In 2009, Sodexo employees joined the “Service Workers United” union in attempts to receive better treatment because they were enduring what they believed was mistreatment from management, and employees feel like not much has changed for the better.
Employees were hoping that the union was a way of ensuring that they not only are treated correctly but they are treated equal to their colleagues.
April 14 will mark the one-year anniversary.
Employees reported that they were not being paid based upon their experience or skill level and that some employees were getting raises due to their good favor with the management.
The union has changed some of these things but it is not exactly up to the standards that the Sodexo workers would like it to be.
“We have seen some change in management since joining the union but it can be better,” said Annette Ragston, a member of the union and employee of Sodexo.
Although they have seen better raises and have had better treatment, some of the benefits they were once accustomed to, have been taken away from them.
These benefits include the 50 percent off discount applied to on-campus eateries other than the MSC Cafeteria. That half price, coincidentally, turned into full price after the union was started.
Workers have also experienced an elimination of the amount of over-time that they are allowed to work.
The ample amount of opportunity to increase their wages that they were once given is now replaced with the limitations of hours restricted from exceeding 40. Most of the members’ hours recently have often lingered around 30.
Sodexo employees in the union have reported that Service Workers United representatives are not as available as they would like, nor are they able to deal with their concerns in a manner that the union members find suitable.
Though it may seem that they are a picky bunch, Ragston remains firm in her stance.
“All that we ever wanted from Sodexo was to be treated with dignity and respect,” Ragston said.
Approaching their one-year anniversary, union members have started to review the results of their joining Service Workers United, and plan to discuss the terms and conditions of their contract.
Workers have until April 13, 2012, to decide whether to renew their contract or not.
The employees have entered into what they feel is a sort of catch-22 situation. They got what they wanted and soon realized that it was not exactly what they had wished for.
In this situation the workers feel that they have little choices. They are forced to either stay in the union and deal with their superiors who are doing just enough not to violate any regulations, or to resign from the union, with the possibility of punishment for joining in the first place.
Sodexo management is vague, but firm in its stance, leaving no room to judge whether or not they are truly doing what Andrew Williams, a member of Sodexo management, says is “their part.”
Williams said, “As managers, during that whole process, we have to remain neutral…we can’t influence them either way.”