Photo by Fatima Rojas/ Local 217 Union Organizer
Faculty, students and food service workers who are members of the Local 217 Union marched to Bellarmine Hall on Tuesday to present a petition to Senior Vice President for Administration Dr. Mark Reed to include the food service workers in the food service company contract.
“I was somewhat surprised by the group coming to my office since no one had previously contacted me or my office for a meeting or been turned away in any fashion,” said Reed. “Nonetheless, I was able and happy to meet with the group and listen to their concerns.”
Food service workers and students collected signatures last week in the Barone Campus Center. They gathered a total of 1,350 signatures from students and faculty.
“We are grateful that Dr. Mark C. Reed took the time to listen to us,” stated Cristina Richardson ’14, one of the leaders of the Students for Social Justice Club who worked on the petition. “We are glad to hear that he is confident that the change of food provider will probably not affect the job positions of the current workers or their salaries and benefits. We look forward to scheduling a follow-up meeting with him.”
Fatima Rojas, a union organizer with Local 217, gave her reaction to Tuesday morning’s delegation. “It was great to see the energy of the students, the solidarity of the faculty and the militant action of the workers.”
Assistant Vice President of Administration and Student Affairs James Fitzpatrick ‘70 agreed with Reed. “The union has to do what’s in the best interest of the workers they represent,” said Fitzpatrick. “There’s nothing that I’ve been presented with, nor is there anything on the horizon, that lends me to believe that there’s going to be any major difficulty between the company we ultimately decide on and Local 217. I’ve felt that all along.”
Though the administration took advice from the food service consultant The Rochelle Group not to require the workers’ contract in the food service bid, Reed added, “We provided all of the companies bidding a copy of the existing agreement between Sodexo and Local 217.”
Despite Reed and Fitzpatrick’s statements, many food service workers are still worried about the lack of job security.
Mike Kryda, who has been a food service worker with Fairfield for 10 years, said, “I really enjoy my job. I feel like I’m part of the community here. I’m just worried that the new company is not going to accept our contract and our wages are going to be cut, or we’re going to lose our jobs. That’s the main thing.”
On March 21, the food service companies competing to be Fairfield’s food service provider will turn in their bids. During spring break and shortly after, Reed, Fitzpatrick, Executive Assistant to the Vice President for Administration Michael Tortora and The Rochelle Group will narrow the applications down to four companies.
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