On February 14, students and organizers came together to support the dining services staff on campus by passing out candy Valentine?s Day hearts to workers and students that read “Fair Pay for Wrkrs” and “We Luv Dining Staff”.This action came about because some of the dining staff, who are contracted to the campus through Aramark Dining Services, wanted to form a union. They want to do this so that they can have equal say about issues such as health care and salary.
One of the organizers of this Valentine?s Day action, Ryan Nissim-Sabat, said that the workers are just beginning to come together. They want to form a union without interference from Aramark. Nissim-Sabat said that the workers who have started to come together are doing so to “level the playing field” and to “get a seat at the table” with Aramark and the decisions that are made to their contracts. The workers want to be able to have a say in issues that are pertinent to their well-being.
Student organizer Reena Desai, who helped get students involved with this action, said shegot involved herself through Jobs for Justice, a group that brings labor and the community together. She said that she and Jobs for Justice both want to bring “solidarity for workers and students.”
Desai also said that because the dining staff is in the beginning stages of organizing a union,it could be a very stressful time for them and that they may see resistance from their employers.
That is why she feels it is important to get students involved and for them to be supportive of the union efforts.
Nissim-Sabat said that the Aramark dining staff is looking for a card check process, which would bring neutrality among the workers and Aramark. The dining staff wants to be respected by Aramark and have a say in the workplace, which many feel they don?t have now. West Chester student Bridget Mulrooney was eager to support the dining staff. She said, “I want to help support them because I think they work really hard.”
West Chester student and activist Brian Fanelli was also very eager and willing to take part. He said that most of the workers who he gave the candy hearts to were both pleasant and appreciative. “I think they just like knowing that students on campus do appreciate their hard work and believe that they deserve the proper benefits and salaries,” he said.
Fanelli continued, “I hope we encouraged the workers to voice their opinions concerning Aramark.” He said that union awareness, activism and talks with the workers need to take place more than just once. “I think that all students should let the dining service know that we appreciate them and the work they do, and that we believe they deserve fair wages and good health benefits,” he said.
Aramark dining staffs on other Pennsylvania college campuses have also begun to discuss forming a union. Widener University and Neumann College have also been working to unite students and workers.
Aramark is a large dining services company that has contracts with colleges and universities nation wide. They serve more than 350 colleges in the United States alone. On Aramark?s Web site they describe themselves as “a company where the best people want to work” and also say “[Aramark?s] success [is] measured in the growth of our company, its earnings, and ourselves.”
However, not all Aramark workers agree and want a chance to have their voices heard.
According to Nissim-Sabat, the decision to form a union is a workers right and Aramark workers should be allowed to do so without interference.
Both Desai and Nissim-Sabat want to see continued support by students on campus in the dining staff?s efforts to form a union.