Loyola’s job as a “social justice” university is to bridge the gap between legal ethics and morals. The current working conditions of Orleans Room employees are legally acceptable, but morally questionable.
The Louisiana Department of Health and Hospitals regulations require that work spaces be properly ventilated. In the OR, that means a cracked door in the back.
An employee didn’t show up for work on a Saturday, and Sodexho had the legal right to cut her hours. However, she says it was because of a death in the family. Cutting her hours crosses into social injustice territory.
The OR is losing employees, and people have to work extra shifts. That means that an employee may be working on campus for breakfast, lunch and dinner.
These regulations may be legal, but they overstep the boundaries of a “social justice” institution. Electrical deficiency and a shortage of workers are no excuse.
Loyola has found itself trapped in a catch-22: the more staff they lose, the harder the remaining staff must work; the harder they work, the sooner they quit. A shortage of workers always speaks volumes about the treatment of staff, and Loyola should recognize this.
We propose that the upcoming Danna Center renovations attempt to redress these unfair working conditions. Chris Cameron and Ben Hartley both pointed out that the Danna Center will be knocked down in five or six years, and installing air conditioning would be pointless.
The planning committee should not expect OR employees to work in an environment that they themselves would be uncomfortable in. Moving back and forth between the air-conditioned OR and the kitchen doesn’t exactly fit this rule, nor does the plan to install industrial-size fans.
Human Resource’s code of ethics frequently stresses respect and social responsibility. It makes the connection between a positive workplace and productivity, and mentions the phrase “highest standards” three times.
Treating your employees well is common sense from a public relations standpoint, and as a Jesuit university, Loyola should be going above and beyond self-interest when it comes to treatment of staff. The kitchen is poorly ventilated, employees are stretched thin and people are quitting. The kitchen staff deserves a lot of respect, and Loyola has a responsibility to improve the conditions of the people who serve us every day.
The code states that our campus intends to “create and sustain an environment that encourages all individuals and the organization to reach their fullest potential in a positive and productive manner.” We encourage them in that goal.
