Harvard Custodians And Their Supporters Gather To Rally For Wage Increases

Emma Friedman reports. 

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
Frustrated Harvard custodians, students, and supporters gathered in Harvard Yard,
demanding higher pay amid rising costs.

Speaker 2 (00:10):
They can do this. They have the money, the higher
the ability.

Speaker 1 (00:14):
Representative Marjorie Decker was there alongside SEIU members. The union
says around eight hundred of its members work as custodians
at the university, and that Harvard is offering two dollars
and ninety cents an hourly wage increases over a four
year contract. They've been in negotiation since last month, when
hundreds of custodians walked off the job in a series
of one day strikes. Finlay Adamson is a student here.

Speaker 3 (00:35):
We think that if Boston College can do it and
not Holyyoke College can do it, Harvard can do it.

Speaker 1 (00:40):
Harvard tells WBZ News Radio the university values its custodial
team and that they're offering a two thousand dollars bonus
and a proposed five year contract with pay increases. They
say is a competitive offer at Harvard. I'm a freedman. WVZ,
Boston's news radio