Dozens of contracted janitors and groundskeepers at the University of South Florida got together in Tampa on Wednesday to protest potential benefit cuts.
In Dec. 2024, USF announced that Compass Group would be taking over as the university’s food and facility management partner in a cost-cutting move.
Southeast Services Corporation (SSC), a subsidiary of the Compass Group, was tasked with providing facility services to the school.
Before the switch, employees were considered public workers and could receive benefits like state pensions and health insurance.
About 400 jobs at USF’s three campuses were privatized, and workers lost access to those benefits.
But some employees, like electrician Juan Peña, said they were promised otherwise.
“En octubre del 2024, nos llevaron a un auditorio y nos dijeron a todos que vamos a pertenecer a una compañía privada de ahora en adelante. La compañía nos dijo varias veces ese día, ‘no se preocupen, no va a haber ningún cambio, todo va a seguir igual’. Cuando llegó enero del 2025, todo cambió.
(In Oct. 2024, they took us to an auditorium and told us all that we’re going to belong to a private company from now on. The company told us many times, ‘Don’t worry, nothing will change, everything will stay the same.’ When Jan. 2025 came around, everything changed),” he said.
Peña said SSC is trying to take away benefits like sick days and holidays, and added that their salaries have stayed the same since the takeover.
Helene O’Brien is the Vice President for Local 32BJ SEIU, a branch of the Service Employees International Union.
She remarked that SSC hasn’t fulfilled its promises.
“First of all, these workers haven’t received a raise in a year and a half. Second of all, the raises that the company has offered is 1.5%, which is nothing,” she said. “The third is that people want family healthcare coverage, or at least to preserve what they had before, which is family healthcare.”
Peña said the change in insurance has left him scrambling to find ways to pay for healthcare.
“Ahora mismo, yo sufro una condición (por la que) tienen que chequearme la sangre cada 3 meses. Antes yo iba, me sacaba la sangre y me fui, no tengo que preocuparme por eso. Ahora, cada vez que lo hago tengo que buscar yo $40.
(Right now, I have a condition and have to get my blood checked every 3 months. Before, I could show up, get my bloodwork done, and leave, and I didn't have to worry about it. Now, every time I do it, I have to go looking for $40),” he said.
Tampa City Council members Luis Viera and Lynn Hurtak attended the rally in support of the workers.
“I bet you a million bucks that if you pull people, Republicans, Democrats, Independents, there would be widespread support for what these folks want,” Viera said. “This isn’t radical. This is just basic decency.”
SSC Vice President of Marketing & Communications Carly Nappi told WUSF that the company is willing to negotiate.
“Our team members are an important part of the work we do every day to support USF students, faculty, staff, and the broader campus community,” she said in a statement. “As we continue delivering the services that help the campus operate smoothly, we remain focused on maintaining a positive, supportive environment for our associates. We will continue discussions through the established bargaining process and remain committed to negotiating in good faith with the Union to reach an agreement that is fair to all.”
