Sitting down on the job has placed some University housekeepers in the hot seat.
Within the past four weeks, eight housekeepers have faced disciplinary action after their supervisors caught them taking an unauthorized rest during the workday.
At the end of July, two female housekeepers received unpaid five-day suspensions. Another five were issued — but did not eventually serve — suspensions in early August. Those suspensions, along with the firing of a temporary worker, were expunged following an Employee Forum committee meeting earlier this month with UNC vice chancellors. And the two who served unpaid suspensions were reimbursed for their lost wages.
Despite UNC’s concessions, about a dozen housekeepers gathered Wednesday at Foster’s Market to stand up for their right to sit down.
Fearing retaliation, the crowd of about one dozen housekeepers unanimously requested anonymity while decrying the University’s Wage-Hour Policy as discriminatory. Housekeepers — who receive two 15 minute breaks and a one-hour lunch break — added that UNC officials reneged on promises to amend the policy, which stipulates that employees receive authorization for additional breaks.
“It’s decreasing morale in a time when the University needs the loyalty of workers who are working their buns off,” said Miriam Thompson, co-chairwoman of the Chapel Hill-Carrboro branch of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People. Thompson joined civil rights attorney Al McSurely and UNC junior Laurel Ashton at the meeting to lend support to the housekeepers.
“This policy won’t let them take a breath to work more efficiently,” added Thompson, who said outreach to students and parents helped spur a University response.
Several housekeepers said supervisors neglected to follow the customary protocol of issuing a verbal warning, written warning and formal report before issuing a suspension. When confronted by supervisors, the workers said they were not provided the opportunity to explain their reasons for sitting down.
“It’s expected for employees to receive a warning and then maybe a conversation with a supervisor,” said Marc ter Horst, vice chairman of the Employee Forum. “Action by management has a gradual ramp- up as the employee is notified of the infractions.”