The union that represents many Morgan State employees has called on university officials to hire more housekeepers, contending that the school has only hired four new staffers in the past three years.
Members of Local 1885 of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) Maryland Council 3 issued a petition backed with three Instagram videos charging the university with failing to hire housekeeping staff at a rate that could keep up with Morgan’s growth.
While Morgan enrollment has risen from nearly 8,500 students in the fall of 2021 to over 9,800 last fall, the union contends that only four new housekeepers have been added to the ranks, for a total of 56 for the university.
The petition, issued Oct. 26, calls on Morgan officials to hire at least 15 more housekeepers and to reinstate a second shift that had been in place for over 30 years.
“There is no possible way for workers to maintain the cleanliness of bathrooms, offices, and trash removal at the current staffing levels,” the petition reads.
In response, a statement issued by the university contends that it has “enacted new measures in the area of housekeeping to keep pace with the expanded needs of our community.”
“While this new approach has produced some positive results, particularly related to decreasing workloads for our housekeeping staff, we have become aware that the change in operational protocols has generated concerns from some Morgan community members,” the university statement continues. “The University will reevaluate the operations for housekeeping and determine whether any changes in the current plan are warranted.”
The union’s petition, issued through Morgan’s Student Government Association Instagram page contends that the university has eliminated a second shift of employees that would “offer necessary support at all hours of the day.”
The shift, as proposed by the union, would run from noon to 8 p.m. or from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. and would relieve a staff that is “being forced to cover 16 hours worth of work in an 8-hour shift.”
