The University has lent an ear to housekeepers’ complaints for nearly a year and a half. Now it needs to take the necessary steps to ensure problems in the department are addressed quickly, lest they worsen or just revert to the status quo.
Though administrators have set a number of goals, most steps of the process are just beginning and administrators have said it is moving slower than expected.
Members of an advisory committee to help housekeepers interact with management were supposed to be voted on at the end of November, but the human resources department said questions about committee members couldn’t be answered until next week, and that neither meeting dates nor the agenda had been finalized.
That committee will hopefully help housekeepers who take issue with their managers. Poor communication between the two groups came to light last year after eight workers were punished for resting on the job.
In March, just as the PRM Consulting Firm arrived to investigate allegations of sexual assault, unresponsive managers and other issues, the guidelines for submitting a complaint were broadened to include bullying and intimidation. Human resources saw a noticeable uptick in complaints following this change. Administrators, to their credit, have also acknowledged larger racial and cultural tensions instead of sweeping them under the rug.
Brenda Malone, vice chancellor for human resources, said those issues might never completely end — and that language barriers and a lack of translators have only been additional stumbling blocks. But while translators would be an adequate short-term solution, the department should do more to help its employees learn English.
Such a move could facilitate interaction and communication across ethnic groups. It could also let workers better voice their complaints, and management could better communicate what’s expected of staff.
Quality should be the priority — but not at the expense of an adequate timetable for implementing change. Housekeepers have waited long enough for this overdue review.
The search for a new housekeeping director is on, and that person should come into a job where the rules and expectations for both management and workers are clearly laid out.
