Questions, Answers for Students, Staff During a Strike

Photo courtesy of Flickr contributor Michael Whitney

If the deadline for an agreement between the Service Employees International Union, representing BU’s more than 700 custodial, maintenance, skilled trade, and mail employees, and the University is not reached by the deadline of midnight Friday, October 31, the workers have voted to strike. University officials have answered some frequently asked questions of concern to both students and staff for BU Today in the event that a strike occurs.

For students:

Are classes still on?

Yes, classes will take place.

Are campus events still going to happen?

Yes. All events will continue as scheduled.

What about dining, mail delivery, and the security assistants at the high rises?

Nothing should change. Dining halls will remain operational, mail will still be delivered, and security assistants will be present.

What do I do if I have a maintenance concern, like a clogged toilet, broken light, or heating issues?

If you have a maintenance concern, visit your local Residence Life office to fill out a maintenance request form. You can also use the regular service request procedures. If it’s an emergency, contact the Facilities Management & Planning Emergency Desk at 617-353-2105.

What exactly is Facilities? Which workers does that include?

Facilities is the department responsible for the care and maintenance of the buildings. Facilities staff includes mailroom workers, maintenance workers, custodians, plumbers, and carpenters.

When will the strike end?

It will end when both sides come to an agreement on their contract.

If there is a picket line in front of a building I am trying to enter or exit, what should I do?

Picket lines should not prevent you from entering or exiting a building. You can walk around them or use a different entrance. If a student encounters trouble getting through a picket line, he or she should call the Dean of Students office at 617-353-4126 or look for a University representative at the site. If you have difficulty leaving your residence, contact your local Residence Life office.

For staff:

How will the strike affect nonstriking BU employees?

All BU offices and buildings would remain open during the strike in accordance with their regular schedules. Managers should alert employees that they have the right to enter and exit buildings freely, without being blocked by picketers. Managers and nonstriking employees should not confront or threaten reprisals against striking workers or their union representatives; managers should not question striking staff, promise them anything in return for coming back to work, or engage in surveillance of strikers.

If access in and out of buildings is blocked or if you’re aware of acts of violence or trespassing by unauthorized employees, call the Boston University Police Department emergency line at 617-353-2121.

With custodians striking, will residence halls, offices, and classrooms be cleaned?

Student residence lounges and laundry rooms will be cleaned weekly or as staffing levels permit.

All dining halls, classrooms, restrooms, showers, and locker rooms will be cleaned and stocked daily. Trash in bathrooms and common rooms will be removed daily, but staffers with private offices are asked to place trash and recycling outside their offices when they leave for home; it will be emptied overnight. Classroom floors will be touched up as needed.

Common areas such as lobbies and entryways will be touched up as needed.

Corridors will be touched up, but washing/buffing will be infrequent. Offices will be cleaned weekly or as staffing levels permit.

Maintenance on all buildings will be done on call and will be prioritized.

On the Medical Campus, the Chequers L-basement, G-1, and L-1 Kiosk will be cleaned daily.

How will maintenance of laboratories be handled?

All labs will be cleaned daily, with red-bag waste removed and floors swept as needed. Floors will be touched up only as needed, although spills will be cleaned. Support equipment, such as vacuums, air systems, and R.O. water systems, will be available as usual. Dental bays at the Goldman School of Dental Medicine will be cleaned daily.

What if I have a facility-related emergency or want to arrange a cleaning or an event setup?

On the Charles River Campus, report facility-related emergencies to 617-353-2105. For cleaning and setup requests, call custodial management at 617-353-2109.

On the Medical Campus, for facility-related emergencies, call the Control Center at 617-638-4144 or email control.center@bmc.org. The center is manned 24/7. For public safety problems, call 617-638-4444. For basic facilities information, such as the status of outstanding work orders, follow-up to scheduled work, or contacting a facilities person directly, call the Facilities office, 617-638-4211; the line will be covered from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. Requests for cleaning or event setups should be made to the custodial management staff at 617-638-5333.

Will custodial and trade workers be available for special events and specialty locations?

Yes. Workers will be available to set up special events, although the timing of the work may have to be arranged with event sponsors. Specialty care for facilities such as BU pools and ice rinks will continue as usual.

On the Medical Campus, specialty services for the Talbot Green and the Hiebert Lounge will continue.

How will University business-related mail be sent and received?

University Mail Services will be open during the strike from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Monday through Friday. If a US Postal Service driver refuses to cross a picket line, Mail Services managers will pick up the University’s mail and deliver any outgoing mail to Boston’s US mail facility.

All departments are asked to pick up departmental mail daily and to drop off all outgoing mail during Mail Services weekday operating hours. If anyone feels unsafe because of picket lines, mail may be dropped off and picked up at a specified, agreed-upon location. For more information, call Mail Services at 617-353-2156 for the Charles River Campus and 617-638-7500 for the Medical Campus.

Departments sending out large mailings should call Mail Services at least one day in advance to arrange pickup; alternatively, the mail can be delivered to Mail Services during its operating hours.

Important and time-sensitive interdepartmental mail should be delivered by student or department staff couriers.

How will protests and demonstrations affect us?

You may see a variety of protests or picket lines on campus, but the University will be providing the same services as usual. You may not see your regular Facilities staff during the strike. For updates on the situation, read BU Today.