OSHKOSH, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) – Around 100 custodians and grounds crew at the University of Wisconsin – Oshkosh could be at risk of losing their state benefits.
The university is considering outsourcing the work to a private company out of Tennessee, sparking a protest on campus.
Lori Knudsen has worked as a custodian for UWO for eight years. She’s worried about losing her special benefits.
“We do not feel good about this. It will not help the university at all. This is our livelihood.”
The university cites ongoing staffing shortages for contracting with an outside company, called SSC.
FOX 11 reached out to the university for an interview, but the school provided a written statement in response:
“Since UW Oshkosh has not made a decision regarding the proposal to hire an outside company to provide custodial and grounds services to our campuses, commenting on the proposal would be premature.”
Interim Vice Chancellor of Finance and Administration Bob Roberts says employees have been informed they would be offered a job with the new company. He adds that their salaries would increase with this company, and they would receive a sign-on bonus.
“We do not know what that would be,” said Knudsen. “It could be 10 cents more an hour, which doesn’t replace the benefits that we would lose.”
If the university agrees to use an outside company, employees would no longer have access to the Wisconsin Retirement System.
“Replacing all the sick time that we have, all the paid vacation every year, all the paid holidays every year, our money into the pension… I don’t think they’ll ever be able to match anywhere near that,” said Knudsen.
“It’s a problematic thing for several reasons,” said David Siemers, professor of political science at UWO.
He says he stands with his custodian coworkers.
“The Chancellor has already said this will cost more money if we go with a private company,” said Siemers.
Members of Tuesday’s protest say they hope it can raise awareness for another alternative.
“We want to make sure that the Chancellor knows we stand together as a community, and we want to support our fellow workers that do such a great job,” said Siemers.
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