MIT Management Sends Grandmother Packing

Maria Colceriu, a mother and grandmother, cleaned MIT’s dormitories for several years until January, when MIT management abruptly told Acme Pioneer to lay her off. The housing budget and workload in the buildings remained constant, and there was no evident reason for management to take away Ms. Colceriu’s job, salary, and health insurance. Local 615 representatives met with MIT’s housing manager of SidneyPacific, Jack Ahern, and he reported that management simply decided she was no longer needed. Nobody else in management, including Karen Neilson and Dennis Collins objected to the devastating injustice.

SEIU Local 615 has since confirmed that Acme Pioneer will place Ms. Colceriu at another location, but she will have to take a pay cut and work a different shift. MIT needs to realize that every job is important, both to the Institution and to the workers.