A lot of people make a university run, but many of those people are invisible to the students they serve. The janitors, maintenance workers, and food-service employees who keep dorms clean, buildings open, and dining halls operating can be so behind-the-scenes that students don’t think about them. (Of course, the self-absorption of youth contributes to that problem, too.) In her story about a labor dispute between food-service employees and Georgetown University, Manuela Tobias interviews representatives from both sides and conveys the workers’ frustration and management’s reasoning. Through thorough research and reporting, Tobias contextualizes workers’ dissatisfaction with the university and even their union while explaining the costs and contracts from the university’s point of view. It’s a labor story with a heart.
The Grievance List: Our College Pick
Get the Longreads Weekly Email