The University of Texas at Arlington maintenance staff has turned to team cleaning in order to cut dramatically increasing energy costs. The staff needed to cut $600,000 in physical plant expenses just to keep up with rising costs. Public and private schools are some of the hardest hit by surging oil prices, as their budgets are usually set in the previous year by elected bodies. By moving custodial teams from floor to floor, turning lights off as they go, the department figures it can cut lighting costs in half.
UTA Executive Housekeeper Jim Brewer says he also uses products that will save labor costs, such as a floor finish that will last for two years instead of one that costs half as much but must be replaced every two months.
The University of Texas’ student newspaper wants an end to team cleaning, calling it an “insulting practice.” The campus custodial workforce has been reduced while the number of students and buildings has increased. The outcry of the students reflects growing union influence and student empathy for college campus custodians across the US.
Some training firms, such as Utah-based ManageMen, offer training to help organizations make the transition from zone cleaning (assigning areas to workers) to team cleaning (assigning specific tasks). More information on team cleaning, as well as attacks on team cleaning by labor organizations, will be featured in the January issue of Cleaning & Maintenance Management.
Based on a report from Cleaning and Maintenance Management online
