Protesters revile job changes

The Sample Gates became a venue for public protest Wednesday as students, faculty and concerned citizens gathered to discuss the 50 Physical Plant employees who, at the end of this month, will no longer be employed by IU.

Gathering in a circle just inside the gates, the protestors put down their signs reading “Healthcare is a Human Right” and “The Trustees are Meanies,” and they talked. They discussed their desired solutions and the actions everyone thought would be best to make their voices heard by the University.

The protest came after IU’s announcement that thousands of part-time employees would see hours reduced in order to avoid additional health care costs in accordance with the Affordable Care act.

Stephanie Kane, an IU international affairs professor, said although she is not directly being affected by the cut in hours, she works everyday with Physical Plant workers, and she appreciates the job they do. The Physical Plant is in charge of maintaining the IU grounds and campus buildings.  

Kane said she thinks everyone should be concerned, not only because people should care about the staff and what they are doing, but because they should care about how the University works and whether people can have good lives if they work here.

“It’s a question of what kind of place we want to study in and what kind of place we want to work in,” Kane shouted to the crowd.

“Do you want to have a place that doesn’t provide health care? Do you want to work for a university that takes its most vulnerable as a starting point for cutting off everybody’s health care? This is exactly what Obamacare was supposed to help.”

As more protestors gave personal reasons for why they were there, the discussion quickly turned to taking action. Grabbing their signs and flyers, the group filed into the back of Bryan Hall, where police were already waiting.

On the second floor, outside President Michael McRobbie’s office and the Office for the Vice President for Capital Planning and Facilities, they asked to speak with members of the administration.

Police prevented protestors from entering any offices, and they were told members of the administration would not be available to speak with them.

They were allowed to enter the lobby outside McRobbie’s office in groups of two, but only his secretary was there to speak with them. They were then told they could make an appointment, but the person who schedules those appointments was not in the office.

At about 3:30 p.m., Mark Land, associate vice president of public affairs and government relations, said he and Executive Vice President John Applegate went to the Sample Gates and asked if they could answer any questions because McRobbie was not in the office.

“There was a lot of colorful language and quite a few accusations directed at us,” Land said. “Applegate and I asked the group a number of times if we could answer any questions related to the decision, but we received none so we left after several minutes.”

Although the protestors were concerned with the treatment of the 50 Physical Plant Workers, those employees won’t be out of work, Land said.

IU has contracted Manpower, a career service agency, to transition the workers under their employment. IU still has a need for these employees, Land said, and their hours and pay will not be reduced.

“Nobody is losing their job,” he said. “It’s not like we need less work done. From our perspective, though, we do understand the change is unsettling.”

While the Affordable Care Act did speed up this process, Land said, managing seasonal employees working for the Physical Plant has been an ongoing discussion.

Land explained the work these employees do is somewhat sporadic, and they may work 40 hours a week some months and then not be needed at all other parts of the year.

“There’s a lot of administrative work that goes into handling that (seasonal work),” he said. “In most cases, we handle that ourselves, but in this case, Manpower will be more effective.”

Misty Derringer, senior staffing specialist with the Columbus, Ind., branch of Manpower said the employees will see no reduction in pay or hours from the agency. All 50 employees from IU will have a job if they choose to work for Manpower.

Derringer said Manpower isn’t just a temp agency. It offers full-service employment.

As for health care concerns, Derringer said, it offers all associates medical and dental plans as well as holiday pay, something Manpower has done since before the Affordable Care Act.  

Offering those Physical Plant workers health care is something the University just couldn’t do, Land said.

“While we want to take care of everyone who works for us, we are also responsible for the tax payers, and they need to know we are being responsible with that money,” he said.

IU is currently paying $215 million for health benefits, and the budget only allows the University to spend a certain amount, he said.

Every one person added is a multi-thousand dollar investment. Land said he wanted it to be clear that IU is not reducing its work force.

“We still need their work at IU, and we are hoping Manpower is a more efficient way to manage these employees,” he said. “These are not 50 people who will not have jobs.”   
Follow reporter Jake Wright on Twitter @fljwright.