New Union Formed

But custodial workers were not the only people upset by the union leadership of Local 254.

Harvard security guards, parking monitors and museum attendants voted in November to establish a new union, only two weeks after they exited Local 254.

Security guards led the movement which separated them from what they described as ineffective union leadership.

But most of the museum attendants, who comprise about one third of the new union, voted against its formation and were skeptical about its future success under its new president, Stephen G. McCombe, who has been a Harvard security guard for the past 12 years.

Losing Ground

The custodial workers belonging to Local 254 would soon have to deal with different problems.

Beginning February 3, 1997, custodial workers from Harvard's Facilities Maintenance Organization (FMO) were told they were no longer responsible for cleaning Quincy House, Cabot House, Loeb Drama Center and Lamont and Pusey Libraries.

Instead, workers from UNICCO, Service Co.--one of the state's largest cleaning companies, which already handled maintenance in many campus buildings--won these contracts.

The need for new workers in these buildings came after about 30 custodians opted to take an early retirement or severance package, negotiated in their November contract.

FMO workers were baffled at the reasons behind the change, especially after they accepted a contract for lower wages. Workers believed the cuts they accepted were to prevent the loss of contracts to outside cleaners.

Although individual schools and departments within the University are free to purchase custodial services from Harvard's FMO or from outside contractors, FMO employees said they were astonished that all of the custodial work in these buildings went to UNICCO.

This change is part of a larger trend over the last several years, in which FMO has lost many contracts to outside contractors, primarily UNICCO, according to sources close to FMO.

David A. Zewinski '76, associate dean for physical resources and planning--the entity responsible for contracting out work for FAS--said that cost differences between FMO and UNICCO were not a major factor in the decision. Zewinski also knew of no outstanding issues of poor service by FMO.

"You go with the visceral feeling of what you feel is going to be the best," Zewinski said.