We had our Bargaining Dates with Aramark this past Tuesday and Wednesday, January 21st and 22nd. We met many times with the employer, trading proposals. Over the course of Bargaining this month we have shared the impactful stories shared with us by you our members. The Staffing report and stories from members on the impact of understaffing was met with:
- Management response: “No. We reserve the right to schedule based on operational needs”
- Our response: You should share our embarrassment of the level of service students have to endure. You have the ability to fix this by filling more shifts.
We shared the Stories from members of our economic hardships, we read these to the employer. We also shared stories from the CBC and Queen’s Journal on the City of Kingston recently declaring the Food Insecurity Crisis here an Emergency. Currently 1 in 3 households in Kingston can not buy enough food. A Bargaining Committee member shared their story of using the food bank each month. We showed that even their Full-time employees use food banks regularly and our members have seen other union members and even their Sous Chefs in line at the Food Bank as well. How can they be proud to pay wages that are not allowing their own staff to afford to eat?
Management response: “You are the highest paid contracted-out food service workers in post-secondary institutions in Ontario. Your wage proposals are so high that we don’t want to make a wage proposal because anything we give you will be received as an insult.”
These are some proposals from Aramark:
Aramark proposed to raise the cost of staff meals.We asked why are they proposing this since these meal plan revenues go straight to Queen’s and not Aramark? They said because food prices are rising, charging us more “It’s the right thing to do.”
We were able to get this proposal dropped! No raise on Meal Allowance!
How do we know Aramark gives Queens our Staff Meal Charge?
We requested a copy of Aramark’s contract with Queen’s University last April when we served our notice to bargain. They refused to give it to us, so we filed a Freedom of Information request with the University, and we got a (redacted) copy of it January 21st.. We are studying it to better understand their operation and how much decision-making power Queen’s has.
Aramark proposed a wage increase: They are only offering us 2% on wages! That’s .44 Cents! They offered a max raise of .66 Cents by the end of the last meeting.
Can you afford to accept a low deal on wages?
Aramark proposed some increases to our health benefits: But not as much as we deserve, particularly on dental benefits and vision care. We held to stronger coverage on those plans but have not reached an agreement. We want our benefits to cover a broader range of services and reduce the bills when using these benefits.
Did you know? They shared that our managers receive less vision benefits than we do?
What they were not offering:
- Aramark refused our proposal to grant ANY paid sick days for part-time staff but we held strong to this proposal. As a result they finally agreed to add 3 paid sick days for Part Time Staff.
- They are refusing to find a way to pay FT staff in December for Christmas Day, Boxing Day, and New Year’s Day until weeks into January.
- They are refusing our proposal to lower the minimum number of hours part-time employees need to work to qualify for new safety shoes. After sticking to the point of the necessity to have simply safe and proper foot wear for our workers they finally agreed to replace shoes if they were reasonably worn out or damaged.
We have settled many issues and are now focusing on the biggest concerns we’ve heard from you, our members. Those issues are staffing and wages.
It’s important to know that until this contract is ratified by our members, nothing is set in stone.
A real strike threat is a powerful tool to secure serious wins, as well as being willing to stand and walk the picket line to fight for our meaningful raise. We need each and every one of you standing with us. Now is the time to encourage our co-workers who seem hesitant to stand with us to ask questions and prepare for what a strike will be.
On February 3 imagine how services would continue without the US doing the work, and how long could they limp along?
We need more members to volunteer to become Strike Captains
Please reach out to Chelsea Hall Chelseahall1976@gmail.com
Know someone who is not on our facebook group or getting our emails? Help them sign up!
Find our facebook group at Queens Food Service (Aramark)
Help them fill out the form on our website to get emails.
Visit www.cupe229.com and click Get Involved at the top to enroll
Together we are stronger! Together we Win!
Your Bargaining Committee
James Adams-Moore, Amy Wilson, Sue McCleverty, Kendra Sweet, Chrissy Campbell, S.J, Tara Nelson, Cynthia Plante