John,

Every night, overnight, I work, mostly working alone, and those moments alone give me a ton of time to think. I’m a housekeeper for Duke University, one of the wealthiest universities in the country, with an approximately $12 BILLION endowment. But I make $18/hr. Barely enough to survive on. 

Workers are demanding better from universities like Duke —> Join us!

While I’m cleaning offices, refilling supplies, mopping floors, and sanitizing bathrooms, I think about the people of Durham, many of them Black and brown workers like me who have called this city home for most of our lives. 

Do they wrestle with how long they’ll need to save up for a car? Do they have to split rent with a family member like I do? Are they wondering why so many of us are struggling while one of the largest institutions in our city continues to thrive?

Duke is the second-largest employer in the state of North Carolina. Duke’s university and hospital systems are world-renowned for their rigor and research. Duke should be a model employer for the community it relies on. 

Instead, Duke recently announced cuts to jobs, even though it hasn't been singled out for funding cuts like some other universities. Why? To protect its own financial interests. 

What about the financial interests of the people Duke employs or the fate of the community at large? FIGHT BACK WITH ME >>

Duke has a chance to lead and set an example for other universities by having a fair, mutually beneficial relationship with the city in which it stands. They have a chance to do what’s right and push back against extremism. They have a chance to pay us a fair wage of at least $25/hr. 

Stand with workers, sign this petition and demand that Duke University invest in the community of Durham, NC!

In solidarity,

Nashon Blount
Duke University Housekeeper
Durham, North Carolina
Fight for a Union & Union of Southern Service Workers (USSW)