UNIONIZATION
OF FOOD-WORKERS
SEIU first organized the food-service workers
at Acadia December 2002. In early 2003 the Labour Relations Board issued a
certification order and a first collective agreement was negotiated and
signed in October of that year.
As you are aware Sodexho lost the food service
contract to Compass/Chartwells in the fall of 2006, just as we were preparing
for bargaining, and they replaced Sodexho over the recent Christmas break.
Compass/Chartwells upon taking over
the food service contract refused to voluntarily recognize the unionized
workers and their collective agreement. While most workers were
re-hired after interviews were conducted a few were not. Those few who were not
kept for the most part were closely connected to the union.
Most of the food service workers who have
more than 1000 years of service to Acadia between them were required to start
over with Chartwell/Compass from scratch. That means that they are basically
new hires with no seniority rights, accrued sick leave, vacation,
benefits etc. Their hourly wage rates are still not clear to them at this
time. Over the years there have been a number of food service contractors at
Acadia, including Sodexho, but the existing workers and their
benefits were never interrupted until now.
SEIU approached the Acadia President and the
President of the student union prior to the Compass/Chartwells takeover in an
attempt to have them pressure Compass/Chartwells to protect these workers’
rights and benefits. We were refused such a meeting by both of those parties.
In contrast to the University and Student Union Presidents the Acadia
University Faculty Association Executive and its membership were very
supportive and we are very grateful. Thank you all very much for your
ongoing support.
You'll be happy to know that SEIU organizer
Tony Tracey has been re-organizing the food service employees at the
Acadia Site since the beginning of the new year. I'm very pleased to advise you
today that SEIU filed an application with the Nova Scotia Labour Relations
Board on Thursday of last week. This coming Wednesday those workers will once
again go to the ballot box in order to democratically vote on whether
or not they want a union to represent them.
Gerard Higgins