The giant inflatable rat at the intersection of Ithan and Lancaster is familiar to many students on campus. By this point, The Villanovan’s articles about it have become common, too. This is the latest of several articles written by students urging the University to do the same thing: please use union labor.
Although it’s not obvious, the rat (or Scabby) is a protest by union workers to raise awareness of Villanova using non-union labor in construction. Unions provide workers with the ability to negotiate in ways that an individual could not. As one of my bosses once said, a union is like your brother you run to after you’ve been beaten up on the playground.
Unions have been historically important in getting workers higher wages, better benefits, safer working conditions and improved quality of life. Unfortunately, the power of unions has waned over time, allowing workers to be exploited.
Unfortunately, despite the workers’ protest and repeated requests by students, Villanova refuses to change its policies.
The University said this in a statement:
“The University uses a competitive bidding process when selecting the best partner for construction projects which encourages participation from union contractors and sub-contractors. We seek to work with the most qualified contactors across several areas, including experience, training, and safety record in addition to financial considerations. Villanova has a responsibility to manage financial resources and make decisions that are in the best interest of the University and reflect a commitment to our Augustinian Catholic mission and values.”
Augustinian Catholic mission and values, indeed. As previous articles about non-union labor have discussed, Villanova constantly stresses unitas, veritas and caritas. It’s emblazoned on our school logo, embroidered on merch, and dropped during almost every speech.
And yet Villanova is failing to live up to these ideals. “Financial considerations” should never trump our commitment to creating a high quality work environment and paying fair wages. This is not to say that the contractors Villanova employs fail to uphold these principles, only that choosing non-union workers raises the possibility of exploitation without consequences and weakens unions in general.
We were unable to reach the protestors for comment, but we wanted to highlight the sign beside Scabby that reads: “Shame on Villanova.”
This is a tumultuous time in our nation. Many institutions are under attack by those who would impose their will, constitutionally or otherwise. It’s time for Villanova to reflect on what its legacy will be. Yes, non-union contractors and attacks on DEI from the administration are different issues, but Villanova’s response to both will hinge on the same thing: how committed Villanovans are to their ideals. Will we follow in the example of Georgetown, proudly standing by its Jesuit and Catholic values, refusing to cave to nefarious forces? I would only hope so, but our hypocrisy is cause enough for worry.
