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Victory!

CSUMB Food Service Workers Ratify Contract

Submitted by Ian Mikusko on Sun, 05/08/2011 - 17:51
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Union workers at Cal State University Monterey Bay Food Services, members of UNITE HERE Local 483, approved a 5-year labor contract, which calls for $2.05 per hour in additional wages over the life of the agreement.  The union members voted May 5 at CSUMB with 96% approval. The contract covers 60 Sodexo employees, including cooks, cashiers, waiters, bartenders, baristas, utility and food service workers.

"I am very happy that we got fair pay increases, because it’s been so hard to get by in this down economy," said David Palacios, a 3-year CSUMB cook and member of the Local 483 negotiating committee.

The agreement, the first at CSUMB with UNITE HERE Local 483, includes annual wage increases averaging $.40 per hour over the course of the 5-year contract. Food service workers, for example, would see a 24% overall increase in their hourly wages from $8.65 to $10.70. The contract also increases company contributions to the employee health insurance and pension plans, among other benefit improvements.

Contract negotiations at CSUMB Food Services between the Union and Paris-based Sodexo began in August of last year. The new contract starts this past May 1, 2011 with the first wage increases applied retroactively to November 1, 2010.

"The key to winning this was the determination of these CSUMB workers. It’s their first contract with our union, and we are proud to have them on board," commented Local 483 Vice President, Hector Azpilcueta.

Click here to read the press release.

A Year of Victories!

Submitted by Kyle Schafer on Wed, 05/04/2011 - 12:35
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Two weeks ago, more than 140 campus dining workers at Loyola Marymount University (LMU) have won union representation, choosing to join UNITE HERE Local 11.

 
"I've worked at LMU for 6 years and am so proud to have been part of winning the union. I love taking care of the students here and it was great to have their support. The opportunity for better wages and benefits will mean a lot to our families," said Tina Jones, a cashier at the C-Lion store at Loyola Marymount University.
 
 
Campus dining workers at LMU, the largest Catholic university on the West Coast, are employees of the multinational food service company Sodexo. 
 
They are the latest group of campus dining workers to celebrate a victory with UNITE HERE in what has been a tremendous school year so far, especially at Catholic universities. Here’s a quick recap:

 

  • Just last month, workers at Georgetown University won union recognition. There have been a number of good stories about the community involvement in that victory. We posted links to two of them: here and here.
  • In April, Loyola Marymount is the third group of campus dining workers to win the union this month alone. Workers at Carleton University in Ottawa, Canada and at Stevenson University in Baltimore joined as well!
 
With this kind of momentum, we here at Stir It Up are excited about what the next school year holds. Stay tuned! Or better yet, get involved!
 
 

 

Catholic Social Teaching and Union Organizing

Submitted by Kyle Schafer on Thu, 04/14/2011 - 11:59
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There's another great article out about the organizing led by students, faculty, campus dining workers and UNITE HERE at Georgetown University.  This one, from America Magazine, notes that "for those familiar with union organizing, the relative civility of the campaign was notable. In large measure, this was because Georgetown took seriously its obligation to implement Catholic Social Teaching."

Check it out here: http://www.americamagazine.org/blog/entry.cfm?blog_id=2&entry_id=4105.

 

Stevenson University Cafeteria Workers Win Union

Submitted by Kyle Schafer on Mon, 04/11/2011 - 14:48
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Baltimore, MD--More than 60 campus dining workers at Stevenson University have won union representation, choosing to join UNITE HERE Local 7. Campus dining workers at the Maryland liberal arts university are employees of the multinational food service company Sodexo.

The campus dining workers at Stevenson won union representation with UNITE HERE Local 7 on Friday, April 8th and will now prepare to negotiate a first contract.

"I've worked at Stevenson for 4 years and am so happy to have been part of winning the union. Now we're ready to negotiate our first contract. The opportunity for better wages and benefits will mean a lot to our families," said Steven Golder, a cafeteria cook at Stevenson.

The Stevenson workers are the fifth group of cafeteria workers at a college or university to win union representation with UNITE HERE in the past 5 months.

With UNITE HERE, the Stevenson workers join the leading union of food service workers in North America, joining dining workers from over 100 campuses across the United States and Canada. In joining UNITE HERE Local 7, the Stevenson workers join campus food service workers at a number of other Maryland campuses including Johns Hopkins University, Coppin State University, and Morgan State University.

 

 

A Good Read!

Submitted by Kyle Schafer on Sat, 04/02/2011 - 16:57
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Here's a great piece about the combined efforts of students, faculty, campus dining workers and UNITE HERE at Georgetown University:

http://www.tnr.com/article/not-even-past/86091/labor-wisconsin-georgetown-protests

 

Dominican University Cafeteria Workers Win Union

Submitted by Kyle Schafer on Wed, 02/16/2011 - 14:49
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Approximately 30 campus dining workers at Dominican University have won union recognition from their employer, Chartwells, choosing to join UNITE HERE Local 1.

"I'm proud of the work we do, and I’m glad that Chartwells respected us and let me and my coworkers choose what we wanted. I support the union because we deserve a voice on the job. Now we will be able to negotiate for better wages and benefits that will move my family forward, and make life better for the workers that come after us," said Frank Studaway, a cook in the Dominican University dining halls.

Recently, a majority of Dominican campus dining workers, with support from Dominican faculty, students, and clergy asked Chartwells for a fair process to choose a union. The company agreed to a process and recognized UNITE HERE Local 1 on Thursday, February 10th.

Liesl Orenic, a history professor at Dominican, said, "We value community at Dominican, so it's exciting to see that honored by our food service vendor. Dominican's mission of creating a more just and humane world is strengthened when all members of the Dominican community, including dining service workers, have a voice."

Donna M. Carroll, President of Dominican University, added, "As a Catholic University, we believe strongly in the dignity of the human person and his or her right to free association, clear voice and a just wage. The Chartwells workers are part of the Dominican University community, and we care about the quality of their working life. I appreciate the forthright manner in which Chartwells management and UNITE HERE Local 1 are approaching this union organizing drive."

The Dominican University workers are the third group of cafeteria workers at a Catholic college or university to win union representation with UNITE HERE in the past three months. In November, over 200 dining workers at Loyola University Chicago joined UNITE HERE Local 1 and more than 50 dining workers at St. Peters College in Jersey City, NJ, joined UNITE HERE Local 100.

In joining UNITE HERE, the Dominican workers join the leading union of food service workers in North America, joining dining workers from over 100 campuses across the United States and Canada. In Chicago, the Dominican workers join dining workers at Loyola University and DePaul University who are also members of UNITE HERE Local 1. Campus dining workers at De Paul recently won a great new contract, which included significant improvements in wages and healthcare benefits as well as protections for immigrant workers. 

“All the News that’s Fit to Print”: CIW Victory Hits the Times

Submitted by Ian Mikusko on Mon, 01/24/2011 - 19:50
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Here at ‘the blog of record’ (Stir It Up), we’ve been covering the Coalition of Immokalee Workers,  Student Farmworker Alliance struggle for the past two years. Following our lead, no doubt, the New York Times recently published a story describing the huge CIW victory in their Campaign for Fair Food.
 
In the article, After Long Fight Farmworkers in Florida Win Increase in Pay, the New York Times describes the struggle:
 
After fighting for more than a decade for better wages, a group of Florida farmworkers has hashed out the final piece of an extraordinary agreement with local tomato growers and several big-name buyers, including the fast-food giants McDonald’s and Burger King, that will pay the pickers roughly a penny more for every pound of fruit they harvest.
 
The Times also cites the reaction of an expert:
Read more

St. Peter's College Cafeteria Workers Win Union

Submitted by Ian Mikusko on Tue, 11/23/2010 - 12:00
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More than 50 campus dining workers at St. Peter’s College have voted to unionize and join UNITE HERE Local 100. Campus dining workers at New Jersey’s only Jesuit, Catholic college are employees of the multinational food service company Sodexo.
 
The Sodexo workers at St. Peter’s voted on Monday, November 22nd to join UNITE HERE Local 100. The workers will now prepare to negotiate a first contract.
 
“I support the union because we deserve a voice on the job. Now we will be able to negotiate for better wages and benefits that will mean a lot to our families,” said Cleveland Williams, who has worked at St. Peter’s for 4 years.
 
Emily Martinez, a St. Peter’s cafeteria worker said, “To me, having a union means having fairness. St. Peter’s is a Catholic college and fairness and justice are values for everyone here. For me as a Catholic, I’m glad we were able to choose to form a union and make these values real.”
 
The St. Peter’s workers are the second group of cafeteria workers at a Catholic college or university to win union representation with UNITE HERE in the past week. On November 16th, over 200 dining workers at Loyola University Chicago joined UNITE HERE Local 1.
 
In joining UNITE HERE Local 100, the St. Peter’s workers join campus food service workers at fourteen other campuses including City University of New York, Manhattan College, New York Law School, Sarah Lawrence College, and the New School. With UNITE HERE Local 100, campus dining workers at New York-area university and college campuses have achieved contracts that improve wages, ensure a safe and humane workload, and get access to affordable family health care. 

Campus Dining Workers at Loyola University Chicago Win Union

Submitted by Kyle Schafer on Wed, 11/17/2010 - 14:03
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After months of organizing, over 200 campus dining workers at Loyola University Chicago have won union representation, choosing to join UNITE HERE Local 1.

"I feel blessed. A union means a better life for me and my family," said Janet Irving, a Loyola campus dining worker and member of the worker organizing committee that had been building support for the union at Loyola, one of the leading Catholic Jesuit universities in the nation.

In October, a majority of Loyola campus dining workers, with support from Loyola faculty, students, and clergy approached the employer about a fair process to choose a union. The company agreed to a process and recognized UNITE HERE Local 1 on Tuesday, November 16th.

The campus dining workforce at Loyola comes from all over the world, with 16 different countries of origin. Many dining workers at Loyola have served the student and faculty community for decades.

With UNITE HERE, the Loyola workers join the leading union of food service workers in North America, joining dining workers from over 100 campuses across the United States and Canada. In Chicago, the Loyola workers join dining workers at DePaul University who are also members of UNITE HERE Local 1 and recently won a great new contract, which included significant improvements in wages and healthcare benefits as well as protections for immigrant workers.

The worker organizing committee at Loyola will enter into contract negotiations with their employer in the coming months. For now, they are celebrating. "I love taking care of the students in the dining halls, and I feel great that now I will get to do it as a union member," Loyola dining service worker Eva Rangel said.

 

Dining Workers Win Fair Process to Choose Union at Loyola University Chicago

Submitted by Kyle Schafer on Wed, 11/03/2010 - 12:07
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Campus dining workers at the Loyola University Chicago, one of the premier Catholic, Jesuit universities in the country, are celebrating today. Their employer has agreed to a fair process for its employees at Loyola to choose whether to join a union. On October 13, campus dining workers at the school approached their managers asking for exactly that.
 
“We are thrilled that the company has chosen to respect us and listen to our concerns,” said Eva Rangel, a member of the worker organizing committee that has been building support for a union at Loyola. “This fair process will ensure my coworkers are not afraid to choose to support a union here.”
 
On October 20, members of the Loyola community had shown their support and appreciation for the workers’ service at a special blessing of the workers at St. Gertrude’s Church near campus.
 
The campus dining workforce at Loyola comes from all over the world, with 16 different countries of origin. There are over 190 workers total.
 
The worker organizing committee at Loyola has been consulting with UNITE HERE, the leading union of food service workers in the United States.

 

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