Maroon

              THE MAROON A LOYOLA TRADITION SINCE 192 3 • "FOR A GREATER LOYOLA Vol. 87, NO. 17 ONLINE EDITION AT LOYOLAMAROON.COM FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 26, 2010 WAGING WFF workers say pay is inadequate Some employees say pay does not amount to a "socialjustice wage" By JEAN-PAUL AR6UELLO Senior Staff Writer at Loyola a "social justice wage." Michael Dixon, a 24-year employee for WFF at Loyola, said that he believes the wage paid to the housekeeping staff at Loyola is not a "social justice wage" because "it doesn't balance with the cost of living ... You either have to be on another (government) program or have another job." Sheila Cemicek, human resource manager for Clean-Tech Company, WFF's sister company, said in an e-mail that she believes WFF employees are receiving socially just wages. According to Cernicek, WFF Loyola's new hires receive a starting wage of $7.25 per hour, plus benefits including health care, sick leave, holiday pay, vacation pay, dental coverage and life insurance. Tulane University's custodial provider, UGL-Unicco, starts their new hires at $8 per hour and also offers benefits. WFF Facility Services, Loyola's custodial services provider, gave out raises to their employees last August, but not all of the staff were pleased with their increase. "Pay raises (were) a joke," said Fred Scott, a WFF worker who works in the Danna Center. "And on top of that, it's almost as if (management) wants you to bow to them." Many among the staff echoed this sentiment. Loyola wrote a stipulation into their contract with WFF Services that requires them to pay their staff a wage WAR According to Cemicek, roughly 60 percent of WFF employees at Loyola are receiving less than $18,000 but more than $14,000 in yearly salaries. According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, the poverty threshold income level for a family of three was $17,158 in 2009. Dixon said that although most of the custodial staff are married and have a second income stream at home, he knows some WFF Loyola housekeepers who are single mothers and are struggling with low pay. According to Cernicek, salaries are reviewed on an annual basis and raises range from two to three percent. Cernicek did not respond to questions regarding criteria for determining wages, but did say that on-site management performs ELLE MALONEY / Photo editor Lakeisha Robertson, a Danna Center WFF worker, prepares to sanitize tables in the building Wednesday, Feb. 24. Students protest Sodexo actions By PRECIOUS ESIE Assistant News Editor Following the termination of Terry Shelly, a former Orleans Room worker, students rallied Feb. 22 to send demands to Sodexo management. On Feb. 22, 27 students and several Loyola University Sodexo employees gathered at the post office loading dock and walked into the Danna Center, through the St Charles Room and into the Loyola Dining Services office to speak with Sodexo management and to submit a letter concerning the termination of Shelly and the recognition of the workers' union. TheletterstatedthatShelly'stermination "resulted from a lack of communication of current Sodexo policies" and requested that Shelly's "unjust termination is remedied immediately." In the letter, students demanded Sodexo reinstate Shelly's job, issue an apology to Shelly and give Shelly back pay. Students met Feb. 19 to discuss Monday's course of action. The final decision was to present the letter in the same way workers and students presented the workers' petition to management Jan. 14. "In the same model, we wanted to get students and workers together to approach management about the unjust policies surrounding (Shelly) getting fired," Jamie Broussard, sociology senior and co-chairwoman of Loyola University Community Action Program, said. As student spokesman, Rolando Lopez, English writing sophomore, spoke with Heather Bacque, Sodexo general manager, to "express discontent to Sodexo for firing Terry Shelly." Bacque was "not at liberty to discuss (Shelly's) employment" and could Employee says union caused termination By CRAIG MALVEAUX Senior Staff Writer Terry Shelly, a former Sodexo cashier in the Orleans Room, said Sodexo terminated her from her job on grounds of "theft," but she says the reason for her firing is only a cover-up. Shelly said that about two weeks ago, she allowed a Loyola University Police Department officer and two young men to enter the cafeteria without paying for their meals. She doesn't deny what happened, but instead said her supervisors are unreasonably singling her out because of her role in trying to unionize dining employees, which she feels led to her termination. "I think I'm a target because of my role in the union," she said. "When I first walked in the office that day, the first thing they commented was the union. They know I'm a strong person and that the students like me." Ben Hartley, general manager of Sodexo dining, said he could not legally comment on Shelly's termination. When Shelly arrived to work the following Tuesday, Marc Main, resident dining manager, brought her into his office, Shelly said. There, he and Heather Bacque, general manager, showed Shelly video footage of the officer and two young men entering the O.R. without paying any money or using a university meal plan. As she watched the video. Shelly said Some groups are unsatisfied with funds By ASHLEY STEVENS Staff Writer Some oiganizations expressed discontent over the amount of money they received in Student Government Association's allocations and what they consider to be a burdensome process. Only six oiganizations received the amount of SGA allocations they requested this semester. 43 oiganizations applied. Tanya Hamilton, political science junior and president of Black Student Union, said BSU applied for $9,169 in allocations to pay for a five-day Unity Trip in which attendees will go to Chicago to leam about African- American history and do community service. They received $1389. "The money we asked for allocations was going towards the trip, so the students didn't have to pay so much," said Hamilton. The trip, however, will be possible because of alumni, Hamilton said. "The alumni have really come through," Hamilton said. Yet, BSU still had to raise the price of the trip and put a cap on the number of attendees, Hamilton said. see PROTEST, page 7 see SODEXO, page 4 see WFF, page 4 see SGA, page 4 plans Haiti benefit See Life Ac Times AP PHOTO page 7 MAROON DIRECTORY: CRIME WATCH, page 2 | LIFE & TIMES, page 7 | SPORTS, page 11 | EDITORIAL, page 14 | NEWS TIPS: 865 3535