FAIRBANKS undefined The University of Alaska Fairbanks is hiring a new contractor to handle janitorial work on campus, resulting in substantial savings but also about 90 layoffs in the months ahead.

UAF is set to accept a $2 million annual bid from Ohio-based GCA Services Group for a new three-year custodial contract, with options for a pair of one-year renewals. The company’s bid will replace work by ABM Alaska, which employs 76 custodians on campus, and roughly a dozen UAF employees.

Many of the existing employees should have an opportunity to apply for work with GCA in the next few weeks, according to Martin Klein, business manager at UAF’s facilities services department. A GCA spokesman couldn’t be reached on Wednesday to comment.

Klein said most of the transition will happen on Dec. 19, which is the first day of winter break at UAF. The work currently being done by UAF employees will shift to a GCA contract on Feb. 1.



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