Nova University’s year long fight against workers who worked to win a union intensified today as hundreds of workers at Nova who showed up to work today were turned away.

“We had hoped that the University and the contractors hired by them would respect the law, and the rights of the workers,” said SEIU 11 President Rob Schuler, “but trained, competent, workers with years of experience are being turned down for jobs they for no other reason except they spoke up for a better life and wanted to form a union.”

Tonight at 5:30 p.m. at the corner of 36th and University in Davie, the largest shift of workers will learn if they too have been laid off. Religious leaders, political leaders and community activists who have supported the workers in their year long campaign will be on site to talk with reporters about the situation.

The University announced that it was putting their facility management contracts out to bid and ending its decade long relationship with Unicco Services, after Unicco workers on campus voted to form a union.  The university replaced Unicco with nearly a dozen small contractors forcing the workers to reapply for their jobs with the new contractors.

Displaced workers will file suit with the NLRB against Nova Southeastern for trying to thwart the workers right to a union. While other Universities in South Florida have raised standards, wages and provided health insurance for the contract workers on campus, NSU has fought the workers on campus trying to secure living wages, health benefits and a voice on the job.

Janitors at NSU earn less and have fewer benefits than their co-workers at other South Florida universities, including the University of Miami and Florida International University. Janitors at NSU earn just over $7.00 per hour, far less than the county living wage of $11.48 per hour.  Providing health insurance and higher wages would only cost the University $1.1 million a year.