From lucem aspicio to the neoliberal shadow: cleaning services outsourcing at the University of Costa Rica

Abstract

Introduction: Changing universities into for profit corporations has taken them to outsourcing as a way to reduce expending

Objectives: This article tries to understand the way in which outsourcing, as a «third space»or «middle space» is built by workers hired by Servicio de Limpieza a su Medida S.A (SELIME), at the University of Costa Rica (UCR). It also describes how these persons experience precarious labor, which is established by contracts, norms and practices between private and public spheres.

Method and technique: Our research is based on participant observation, analysis of five minutes of sessions from the Consejo Universitario, nine in depth interviews with cleaning workers, and an interview with the personnel from the Oficina de Servicios Contratados. The interviews focus on the categories working conditions and labor environment. Another interview with the working team from the Vicerrectoría de Administración that is analyzing outsourcing at UCR focused on outsourcing policies and bidding processes at the University.

Results: We analyze the way in which a bicephalous and ambiguous structure of precarious forms creates hierarches and affect the bodies of people dedicated to cleaning work as they occupy the bottom step of a normed but arbitrary and hostile organization, especially in the context of the Covid-19 pandemic.

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