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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!
 
 

 

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. 

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.

 

Reflections on the Stir It Up conference

Submitted by Kyle Schafer on Mon, 11/16/2009 - 15:08
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I know we’ve already told you that the inaugural Stir It Up conference in Chicago was a huge success, but I’m sure all of you in the Stir It Up world want to know a bit more than that! 

The busy 5-hour day included introductions to the campus food service industry, Unite Here and the Student/Farmworker Alliance. Attendees heard from a panel of students who already have done great work around their campus food service providers as well as an incredibly moving panel of Unite Here Local 1 members who are fighting to improve their lives. The day ended with trainings on organizing and strategic campaign planning, giving students more of the skills they need to build power and make a difference on their campuses.
 
The hard work of the DePaul students who hosted the event and the other students from across the city who organized their peers to attend is still paying off. In the days following the conference, students and workers from the different campuses have begun to become friends on Facebook and are building the kinds of connections that will change campus food service for the better. 
 
If for some reason you still don’t believe our “huge success” claim, though, take a look at what the conference attendees have to say about the day’s events:
 
“Hearing how the students really wanted to help the workers out made me feel invigorated with a new sense of determination. The Coalition of Immokalee Workers presentation really made me think about the connection between us making the food and the workers who make everything we do in the kitchen possible.” – Alan Camacho, food service worker, DePaul University (See Alan’s full reflection here.)
 
“At the conference I got a chance to meet workers, fellow students and organizers on equal footing and build real relationships that shows me that my work is part of something bigger. Going back my campus I have a renewed sense that I'm not alone, and that together we can win." – Luis Brennan, student, University of Chicago. (See Luis’s full reflection here.)
 
“It felt really good to get things off my chest about my working environment. I was very pleased at how the students actually cared and listened to what the employees had to say. … The conference with the students was one the best times of this year.” – Chanteen Hardway, food service worker, DePaul University. (See Chanteen’s full reflection here.)
 
“The general sentiment was intimacy, a real sense of responsibility and commitment to one another as human beings. Our struggles are just as much our own as they are everyone's. I was both humbled and engaged by the workers' testimonies, and look forward to deepening my relationship with this community, and committing myself more fully to the union..” - Abbey Schumacher, student, DePaul University. (See Abbey’s full reflection here.)
 
“The turnout by itself was remarkable and inspiring, but the key thing for me to experience was dialogue with students – sharing my personal experiences and listening to their responses, it was supremely awesome to realize the mutual concern.” -- Ana Prillaman, barista, DePaul University. (See Ana’s full reflection here.)
 
“I left feeling great to know that these people understood what we are going through and are willing to do all that they can to help us.” – Nathan Arnold, food service worker, DePaul University. (See Nathan’s full reflection here.)
 
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