ASU to save around $1.6 million a year by terminating custodial positions
By Katie Shoultz April 27, 2011 at 7:12 pm 
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In an effort to save money, ASU will contract with outside companies to provide all University custodial services beginning next month.
More than 190 custodial staff members on the Tempe and West campuses were notified Tuesday that their employment with the University will be terminated, but were guaranteed job offers with the new companies.
ASU currently uses a hybrid model for hiring custodians, with some buildings serviced by ASU staff and some serviced by various outside janitorial service business partners.
“ASU has been utilizing these business partners when it brings new buildings into service, but most of the older buildings are still serviced by staff,” ASU spokeswoman Sharon Keeler said.
CUSTODIAL CUTS: ASU will cut 190 custodial staff members from the Tempe and West campuses saving about $1.6 million a year. The custodial work on the two campuses will be taken over by outside custodial companies. (Photo by Beth Easterbrook)
With the upcoming transition, ASU will save about $1.6 million a year by shifting coordination and other costs to the companies.
“We all know the University is facing some pretty challenging fiscal times right now, and as the University is looking for ways to streamline its operations, they want to protect the core mission of the institution, which is teaching students,” Keeler said. “We’re looking for ways to streamline operations that can save money.”
All four campuses currently utilize outside companies to some extent, but only Tempe and West still employee ASU custodial staff.
Olympus Building Services will be responsible for all buildings on the Tempe campus beginning May 16, and Crystal Cleaning will take over on the West campus on the same date.
At this time, it is unknown if ASU staff members will maintain their current salaries should they choose to continue employment under the new companies.
Keeler said she did not know the terms of the employment offers with Olympus and Crystal Clear, and both companies were unavailable for comment on maintaining salaries.
Reach the reporter at keshoult@asu.edu
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Tags: Crystal Cleaning custodial services Olympus Building Services university budget cuts
The critical issue may be benefits more than salary. I’m not sure what benefits ASU inhouse custodial staff now have, but I imagine they include health, retirement, and (and this is significant) educational benefits, the last of which outside employers cannot provide. Eliminating benefits is becoming a common way of reducing the quality of jobs, and it is especially problematic for people whose salaries are at the low end of the scale and who can least afford to lose benefits. And yet they are supposed to be grateful because they may still have a job. Hard times are especially hard on people for whom even good time are hard.