MEMPHIS, Tenn. — A union that represents more than 2,200 college and university employees wants fairness and safety.
The say the only fair and safe way for their employees to deal with COVID-19 is to keep students out of the classroom and behind a computer terminal.
The United Campus Workers held a virtual (by computer) statewide news conference where employees said COVID-19 has them afraid.
Javaris Blakely of the University of Memphis says, “It’s not safe. We have people on campus who aren’t supposed to be on campus. We have folks walking around with no masks.”
“We all want to open up,” says Tennessee State Representative Gloria Johnson (D) Knoxville. “We want to be back at school. But we can’t do it at the risk of health and lives. So, we need to utilize the resources we have to make sure everyone is going back safely.”
Union officials want all online classes only. They want custodians and some others to get hazard pay.
University of Memphis employee Edward Roe says, in the meantime, “We’re just kind of left in the unknown going back to campus. It’s very anxiety inducing, just going back and not knowing anything that’s going on.”
University officials did not return our calls. They are expected to make a big decision on the future of how they’ll conduct classes on September 17th.
