Comments on: Porter shortage sparks crisis

By: pat gilbert

pat gilbert — Fri, 09 Feb 2007 18:08:33 +0000

i am both a student and a parent and am horrified that the welfare of students would come second to costs, its the reason york is so popular, its a safe place to be in comparison to other uni citys. safety was a selling point when i selected york because the porter system was impressive, i can only say i am discusted and will think carefully about my sons safety when selecting his uni place.

By: Rachel Moss

Rachel Moss — Fri, 09 Feb 2007 10:34:47 +0000

This whole situation leaves me sad and angry. I do not work on campus that often, but the situation has affected me, as our porters at King’s Manor were included in these changes. This was ridiculous, as King’s Manor operates in a very different way to campus, and because our porters had been with us for so long and knew a lot of the students and staff, which was great for security. Because of these changes, two of our long-serving porters - twenty years! - decided to retire, which was very sad. It is simply inappropriate to make such massive changes to working conditions. Our porters already work unsociable hours; asking them to work 12 hour shifts on top of that is ridiculous.

This is another example of the University’s ridiculous “cost-cutting” measures that may save cash, but at what cost? I am a realist, and have accepted that uni admin are not that interested in our welfare when money is at stake - but you would think they might be interested in what kind of public impression this gives, especially since 24 portering is a selling point of the university!

By: Jack Chen

Jack Chen — Sat, 03 Feb 2007 16:32:39 +0000

I am surprised to find out that Nouse’s rival, York Vision is yet to properly address our concerns on the recently shut-down of many college receptions. I could find was a short article on page 2, entitled “Croker: 24 hour portering must stay” on the latest issue, which is far from enough.

From the very beginning of this term, the University admin team, in the name of lack of staff, has shut down several colleges’ receptions with a promise of reopening them from after the Easter Vacation. But recent development clearly shows that their real intention is to test our reaction by ’slicing the sausage’. Shall we remain silent on this matter, I am worried that the reopening in April will merely be a lip service, the shut-downs might end up permanently and further reduce of facilities will be followed.

I believe most of us would share the same feeling with me that porters are important to our security and welfare, more importantly, it’s a facility that promised in the prospecters before we made up our minds to apply for a degree course in this so-call ‘collegiate university’, and how come we end up in a college without reception? There is no way that the university admin team can simply take it away without an agreement with us.

Please can both student newspapers in this university have a proper response to this matter?

Finally, let me say this very clearly, if we can’t change their mind, we shall consdier to change them.

Jack Chen
PhD student
Dept of Social Policy & Social Work