The Jumbo Janitor Alliance will hold a post-Valentine's Day event today to raise awareness among students about janitors at Tufts.
The Valentine's Day event will take place at 2:55 p.m. outside of Tilton Hall, and will consist of a quick gathering of students and janitors. The alliance will distribute cards and cookies.
"We are going to just say 'hi' and let them know we care," said sophomore Max Goldman, the group's secretary and treasurer.
"Our goal is to create more of a community between students and janitors and change the perception of them as an outside contracted worker ... to a dedicated member of the Tufts community," said junior Kevin Dillon, the alliance's co-chair and founder.
The event will last about 15 minutes. The alliance could not hold a longer party because of recent resistance from ABM Industries, Inc., the corporation taking over OneSource, Dillon said. OneSource is the company that provides janitorial services to Tufts.
"Letting 40 or 50 workers meet with us is costing the company that provides the service ... They are trying to cut losses so they need the workers to work when they are paying them," said Dillon.
The alliance has a good relationship with management and is cooperating with these policies, but the students will have less time to interact with the janitors than they would like.
"We are going to be meeting with them, but it will be very different from our usual events in the past and hopefully our events in the future," said sophomore Emma Mayerson, a co-chair of the alliance.
According to Dillon, not all of the 140 janitors at Tufts will be able to attend, since many will be on duty or working other jobs.
The alliance is working to come up with ideas on how to hold longer meetings in the future.
One possibility is making the meeting times early in the morning, before the janitors begin their shifts. "I don't see any problems with that," said Dillon. By meeting with the janitors when they are off-duty, the alliance would hopefully avoid any conflict.
The alliance is planning a clean-up event where students help the janitors clean the dorms.
"When you have a fellow student cleaning up after yourself in your dorm, it would help reinforce personal responsibility," said Dillon.
Dillon said that despite the setbacks for the Valentine's Day gathering, the janitors are happy to attend the Valentine's Day event. "They definitely have a positive feel for the students at Tufts ... they are glad there is a group of more awareness and appreciation for what they do."
Mayerson added that the opportunity to meet and chat as friends is a great experience for both the students and the janitors.
"An event gives you a time where you can sit down on the same couch and actually get to know them as people," she said.
The alliance was recognized as an official is a student organization last semester.
