Eighty-six University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh food service workers are fighting back against what they claim are union-busting tactics by Sodexho Marriott. The workers are also targeting the university. Call Chancellor Richard H. Wells at (920) 424-0200 or email him at wel...@uwosh.edu to voice your opinion. See www.eyeonsodexho.org for more info.

June 27, 2001
The UWM Post
Milwaukee, WI
(414) 229-4578
www.uwmpost.com

UW-Oshkosh food service workers charge
Sodexo Marriott with union-busting

By Bryan G. Pfeifer

Oshkosh -- “We’re fighting for our lives here.”

This declaration by Mary Anderson is the sentiment of 86 University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh food service workers as they fight to save their 30-year-old union at the third largest UW System campus.

Anderson, Secretary/Treasurer of Hotel Employees and Restaurants Union Local 414, and her co-workers-90 percent of whom are women-, claim that the campus’ new food service contract with the $4.6 billion Maryland-based Sodexo Marriott will end with job cuts, lower wages, inferior benefits and a busted union.

Sodexo has a long history of anti-union practices and financial ties to the private prison industry according to the HERE website (www.eyesonsodexo.org.) The UWO workers also have their own website, www.geocities.com/richuwo/index.html, which makes similar claims. Also, over the past year, students at over 50 universities worldwide have targeted the corporation for its ties to private prisons according to Not with Our Money, a campaign of the New York-based Prison Moratorium Project.

In early July, Sodexho will take over management of UWO’s campus food services, which is responsible for feeding 11,000 students daily during the school year, catering, and other services. The corporation has contracts with 60 universities and colleges in Canada and more than 500 in the United States.

When Sodexo won its three-year food service contract over Chartwells, the former subcontractor earlier this year, Sodexo told employees that seniority gained with previous employers would not be honored, and neither would existing labor contracts. The university opened the food service management job to other corporations because Chartwells planned on increasing prices but not improving services, said Elliott Garb, UWO assistant chancellor for student affairs.

During the week of June 17, Sodexo interviewed all 86 employees and this week will be calling for second interviews. Despite this the workers continue to fight for their union soliciting support from HERE international, students and the community. And they are putting pressure on the university administration to order Sodexho to honor the union.

“We're like a family,” said Laatsch. “We treat the professors and the students like they are part of our own families. And now this outside company is threatening to break us apart. The university needs to step in and prevent Sodexho Marriott from steamrolling over us and bringing discord into the UWO community.”

“Most of the workers have been here for 10 years. We’ve never had an employer honor an existing contract,” continued Laatch. “We’ve got single moms and (mentally challenged) workers who need good health insurance and a steady wage. I don’t think that’s going to happen with this company.”

Students support the workers according to Brian Krieck, UWO senior and ROTC member.

“I think you could go around and ask every student here on campus and they’d probably give you the same reaction. I don’t think anybody would appreciate big business taking their jobs and giving it to cheap labor. Especially when you’ve got the tight knit campus that we’ve got here,” said Krieck.

“A lot of the faces you see everyday. It’s part of a big community,” continued Krieck. “You get to see these people. It’d really be terrible to see them go. Especially being replaced under the circumstances that they are. I’m sure anybody could relate to their situation and wouldn’t want to see them go.”

Workers were satisfied with their previous wages and benefits with Chartwells, which offered premium health insurance through Network Health Plan and a top hourly wage of $10.41, said Laatch.

In a letter to Laatch, David L. Bradford, senior director of labor relations at Sodexo, the corporation will rehire “significantly less” employees than Chartwells and it “will establish its own initial terms of employment, which will be significantly different than those in the current [union contract.]”

Sodexo claims if 51 percent of the new hires are union members it will recognize the union and will start negotiations on a new contract. The corporation says it will offer a similar wage and benefits package but the structure will be different.

Sodexo is offering health insurance through Blue Cross Blue Shield, wages between $9 and $11 an hour, and dental insurance, a benefit the workers didn’t have previously. But Laatch said that the corporation refused to tell workers what future wages and insurance costs would be when interviewed.

The university claims it is closely monitoring the situation.

“While we are not a party to the collective bargaining agreement governing Sodexho Marriott’s new workforce, we seek to build a sense of community within UW-Oshkosh,” wrote Garb in a letter to Laatch.

“On this basis, we are very sensitive to the labor-relations issues that involve parties that provide services to us,” said Garb.

HERE doesn’t believe Sodexo when it talks of treating the workers fairly.
“The company has a long history of hostility to unions and on several occasions has been found by administrative law judges to have violated workers' rights,” said HERE in a statement regarding the UWO workers.

“Last year, the company was forced into a nationwide settlement with the General Counsel of the National Labor Relations Board to remove illegal work rules in the company's employee handbook. The illegal rules restricted workers’ rights to talk among themselves about their working conditions,” claims HERE.

HERE, PMP, and others are also disturbed by Sodexo’s ties to private prisons.
Recently, three universities - DePaul, American and Oberlin - decided not to renew their contracts with Sodexho in part because of concerns raised by students regarding this, labor and other concerns.

Besides the above Sodexo has:

*Had 48 civil rights and discrimination lawsuits filed against the company since March 1998 including a class-action lawsuit filed by lead plaintiff Cynthia Carter-McReynolds March 9, 2001.

According to The Washington Post, “The suit, whose main plaintiffs worked in the Washington area, alleges that Black employees at Sodexho were denied promotions unfairly and were paid less than white employees of the same positions and qualifications. It asks that the company be forced to make major diversity reforms, as well as for unspecified monetary damages.”

*Has 90,000 workers, 12,000 of which are union. HERE claims this is testimony to the anti-union climate of Sodexo.

*Has received 39 citations in 36 inspections from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) since March 1998.

*Was forced by the National Labor Relations Board to stop using a “Union Avoidance Manual.” Among other directives, it stated managers should: prevent workers from distributing union literature during working time or from using company-controlled bulletin boards; hold captive audience meetings where managers denounce unions; prevent union organizers from gaining access to the premises; produce anti-union propaganda; and persuade workers to vote against the union in NLRB elections

The UWO workers are backing their union.

“For some of us women this is our only income. We don’t have child support. We don’t have husbands at home. It’s going to be really difficult if the new company decides not to rehire us or at lower pay or lower insurance,” said Beth Fowler who has worked at UWO for 3 years.

“One of the reasons I work is for the insurance we have now and they just want to totally ignore what we have and give us less. I’m not willing to work for less.”

Tina Fuhrman, a six-year employee, echoed Fowler.

“I think one of the most important things in a job is job security. I’ve never had to worry about it before and I’ve seen two companies come in and they’ve honored everything we’ve had to offer,” said Fuhrman.

“They’ve accepted us as employees and respected us enough…I think it’s very unfair and immoral of them to just think they can come in here and without a care not give a crap about anybody.”

With some colleges turning away from Sodexho controversial practices and business ties, why would UWO invite the company in?

”It doesn't make sense," says Marty Leary, Senior Research Analyst with HERE. “Sodexho brings controversy wherever it goes. We hope the administration comes to its senses and tells Sodexho to rehire all the workers and honor their seniority.”
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2001 © Bryan G. Pfeifer/The UWM Post