Students and service workers given chance to meet and unite

By Courtney Kretz

On Monday, Feb. 21, students were given the opportunity to meet and speak with service and maintenance workers, which included members of mechanical services, grounds, housekeeping, and shipping and receiving.

SEED, in conjunction with SEIU 200 United, the local union that represents Marist service and maintenance workers, sponsored a Meet N' Greet Monday in the Cabaret in order to allow students to discuss questions, concerns, and give thanks to those workers they regularly see, but may never have met.

By hosting this event, SEED and SEIU 200 United hoped to establish and maintain solid relationships between members of the campus community, helping build a stronger Marist.

Gerard Lyons, chairperson of the local union and housekeeper, explained at the beginning of the Meet N' Greet that many service workers both work and study on campus, and this event was a step to help build better campus relationships.

"We are here to explain what our jobs are like, what services we provide, and to build a relationship with the students," Lyons said.

Anne Rifenburg, McCann athletic setup, is one such person who both works and takes classes, and feels that uniting students and workers would be extremely beneficial.

"Basically, I think the service staff is far too separated from the students." Rifenburg said. "There is too much division and to pull it all together would be a good thing."

Kerri Kannengieser, senior, vice president of SEED, explained that although SEED is an environmental campus club, they do care about social issues on campus and think the Meet N' Greet with help unite the community.

"If we combine our efforts, we could get more done on campus," Kannengieser said.

With the contract between the college and service and maintenance workers expiring June 30 of this year, workers feel there is no better time to build bridges between students and workers.

"Students have an indirect role as a stakeholder in this college," Rich Drucker, advocate of SEIU 200 United and Marist service and maintenance workers, said.