The Brandeis Labor Coalition's attempt to involve the Administration into helping secure worker's rights on campus has evoked discussion regarding how much initiative the University can take to ensure fair labor practices with Hurley of America, an independent contractor that provides custodial services on campus.Some complaints by the Labor Coalition appearing in the club's minutes from Oct. 21 to Jan. 28 state a Hurley worker had to shovel snow without gloves. The minutes also mention other workers who were unaware they did not have to work on Columbus Day, a national holiday.

Labor Coalition leader Corey Leaffer '04 refused to comment on the club's allegations and directed all questions to Student Union Director of Public Affairs and Communication Nicole Karlebach '04.

Karlebach said she was unsure how many Hurley employees the Labor Coalition had spoken with for their research, which she said they have been conducting for the past two and half years.

"The Labor Coalition is in the process of continuing research, but would really like Brandeis to be the first college in the country to work with its administration and take action and make Brandeis a beacon of social justice," Karlebach said.

While Executive Vice President Peter French said all complaints have been taken care of, he said the University can only urge Hurley to provide fair treatment because the company's workers negotiate their contract separate from the University.

"When these kinds of issues come up, and they come up all the time [like] the issue with the gloves, a grievance is filed and it is the responsibility of the union and the owner to resolve these issues," French said.

The Labor Coalition wrote to Hurley to protest the treatment of workers.

"The responses that we have received have been good," Karlebach said.

In response to confusion about Columbus Day, Hurley held a meeting to ensure that employees know that although there is a set calendar for pre-determined, non-working holidays, Brandeis requested a switch from a day off after Thanksgiving to Columbus Day.

According to Hurley representative Paul McAleer, who has been communicating with French, this switch has occurred for the past four years.

Regarding the concern about lack of protective snow gear, Hurley believes the equipment, which is normally stored in Olin-Sang, was dispersed throughout campus as workers cleared many other areas. A new policy has been implemented requiring all gear to be returned to Olin-Sang after use.

Last March, the Labor Coalition attended a meeting with Hurley and Service Employees International Union (SEIU) representative Dan Nicholai.

"The complaints helped us improve and we are working with staff and Dan Nicholai on these issues," McAleer said. "I am confident everyone will appreciate the outcome."

But the Labor Coalition's Nov. 11 minutes state, "Hurley has said that there is no point of meeting [further] with the students-that students have no impact in Hurley management and Hurley implies the sentiment that Hurley as a company is not worried about student actions."

McAleer said the Labor Coalition's allegation is untrue.

"We certainly recognize students are a major stakeholder and we try to work with the union, school, and students," McAleer said. "If they have questions, I think it's healthy to get involved with that. Hurley has no problems speaking with students about union guidelines or staff members."

French said he helped to coordinate programs to teach English to workers and improve communication.

"We have just initiated a program with students offering ESL and GED [for workers] and just had an information session about that program," French said. "Hurley also offers ESL programs."

Karlebach said the Labor Coalition met with French last week and are now setting up more meetings.

"We made some suggestions of how to proceed from here and I don't think there was any disagreement," French said. "We need to understand better what to do and we're going to have more discussions."

Although Karlebach said progress has been made, they still want the Administration to take a more active role in ensuring appropriate treatment of workers.

"We're working with the administration to adopt guiding principles on fair labor," Karlebach said. "When they hire people they have to be very clear to ensure fair treatment.