For the past two years, 24-year-old Che’ Stuart starts his shifts at the University of Oregon Erb Memorial Union at 7 a.m. He grabs his custodial cart located on the Mezzanine floor and begins his eight-hour shift.
His mornings start by cleaning the offices located past the “O” desk, bathrooms, vacuuming floors and taking out the trash from the outside bins.
After his lunch break, Stuart continues his custodial responsibilities of wiping down tables and windows, taking out more trash and checking the bathrooms.
“It’s a structured process,” Stuart said. “You’re not focused on the time too much as far as the set of list of things to do.”
To Stuart, cleaning the windows and bathrooms are a few tasks that he believes may go unnoticed.
“I want to think that people notice when I clean the bathrooms,” Stuart said. “I think they do.”
Although custodial work was not Stuart’s “first choice,” Stuart took the job for its “benefits.”
According to Stuart, some of the benefits include health care and consistent work hours.
Stuart is part of the Service Employees International Union Local 503, which he said is a reason for the protections and benefits.
Aside from being exposed to chemicals through the cleaning supplies, Stuart said he is “very thankful” for the custodial job because he does not have to work outdoors or lift heavy items, unlike some of his friends.
“(It’s a) safe workplace,” Stuart said.
Outside of work, Stuart enjoys a structured life of working out and Kung Fu. If he is not taking care of his sibling with disabilities, he volunteers at the Grassroots Gardens, plays the flute and enjoys a life of going to shows and dancing.
Additionally, Sturart said he likes to “progress in his life.”
“Being very poor (and) having a brother with disabilities, I really kind of have to work hard to hopefully have a better quality of life one day,” Stuart said.
To Stuart, custodial work can be an underrepresented job because “people shy away from that work.”
“It’s somewhat embarrassing to people when they make messes or they don’t want to acknowledge that people care about them to a certain extent,” Stuart said. “As a class worker, (a) custodial position is something that people don’t want to deal with.”
