Dear OSSTF BUSS Members,
As many of you are aware, Brock University continues to experience reduced custodial service levels for cost saving measures. We recognize that many of our members take pride in their workspaces and, with the best of intentions, may feel compelled to empty garbage, disinfect common areas, or perform other cleaning tasks themselves.
While we understand the desire to keep our workspaces clean and welcoming, we would like to remind members that custodial work is performed by trained professionals and falls within the scope of another bargaining unit’s work.
Why is this important?
Protecting Health & Safety
Custodians receive specialized training and have access to the appropriate equipment, cleaning products, and personal protective equipment (PPE) necessary to safely perform their work. This includes responding to situations involving:
- Garbage and waste disposal
- Broken glass and other sharps
- Bodily fluids and other biohazards
- Pest-related concerns
- Cleaning and disinfecting using approved products
- Safe lifting, material handling, and waste disposal procedures
Most employees outside of the custodial department are not trained or equipped to safely perform these duties. Completing this work yourself could expose you to unnecessary health and safety risks.
Respecting Bargaining Unit Work
Custodial duties are the work of our colleagues in CUPE Local 1295. Performing work that belongs to another bargaining unit can blur job responsibilities and make it more difficult to demonstrate the true staffing needs on campus.
Our custodial colleagues have repeatedly raised concerns about staffing shortages and the impact these shortages are having on the University’s ability to maintain appropriate service levels. When others routinely perform custodial work, it can unintentionally mask the extent of the problem.
What should members do instead?
If you notice that your office, department, or work area requires custodial attention:
- Report the issue to your supervisor or department.
- Submit a work request through the appropriate University process, where applicable.
- Contact Custodial Services to report the concern.
- If the issue is ongoing or significant, consider copying Custodial Management so the concern is documented.
Reporting concerns helps ensure that:
- Custodial staff are made aware of the issue.
- The University has accurate data regarding the demand for custodial services.
- Staffing shortages and service impacts are properly documented.
- The need for appropriate custodial staffing remains visible.
We recognize that everyone wants a clean, healthy, and safe campus. Supporting our custodial colleagues means allowing trained custodians to perform the work they were hired to do while ensuring the University understands the resources required to maintain our campus.
Thank you for your continued professionalism and for standing in solidarity with our fellow campus unions. By respecting each other’s work and reporting concerns through the proper channels, we can continue advocating for a safe, healthy, and well-supported workplace for everyone.
Please feel free to share this with your department, co-workers and friends on campus.
In solidarity,
OSSTF BUSS Executive
