Notices / Multimedia

Please click the link below to hear the semester’s State of Affairs for the Black Faculty and Staff Association. This address recaps various initiatives BFSA has been involved in this past year, as well as ways members of BFSA can become more involved in BFSA. Please listen now by clicking the link below:                                                                                http://www.blogtalkradio.com/umd-bfsa/2011/11/29/state-of-bfsa-2011-and-into-the-future

Feb 2012 Forum on Workers Rights Video:

Justice at Maryland’s Panel on the Abuse of Workers at UMD (Part One):

Justice at Maryland’s Panel on the Abuse of Workers at UMD (Part Two):

Justice at Maryland’s Panel on the Abuse of Workers at UMD (Part Three)

The Community Demands an end to Workplace Abuse at UMD

See a video from our Vice-President:

See video profiles of some of the Black Faculty and Staff members on this campus and what they would like to see from BFSA moving forward:

Plan to attend our General Body Meetings!

Please show your support for the courageous workers by tuning in and finding out how you can support them. These workplace crimes are institutional on this campus, however they can be corrected and eradicated immediately, if university officials really wanted to. Unfortunately, they may not do the right thing without more people lending their support to these valuable workers and pressuring the school to end abuse and discrimination on campus. We must demand an end to these workplace crimes now!! We as a community, a nation, and as a global society, must put an end to these kinds of abuses—wherever they may exist.

Late Fall 2010 marked the beginning of an ongoing struggle, on the campus of the University of Maryland, to completely wipe out all forms of discrimination, abuse and disrespect levied upon any UMD employees. Within the past year a vast array of UMD employees began coming forward with on the job allegations ranging from Sexual Abuse to Racial Discrimination. As each month passed, the allegations got more serious and more frequent.

PRESS RELEASE
May 31, 2011
From: Black Faculty and Staff Association of University
of Maryland (www.bfsa.umd.edu)
CONTACT:
Solomon Comissiong/Kristie Jackson
(sunderland77@hotmail.com/kristiepjackson@gmail.com)
University of Maryland Employees Come Forward with Allegations of Racial Discrimination, Sexual Abuse and Verbal Abuse

BFSA OVERVIEW

In recent months, University of Maryland, College Park (UMD) facilities employees
(custodial staff, housekeepers, groundskeepers, facilities workers, etc.)  have
likened their work conditions to those of a “plantation” and “Nazi camp.” One
UMD employee stated, “I’m surprised someone hasn’t come in with a gun or a
grenade — it’s that bad.” This serious situation has gotten worse and dates back
to when these statements were made in an anonymous letter sent to UMD upper
level administrators in 2010. In recent weeks many Black and Latina housekeepers have come forth with allegations of sexual abuse, racial discrimination, and verbal degradation. Other workers have come forth during three forums hosted by UMD’s Black Faculty and Staff Association (BFSA), with allegations of verbal and physical abuse, retaliation for speaking out, and allegations of racism.  (BFSA) has compiled a 56 page comprehensive report documenting the entire situation.

BFSA has taken this issue seriously since the beginning. It has made
numerous progressive steps toward pressuring the university to remedy a
systematic situation where the lowest-paid employees are being mistreated.  BFSA is committed to what it would deem a campaign for human rights, dignity, and respect.

BFSA is independent from the University of Maryland, in the
sense that it is not a college or department. Part of our mission is to advocate
on behalf of our constituents, regardless of their salary level, race, religion,
sexual orientation or cultural background. In a time where many of BFSA’s most
vulnerable constituents are being disrespected and mistreated; the organization
has decided to take an unwavering position on this issue. Some employees have
openly stated it’s as though they are being treated like “animals.” BFSA stands
on the side of justice and equality.

For this reason, BFSA would like to make public the following demands that it wants the University of Maryland to fulfill and honor:

RECOMMENDATIONS

1. Take disciplinary action against all managers, supervisors, and team leaders who retaliate against staff for speaking out and filing grievances. Thus, eliminate the “bully pulpit” mentality.

2. Re-evaluate the criteria managers, supervisors, and/or team leaders use in determining who can attend English as Second Language classes offered by the university.

3. Offer basic computer skills training classes to non-exempt staff.

4. Increase opportunities for internal candidates to be promoted.

5. Revise the current accountability system so as to promote a less hostile working environment (including, but not limited to, sexual abuse, racial discrimination, and verbal abuse).

On Friday July 15th 2011, University of Maryland employees, students and community members came together to address the ongoing allegations of sexual abuse of Black and Latina women employees, racial discrimination, and widespread abuse.

Students protest at football game over workplace injustices
Posted on August 6, 2011


  • http://www.diamondbackonline.com/news/students-continue-protests-of-alleged-workplace-abuse-1.2575574

    By Maria Romas

    Students continue protests of alleged workplace abuse

    For some students, the first football game was a chance to don their Terps gear and tailgate. But for about a dozen student activists, it was time to take a stand against reports of alleged workplace abuse at this university. Students in the newly formed Justice at Maryland: Fight UMD Worker Abuse coalition gathered around the “M” traffic circle yesterday afternoon, ready to be seen and heard. As a steady stream of cars drove through the campus to attend yesterday’s game vs. Miami, the students chanted, cheered and shook bottles of popcorn kernels at passersby to show officials and students they won’t let reports of alleged workplace abuse continue without a fight.

    “Students don’t yet know all about workers’ issues, but I’m optimistic that they will,” said junior American studies and government and politics major Jack Izen. “We are putting a lot of effort into outreach this year. We are making ourselves visible at events and gathering workers to talk about bad experiences.”

    Officially established at the end of the summer, Justice at Maryland: Fight UMD Worker Abuse is a growing coalition of students and faculty committed to seeing that the investigation of an anonymous letter comparing the environment in the university’s Campus Projects department to a “labor camp” continues — and quickly. Multiple forums have been held for employees to give reports of alleged abuse, and in May the university’s Black Faculty and Staff Association presented a 56-page report that highlighted grievances to university President Wallace Loh.
    The group — comprising students, staff and alumni from the American Indian Student Union, the BFSA, the Black Student Union, Feminism Without Borders and members of the community — has begun to plan events and strategies to inform the university community of their plight and keep an eye on workers.

    The organization plans to hold more forums where workers can feel comfortable voicing their concerns, reach out to freshmen at different events on the campus and ask alumni to put pressure on university officials. Additionally, the coalition has formed an “a.m. crew” that will walk through academic buildings at 4:30 a.m. to provide company for isolated workers.

    “We talk to workers if we can, and leave out leaflets or fliers for when the next forum is coming up,” said sophomore studio art major Diana Daisey, who coordinates the excursions. “The hardest part is that relationships can’t happen overnight, but we are trying.” The coalition’s official formation comes at a time when university organizations — such as the University Senate — are keeping tabs on the situation, which has seen a growing number of incident reports since the first accusation surfaced in March. “The senate is keeping a very close eye on the situation, and are carefully reviewing all concerns of every constituent on campus,” said Senate Chair Eric Kasischke.

    Members are awaiting word from administrators on their investigation of the alleged abuse and assault and were told they would be “kept abreast and in the loop” concerning the situation, said Solomon Comissiong, Nyumburu Cultural Center assistant director and BFSA president. “We just can’t come to work and know these things are going on without being affected,” he said. “We want to see a better campus, and I feel like the requests we made could easily be implemented by yesterday.”

     


  •  


  • Posted on August 2, 2011

    Please view the 56 page   Worker’s Right Report

    RECOMMENDATIONS from the Worker’s Right Report
    1. Take disciplinary action against all managers, supervisors, and team leaders who retaliate against staff for speaking out and filing grievances. Thus, eliminate the “bully pulpit” mentality.
    2. Re-evaluate the criteria managers, supervisors, and/or team leaders use in determining who can attend English as Second Language classes offered by the university.
    3. Offer basic computer skills training classes to non-exempt staff.
    4. Increase opportunities for internal candidates to be promoted.
    5. Revise the current accountability system so as to promote a less hostile working environment (including, but not limited to, sexual abuse, racial discrimination, and verbal abuse).

     

By Leah Villanueva  Senior staff writer
Published: Wednesday, July 20, 2011
A growing coalition of university employees, students and other community members have pledged their support in pressuring administrators to act on reports of
 workplace abuse.
On July 15, about 60 people attended a solidarity forum hosted by the university's Black
 Faculty and Staff Association in the Nyumburu Cultural Center to discuss how they should organize to increase awareness of the alleged sexual harassment, racial discrimination and verbal abuse in university workplaces that has surfaced in recent months.
In addition to showing support for victims of such practices, attendees of the forum
 criticized administrators for not taking swifter action on the reported abuse
 during the summer. On May 27, almost two months prior to last week's forum,
 members of the BFSA presented a 56-page report to university President Wallace Loh, highlighting the grievances more than 70 employees reported in surveys and more than two dozen staff members voiced at two on-campus forums held in May.
At that time, an administrative investigation was already underway regarding an anonymous letter comparing the environment in the university's Campus Projects department to a "labor camp" and a "plantation." Upon reviewing the report, Vice President for Administrative Affairs Frank Brewer and University Counsel Susan Bayly
 recommended the same team expand its investigation to include all of the BFSA's allegations, as well.
Upon completing the investigation, this team will submit a report to university Provost Ann Wylie by the beginning of the fall semester.
However, many attendees at the forum — including more than 20 students such as junior American studies and government and politics major Jack Izen — expressed frustration with the administration's response to the report thus far.
"We want [the administration] to know that this movement is not going to die out during
 the summer," Izen said. "It's going to continue through the school year, and it's going to
 continue for as long as it takes and they cannot wait us out."
Along with picketing Route 1, attendees suggested leafleting university sporting events,
 holding a strike and reaching out to the media and university donors. Student
 activists also announced an online blog created to raise awareness for the
 cause, and on Monday the blog announced a plan to organize students to walk
 regularly through campus buildings during the housekeepers' morning shifts so
 that the managers "know that the public eye is upon them."
Many said the only way administrators will take swifter action is if students and employees band together and keep the issue at the forefront of their minds.
"We gotta step it up," construction specialist Abe Goodwin said. "If I have to grab a picket sign and walk up and down Route 1 saying, ‘The University of Maryland sexually
 abuses and discriminates against its workers,' that's what I'm going to do.
 That's how strongly I believe in this."

BFSA President Solomon Commissiong said so far this summer, the
 administration's response has been tedious. He said although he sent several
 emails to Loh's Chief of Staff Michele Eastman requesting a followup
 meeting and to be "kept in the loop," the responses he received did
 not indicate any interest in keeping him informed.

"I would've just thought if any organization delivered this kind of report, that the
 administration would be knocking our doors down," Commissiong said. "It's a real slap in the face because to put that report together we've been working 12- to 16-hour days
 beyond our normal work schedule and we frankly did a job that the university
 should have done itself. … I was holding out on a lot of hope, but I really
 don't think that — without the healthy pressure that needs to be applied — I
 don't trust that some folks in high positions are going to do the right thing."

Eastman wrote in an email that she requested Commissiong
 to report any further employee complaints to the committee, but it will be up
 to the investigative team members to decide the next steps.
"As part of the team's work, the BFSA's recommendations certainly will be considered, and the BFSA will be informed of the measures put into place as
 a result," Eastman said. "We will all learn more when the team makes
 its recommendations to the provost."
However, Brewer — who was not at the forum — said officials are working as swiftly as they can to look into these grievances.
"The administration always takes these issues seriously," Brewer said. "I
 don't know how else you can respond to these kinds of allegations other than to
 follow up and investigate, and that's what we've been doing."
For some students, however, it's not enough.
"I am disgusted by the way that the administration has responded to these
 abuses," said Izen, who is also a Feminism Without Borders member. "If they really took this seriously … they'd be including workers in the decision-making process instead
 of operating behind closed doors. They'd be cracking down on managers who've
 been retaliating against workers who've been brave enough to speak out instead
 of turning a blind eye."