Free Republic

A union representing custodians at Columbia University says it is gearing up to sue the Ivy League school for its response to the anti-Israel protests, in which its members allegedly were targeted by "spoiled" and "bratty" agitators who temporarily took over a campus building. TWU International President John Samuelsen told ‘Fox & Friends’ on Thursday that his rank and file is "particularly incensed at Columbia for not protecting the workers and particularly pissed at those particular protesters that tried to hold our workers in the building" during the occupation of Hamilton Hall early last week. "Everybody in the building, the...

The Lansing School District is considering privatizing custodial services. The Lansing State Journal first reported the development in mid-July, and July 29 was the deadline for service providers to submit bids. With almost 12,000 students, Lansing is one of the state’s largest school districts. In Michigan and around the country, privatizing custodial services has saved school districts money. For example, the rural Ludington school district saved $150,000, about $67 per student. Lansing’s neighbor, the Okemos Public Schools, saved $600,000 — or $150 per student. If it follows through, the Lansing district will join nearly 260 others across Michigan that have...

Chicago library custodians laid offTim Sallinger WGN News 7:24 a.m. CST, December 1, 2012 CHICAGO— 54 custodians who clean Chicago libraries turned in their city ID's Friday. The city gave them pink slips earlier this month. Leaders of SEIU, which represents the workers, say they knew for a long time that the custodians would be laid off -- but they expected 90 days advance notice, and only found out this past week.