It happened so fast. Forty good-paying jobs with benefits vanished Monday night when the Howell school board voted 6-0 to get rid of its custodians. With another 6-0 vote, the board hired a private company to do the job, supposedly at lower cost.
Grand Rapids Building Services Inc. got the contract, according to the Livingston Press & Argus story. But the story doesn't say if there were other companies considered. Did the board take bids at some point in the past? If so, was Grand Rapids Building Services Inc. the low bidder? If the board didn't take bids, why didn't it? Apparently, the board thought it was fair that Howell custodians had to compete with a private company but the private company didn't have to compete with other private companies.
The company is in the business of busting school district custodial unions all across the state. The Press & Argus didn't make much of an effort to find out how the company does in other districts, but the Midland newspaper had this interesting tidbit: "Turnover is higher than MPS (Midland Public Schools): 10 to 15 percent for full-time GRBS staff compared with 5 to 7 percent for the district."
How great can service be with that kind of turn over?
In presentations to other school boards, company vice president Karin Wysocki has made a point of saying that the company hires local people. Sounds like it is constantly hiring to keep filling the vacancies.
A comforting thought for parents of Howell school children, I'm sure.
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