by Nick Temple, HELU Organizer
On June 30, Spelman changed its cleaning contractor from Aramark to Integrity National Corporation. The workers under Aramark had been unionized and covered by a collective bargaining agreement for many years.
According to Workers United Southern Region, when Integrity took over, almost none of the existing Spelman cleaners were hired and Integrity did not recognize the union. Around 35 workers lost their jobs, many of whom are Black women who had worked on the campus for more than 15 years. Along with their jobs, they lost their seniority and the wages and benefits they had secured through their union contract.
Workers United has been trying to get Spelman leadership involved (they haven’t responded yet) and is continuing to organize around the workers and their demands. But this month they’ve opened up a new avenue to advocate for workers: Getting students and their families involved. This includes ramping up as the fall semester gets underway, with a demonstration on August 12 at the College gates during move-in. To workers and allies, it was important not to dampen the excitement of move-in, but to make sure students and families were aware of how dedicated staff were losing their jobs on campus.
I went to Atlanta this month, where I attended the August 12 demonstration with Workers United supporting the Spelman College cleaners. Seeing Workers United, Morehouse and Spelman faculty, SEIU members, and others come together in support of the Spelman cleaning workers was inspiring. It showed what real solidarity across the HBCU community can look like. It was also powerful to see students from Spelman, Morehouse, and Clark Atlanta stand behind the workers and make clear that they care about how campus employees are treated and want the administration to do better in protecting and treating workers fairly.
After the action, a petition in support of the Spelman cleaners reached 828 signatures, with most coming from Spelman students. Workers United noted that both the newly contracted cleaners and the workers who lost their positions shared how meaningful it was to see public support on the ground. They also reported positive progress in helping several of the displaced Spelman cleaners secure new employment opportunities.
Looking ahead, students and workers are exploring the possibility of coming together next week to formally deliver the petition to the Spelman President. Sign the petition here.
