Support for Currier Dining Hall Staff

It has come to our attention that, due to the budget cuts proposed by the Faculty of Arts and Sciences, Harvard University Dining Services workers will have to bid on new, reduced schedules and positions for the next year. As members of the Currier House community, we are troubled by the prospect of some employees losing their jobs and by the potential dissolution of the team serving the Currier Dining Hall.

We would like to express our appreciation for and support of the current Currier Dining Hall team, and to point out three specific issues about the suggested restructuring process that are of concern to us:

1) The hot breakfast cuts have been cited as the reason for the restructuring. However, it is unclear to us why this should result in such dramatic changes, including the elimination of 24 positions in the University Dining Services. We also wonder why this should affect staff members who are not involved in the preparation or the serving of hot breakfast.

2) As far as we understand, the rules for the bidding process appear to favor certain positions to the detriment of others. It seems that, while General Service workers would be offered alternative jobs in case of insufficient positions within their classification, this would not be the case for the remaining staff, regardless of their seniority. In addition, employees that have two classifications have been automatically assigned to the higher one, which paradoxically places them in a disadvantaged position. This does not appear to be consistent with the high standards of fairness established and maintained at Harvard University.

3) The Dining Hall is the heart of Currier House, and its staff has been critical in providing a home away from home for many of the students. This tightly-knit group of outstanding workers not only serves us in a professional capacity but also plays an important role in the larger Currier community. Reshuffling the staff may diminish the quality of service due to the disruption of a team dynamic that has developed over a long time as well as to the loss of the intangible benefits afforded by a strong relationship between the staff and the other members of the House community.

We understand the need to restructure staff positions in order to accommodate the university-wide changes in Dining Services; however, we believe that as the ultimate recipients of these services, our feedback should be taken into account in the decision-making process. We also urge you to carry out this process in a transparent, fair, and compassionate manner. It is our hope that, through a dialogue, we can come to a more equitable solution.