The Georgetown Solidarity Committee has released a report on wages at Georgetown recommending the University increase the pay of some of its subcontracted employees.
In the 12-page report submitted to 30 administrators and several faculty members, GSC recommended the University pay all staff members a living wage based on computed living expenses in the Washington, D.C. area. The Economic Policy Institute estimates a living wage for a family of four living in D.C. to be $49,218 a year, or $11.87 per parent per hour, based on a 40-hour work week.
Currently, janitorial employees who are subcontracted to Georgetown through P & R Enterprises earn wages ranging from $7.20 to $8.50 per hour. Janitorial employees hired directly through the University make at least $10.25, according to the report.
The report presents the proposed wage hike as a matter of social justice. “Georgetown’s stated commitment to social justice necessitates that the University pay each and every working member of the Georgetown community a living wage,” it reads.
GSC has been working on the report since the beginning of the school year, according to Ginny Leavell (CAS ‘05), a member of GSC.
Leavell said that GSC heard that the University was paying some of its staff low wages. GSC organized breakfasts for the staff at which they confirmed the rumors they had heard.
Some of the anecdotes shared at those breakfasts are included in the report.
“One worker described his typical workday as a race against time. He comes into work at 11 p.m. each night, leaves Georgetown 7 a.m., getting home around 9 a.m., and then must leave home again at 2 o’clock in the afternoon to arrive at the airport by 3:00 p.m. for his second job—from which he would travel directly again to Georgetown at 11 p.m.,”the report says.
“We want to paint a clear picture of the problem at Georgetown. There is a contradiction between our tradition of social justice and the reality of our workers making poverty wages,” Leavell said.
GSC requested a response to its report from University President John J. DeGioia by March 31, 2003.
“Many administrators expressed support of a living wage. We hope they commit to taking the proper steps to rectify the problem,” Leavell said.
