Volume: 59 Issue: 4
SEPTEMBER 16, 2015
driftwood.uno.edu
UNO to lay off 75 employees by outsourcing Facility Services Mia Lett Driftwood Editor In order to save at least $1 million, UNO will outsource facility services to Sodexo, a multi-million dollar international corporation that employs over 132,600 people, and has over 700 facility management sites in the United States alone. The outsourcing will lay off all current UNO facility service classified employees. The takeover officially begins on October 5, but for now, all current UNO classified employees are being encouraged to apply through Sodexo. The company recently set up shop in the Human Performance Center. In order for classified employees to continue their employment at UNO, they must
apply using the company’s online application—a process which consists of an application, 50 assessment questions, and an in-person interview. “Sodexo is obligated to interview all affected classified employees. We would hope and anticipate that many will continue their duties at the university as Sodexo employees,” said Adam Norris, Director of Public Relations in an email statement. Norris’s statement is corroborated by Warren Davis, associate Vice President of Facility Services. Davis said that 75 classified employees will be affected by the change, but he is sure the layoff does not intend to displace employees. “The layoff doesn’t mean people are not going to have jobs,” said Davis, who is working closely with
Sodexo through the application process. By offering the process inhouse, Davis is confident employees will feel supported: “We are making the biggest effort we can to give people a comfort zone… though [employees] still have to sell themselves, we give them every opportunity to be employed by Sodexo,” said Davis. What Norris and Davis both agree on is that the outsourcing will improve facility services. Though neither has offered any explanation as to why current services need improvement, both agree that the performance standards introduced by Sodexo will improve services. “One of the primary reasons for outsourcing is to improve the functioning of services…the university will go from having no designated performance standard to meeting a
well-recognized industry service standard,” said Norris. Davis outlines how Sodexo’s performance standard will improve the function of services: 1) an increase in technology, which will reduce the need for more people, 2) a more robust work order system for tracking services and 3) a proactive industry standard approach. But the real savings come from eliminating the benefits paid to civil service employees. As Davis notes, civil service fringe benefits currently take up to 45-50 percent of an employee’s salary. The outsourcing eliminates the need for fringe benefits, which in turn, saves the university approximately $1 million. Sodexo employees will have benefits, but not to the extent which the state offers.
As of now, UNO employees are uncertain as to whether or not they will have a job in the future, and appear to be in the dark when it comes to wages and benefits. After completing the online application, an employee of nine years said that she has not been informed about wages or benefits, but was told to apply to Sodexo and wait for an interview. Another employee of over 19 years was told he would have to wait two weeks to find out about wages and benefits, and then he would decide if it is worth it to keep his job or retire as a civil service employee. Civil Service employees will have to wait until Oct. 5 to find out about their future. There is no guarantee they will be rehired by Sodexo.