Baltimore's recent riots have highlighted the sad state of the local economy. In the past Baltimore had many good paying manufacturing jobs that provided a decent income for many families. Those jobs are mostly gone.
Johns Hopkins has become the dominant private employer in Baltimore. Hopkins has used its tax exempt status to expand to several campuses.
We have been hearing how Baltimore is deeply divided between those who enjoy a healthy and prosperous lifestyle and those who have suffered years of neglect and are barely able to survive. Like Baltimore, Hopkins is a divided institution.
Hopkins professionals and administrators are paid a fair salary and enjoy other benefits of employment. Lower-level employees at Hopkins don't fare nearly as well, however. They are not paid a living wage and some are forced to work limited hours so that Hopkins can avoid paying benefits.
In recent years Hopkins has been making some progress in community outreach, but much more needs to be done, starting with how it compensates its employees. The fact that Hopkins devalues the labor of a significant number of their employees causes a negative ripple effect in the local and regional economy.
The leaders of Hopkins have ceded responsibility to their lawyers and bean counters, who have established, maintained and fine-tuned a system of employee exploitation and economic injustice.
Can Hopkins be trusted to do the right thing? It will take significant community pressure for Hopkins to develop a new business model. Corporate board members as well as donors need to force Hopkins to stop playing hardball and to treat our fellow citizens with respect and justice.
Hopkins has worked hard to achieve many medical and academic honors. Now it needs to work equally hard to become a good neighbor to the citizens of Baltimore.
Edward McCarey McDonnell, Baltimore