Regarding the Letter to the Editor by Donna Bromeling entitled "Custodial staff deserves fair treatment" (Dec. 4), I fully support the call for working together with the Campus Labor Action Project (CLAP) here at Notre Dame. At a recent prayer service with students and workers, members of CLAP, we listened to a reading from Isaiah that reminds us God has not given us a spirit of fear. Workers, we do not need to be afraid. We need to stand together on the issue of fair treatment. We have people who are working with us to make change at this university. But we need to understand that nothing can change with a mentality that nothing will change.
At another recent meeting with members of the Campus Labor Action Project, I was disappointed with the number of workers compared to students that were ready to fight for change. But I am hopeful that people are willing to speak out. We all have to stand together - workers, students, faculty, alumni and community members - to enrich the lives of every person who works at the university. We have not been given a spirit of fear, but rather of power. We must use that power and raise our voices for fair treatment.
I encourage my fellow workers to use the voice that God has given us to speak on the issues that affect all of us here as Notre Dame. This is a great institution, as Donna said, but it will be so much better when we are the community that we proclaim to be.
I hope and pray that one day we will all benefit from this wonderful place. I call on my fellow workers to talk together, to speak out for the community to hear, and to join the continued efforts of the Campus Labor Action Project. To find out more information, please check out the web site at www.campuslaboractionproject.org
Denise McEwen
Building Services staff
Dec. 5
