table.”
At the rally, speakers protested Aramark’s offered raise and highlighted the funds the University spent settling ex-gynecologist George Tyndall’s case. The University paid out a settlement of over $1 billion in 2021 to former patients treated by Tyndall, who was convicted of sex abuse and unlawful penetration of his patients at the Engemann Student Health Center.
As USC employs custodians through a third party, Venegas said the University is liable and responsible for a wage increase for the workers, who, he said, perform a valuable and under-appreciated service for the USC community.
“They show up … in the morning so classrooms are nice and the campus is clean … and they’re doing it for wages that aren’t livable,” Venegas said. “We just ask for them to have some compassion for these workers and show their support for these workers.”
Among student allies of the union were members of USC Student Coalition Against Labor Exploitation that collaborated with the union’s representatives and the janitors to organize the rally. Liddy Woodford, a freshman majoring in middle east studies and a member of SCALE, said she believes it is a sign of disrespect for students not to care about the protest’s cause.
“It’s very, very easy to attend a big, prestigious university like USC and get into that money bubble and not realize that there are people who are struggling to pay rent and support their families’ wellness,” Woodford said. “They are members of our community because these are friendly people we see and may or may not interact with every single day.”
SCALE member Nancy Shao, a freshman majoring in biomedical engineering, said students who came out to show their support for the janitors are “angry” that the workers are not paid a livable wage. The coalition, Shao said, hopes their visibility will encourage other students to lend an ear and demonstrate unity for the cause.
“Due to the influence that students can also have on other students, SCALE is mostly here for outreach and we’re trying to make it known that this is what custodians have to deal with,” Shao said. “It’s really important that students stand in solidarity with custodians.”
Imagen Munkhbayar contributed to this report.