On March 25, all swing-shift custodians received a notice that they would be moving to the day shift on June 1 as a result of the 16 percent cut the department is facing. After the custodians’ 3-month struggle to voice their concerns, UW Custodial Services and the Washington Federation of State Employees (WFSE), Local 1488, are now in conversation over the possibility of keeping a majority of swing-shift custodians on their current shifts.

Initially, Custodial Services management was unwilling to bargain in good faith; now they’re more receptive to employee needs, and things are changing.

“We have made a proposal to keep 50 [of the 85 swing-shift] positions,” said Gene Woodard, director of Custodial Services. “They’ve bargained, [and] we’ve listened to the union. They’ve made the case that this is a hardship.”

On May 28, the Board of Regents held a special meeting where custodians and their supporters explained the change in lifestyle custodians would face with the transition, such as difficulties with childcare or conflicts with daytime jobs.

Immediately after the meeting, Custodial Services management decided to move the transition date for swing-shift custodians to July 1 to allow more time to continue negotiations with the custodians’ union.

“We’re actually making some progress in the negotiations now and trying to put together an agreement,” said Cecil Tibbits, a professional bargainer for WFSE Local 1488. “Our goal obviously is to take care of as many of the hardships as possible.”

Woodard said one of the goals of the shift changes was to increase efficiencies by moving all custodians to the day shift. Even with this extension, he said that parts of these goals can still be met.

“We’re still able to reduce the number of work areas [on swing shift],” Woodard said. “A big thing is getting all the upper campus buildings to day shift.”

If 50 custodians were able to stay on swing shift, two of the buildings they would service are the Health Sciences Building and the Physics/Astronomy Building.

Salvador Castillo, WFSE Local 1488 vice president, said that of the 50 people who would remain on the swing shift, 25 would be selected based on seniority, and the other 25 would comprise employees with the strongest hardship cases.

Despite the progress the swing-shift custodians have made, many remain determined to keep all 85 custodians on the swing shift.

“I am not satisfied with the union,” said Mehereteab Mengistu, a swing-shift custodian. “My opinion is the protests are working good, [but] my concern is now with the 50 people staying — how will they decide who is going to stay? I don’t see how they figure out who has a hardship or not.”

When the union and custodial management come to an initial agreement at the negotiations table, the union will bring the custodians together to vote.

“We’re not going to impose something,” Tibbits said. “We’re going to take it back to the people affected by it.”

Tibbits said the union hopes to reach an agreement with management and custodians by the end of June.