More than two dozen Tufts University janitors bowed their heads around a mop and bucket in front of the Saint Clement Parish alter during a prayer service Monday night.

During the service, the custodial staff received the blessings of Boston Archdiocese the Rev. James Flavin to resume their contract negotiations with Tuft’s contracted janitorial service provider — which have been on hold since a car fire and bomb threats rocked the university’s campus, May 9.

Flavin read scriptures from the bible describing the importance of laborers. Then janitors, union members and Somerville and Medford politicians in attendance placed white flowers into a pair of glass vases on the alter.

“We want to be clear that we do our work, we are working men and women and working families but we respect the university, we respect the students, we respect the president. We want to bargain in peace,” Paula Castillo, a Tufts dormitory housekeeper said through a translator. “We have all due respect for the president of the university and we hope that he would be respectful towards us as his workers and also towards the students.”

More at source: Sommerville Local 

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