No Layoffs at Harvard Libraries!

The Harvard University Library Executive Director Helen Shenton just announced a plan to restructure the Harvard library system and make it more efficient and high-tech. She plans to fund this by laying off some workers and restructuring the jobs of others. She threatened to cut jobs by “voluntary and involuntary means,” and terrified library workers by refusing to provide details about the plan and recommending that they upload their resumes online.

Read the petition HERE.

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Harvard Fires 3 workers without Justification - Take Action!

Facilities Management Operations, Harvard's in-house janitorial company, recently won a contract at 8–14 Story Street that was previously held by ABM Industries, a subcontractor. Instead of maintaining the ABM janitors in their jobs, Harvard FMO plans to fire them and replace them with new hires. The ABM workers, who have held these jobs since 2005, are being let go for no reason except that Harvard is not legally obligated to maintain them in their jobs. As of October 1st, they will be without work and without a way to support their families.

There is no justification, economic or otherwise, for letting these workers go. New hires will receive the same pay, and all of those currently holding these positions are in good standing.

Liliana, Custodian, HMS

One woman whose coworkers were laid off last year describes the outcome of the Bread and Roses action at the Harvard Medical School on April 6, 2009. The translation is followed by the original Spanish text.

"Less than three months later, laid-off workers started to return, one by one. The bosses knew that we were watching and we wouldn't accept the company bringing in just anyone off the street. At that moment, when we broke bread and left roses [for the laid off workers], we knew our strength was in union. Let the bosses worry about their money. That's all they understand. We have fraternity."

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