Staff and contract workers deserve time to vote

As a Jesuit university with a focus on social justice, it is our job to take part in the upcoming election by voting and encouraging others to do the same. There’s a lot on the line in this election, from a national response to a  global pandemic, not to mention the health of the globe itself,  to the rights of women and the lives of Black and brown Americans. 

But in order for people to exercise their right to vote, they must also be able to access that right, and there are significant barriers to voting in our country when it comes to voting access. 

Historically, the most vulnerable communities — Black and brown and low-income communities — are consistently subjected to systemic voter suppression. 

Not being able to take off from work is one of the factors that affects someone’s ability to vote. Since Election Day is not a national holiday, Americans are often forced to decide between going to work or voting. This turns voting into a classist act. Those on a yearly salary, those who don’t have to worry about missing a day of work or those who have regular or  flexible hours, are more easily able to vote than those not in that position. 

This is a prime example of voter suppression. So is the reduction in the number of  polling places, causing some Americans to have to wait in long lines for hours to vote — and putting more vulnerable workers in the position of having to decide between a job and their vote. 

We applaud students who lobbied the university for a day off so that students could vote, including SJUPride, which gathered over 500 signatures for its petition that was presented to university administration. 

In a recent email from the provost, it was made clear, however, there is no room in the academic schedule to suspend classes on Election Day. Instructors are instead being urged to be flexible regarding students who may need to miss class to vote. 

While we appreciate instructors who will be flexible, as well as supervisors of student employees and work study students, and while we encourage students to do whatever it takes to vote, it is not students who most concern us. It is St. Joe’s staff and workers, many of whom come from marginalized and underrepresented communities. If anyone needs flexibility, and a day off, it is them. We strongly urge the university to consider granting staff and contract workers paid time off so they can have the option to vote in person.

While the services those staff members provide are crucial for students living on campus, granting them time off to vote would not significantly disrupt campus. We will gratefully bear any minor inconveniences to support our workers and to take a stand against voter suppression in our own community. 

Our Jesuit values are heavily rooted in social justice, and the university should work towards standing up for the rights of all its workers. We are taught in Theology 154 the importance of participating politically, which is one of Catholicism’s social teachings. The university must hold true to these teachings if it’s going to encourage us to do the same. And holding true means taking action to support the most vulnerable among us. 

—The Editorial Board