After nearly ten months of working without a contract, Physical Plant employees continue to protest the negotiating delay. On Wednesday, President Michael Roth, the University’s negotiating committee and representatives of Physical Plant’s union, the Office and Professional Employees’ International Union (OPEIU), will meet to discuss numbers.

“If Wednesday doesn’t go well, it doesn’t look good,” said Dean Canalia, a member of the union’s bargaining committee.

Roth maintains that the negotiations are an issue of great concern to the University’s administration.

“I think there have been some misunderstandings over the course of the negotiations,” he explained.

Roth first met with the University’s negotiating committee last Friday.

“It’s been handled within the department, which I guess is the way it has usually been done,” Roth said. “I did ask to meet with the negotiating team myself because I’m not satisfied with the progress we’ve made. I don’t like the fact that the people who have worked here for a long time are unhappy with how we’ve negotiated.”

Roth said that the University must find a balance between the amount Physical Plant employees demand and the amount the University can allocate.

“They’re asking for what they think they need, we’re saying what we think we can spend, and you come to an agreement because everybody compromises a little,” Roth said. “We should be paying more than the average employer, and I want us to have benefits that are better than the average job. I don’t think Wesleyan should save money at the expense of those who have the lowest salaries.”

Canalia thinks that the University has enough money to give Physical Plant employees the better raise and benefits they are requesting.

“They talk about not having the money and whatever they need money for, they’ve sure taken it from Physical Plant,” he said. “I’ve been here for nine years and I’ve watched the department regress.”

According to Canalia, in the last ten years the number of Physical Plant employees has been cut from 81 to 61, but during that time the University has acquired many new properties. Therefore, Physical Plant employees are now responsible for more maintenance and repairs.

In response to the University administration’s allegations that the union representatives did not accurately portray the needs of the Physical Plant workers, Canalia expressed that the University’s negotiating committee was too closed-minded.

“The representatives couldn’t get anywhere with the negotiating committee they were up against,” he said.

Canalia noted that workers will continue to take action until their voices are heard.

“We want to make sure they understand that we’re done with sitting back and waiting,” he said. “We’ve sat back for ten months and it got us nowhere.”