As Oberlin alumni we are outraged at the College’s plan to outsource its custodial and dining services to outside contractors. As a result of this decision, 108 UAW Local 2192 union workers--members of the Oberlin community--stand to lose their jobs. Those who do find jobs with outside contractors will face pay cuts, benefits losses, and degraded working conditions. Unions are critical to upholding living wage jobs and securing rights in the workplace. Replacing union workers with outside contractors in order to cut costs is union busting, plain and simple.

The College has said that these moves are “difficult choices to ensure the long-term health of the institution.” The College must not make "difficult choices" on the backs of some of Oberlin's most vulnerable workers and their families. This is a gross irony in a county in which only 24% of residents over the age of 25 have a bachelor's degree and the income per capita is almost half of the annual tuition at Oberlin College. By devaluing the labor of our dining staff and undercutting their bargaining power, any statements Oberlin College could make about our legacy of social justice are hypocritical. Oberlin College must maintain its commitment to the Oberlin community and to those community members who provide vital services that support student learning and the College’s mission.

We stand with UAW Local 2192 and will withhold our financial support from the College until this decision is reconsidered.


Click here for full petition with signatures: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1ORSbMi22eTZXOq0obrzhml5lXctra8o8XdUrSjXNh2g/edit?usp=sharing