Janitors and landscapers working at Nova Southeastern University are demanding “living wages,” protection for their “hard-won health benefits," and a halt to any proposed plans to replace their jobs with robots.
On Tuesday, at the corner of University Drive and 33rd Street in Davie, a wave of workers in purple “Justice for Janitors” shirts marched to the front of the private university's campus.
They rallied outside NSU’s main entrance, chanting in Spanish, Creole, and English as passing cars honked in support. Many held signs as they marched along the sidewalk.
The protest was organized by the union 32BJ SEIU, which represents about 250 janitors and landscapers who clean NSU’s classrooms, bathrooms, and off-site facilities. The workers are employed by Encompass, a contractor hired by the University to handle cleaning and maintenance services.
“Encompass is offering most workers an insulting 40-cent raise while stating that the university wants Encompass to explore using robots and trying to limit its healthcare contributions,” said the union in a statement.
Many at the protest said the $15-an-hour starting wage for an Encompass employee is too little for South Florida, where the average rent for a two-bedroom apartment can run as high as $2,843 per month.
“We think that we have another job to go higher in our future — not just to survive, which is what we are doing right now,” Dianelis Chavez told WLRN. Chavez is a cleaner who has worked at NSU for nearly 10 years.
“Robots can’t replace us," Chavez said.
Officials with Encompass did not issue any public statements about the NSU protest.
Andy Cabrera, 32BJ SEIU’s district leader for Florida, told WLRN that the threat of automation was raised during recent contract negotiations.
“During the negotiations, there were implied threats that our janitors, the humans who clean up after the students at the university, were going to be replaced,” Cabrera said.
“We want to make sure Encompass doesn’t go back on any of the benefits that our janitors fought so hard to have.”
Since unionizing in 2013, NSU janitors have secured key benefits like employer-paid health insurance, legal assistance, and access to English language programs. Cabrera said that those hard-fought gains are now on the line.
Maria Elena Hernandez, an Encompass Janitor and 32BJ Bargaining Committee Member, said robots can’t do the tasks union workers do on a daily basis.
“Robots can’t climb up and disinfect a baby changing table and they’re not going to unclog a toilet,” she said. “They break down and run out of batteries— we don’t.”
Helene O’Brien, Vice President of 32BJ SEIU, the union representing the university janitors and landscapers, said in a statement that “the threat of robot replacements and pocket-change raises shows total disrespect for the dedicated professionals who keep Nova safe and welcoming every single day.”
Union members also pointed out that NSU’s janitors do much more than clean. They are often the first to respond to emergencies, leaks, and safety issues on campus.
“Robots can’t climb up and disinfect a baby changing table, and they’re not going to unclog a toilet,” said Maria Elena Hernandez, an Encompass janitor and bargaining committee member. “They break down and run out of batteries — we don’t.”
Sandra Rodriguez, an Encompass janitor, said her family’s schedule is stretched thin to make ends meet.
“My husband and I work opposite shifts so one of us is always home to care for our daughter,” Rodriguez said. “We’re only asking for what’s fair so we can provide for our families with dignity.”
Negotiations between the union and Encompass are ongoing, with the current collective bargaining agreement is set to expire Monday.
If no agreement is reached, workers may soon vote on whether to authorize a strike, giving them the ability to walk off the job at any point after the contract expires.
