Ridgefield Schools' Cafeterias; Workers End Dispute with Employer and Ratify New Contract

[Omaha Steve]

For Immediate Release: November 19, 2009

Contact: Matt O'Connor, CSEA/SEIU Local 2001

"ORDER UP" FOR RIDGEFIELD SCHOOLS' CAFETERIAS;
WORKERS END DISPUTE WITH EMPLOYER AND RATIFY NEW CONTRACT
School "lunch ladies" approve tentative agreement for a new three-year contract with the district's food services vendor that delivers job security and protects student health and safety

RIDGEFIELD – In a victory for local students and their families, the food service professionals working in Ridgefield Public Schools' cafeterias have ratified an agreement for a contract with their employer, Chartwells. Last night's unanimous vote by the members of CSEA/SEIU Local 2001 ends a five-month dispute during which time the Union members launched a petition drive, spoke out at school board meetings, and demonstrated outside Town Hall to build pressure on the company to negotiate a fair agreement that values these food service professionals.

"For us, this was always about better food services for the kids in our schools" Ridgefield High School cafeteria worker Coralee DeMouth said after her fellow Union members voted to ratify the new contract. "We've said all along that private companies contracted to oversee meal services must live up to their responsibility" DeMouth, the Treasurer of the Union's chapter representing cafeteria employees in the district's nine schools, continued.

The dispute began in June when the Board of Education voted to award its food services contract to Chartwells, a subsidiary of the multinational conglomerate, the Compass Group. The Union requested federal mediation last month to assure negotiations with the new company would continue until a mutual agreement could be reached.

"We are very proud of all the work we did to move the company to finally show some respect for the service we provide Ridgefield's schoolchildren" said Maureen Hulse, a food services professional at Veterans Park Elementary School. "I only wish that school elected officials listened like parents did when we raised concerns about issues like paid sick days and employee retention over the summer" Hulse continued.

The new three-year agreement provides the food service workers with a maximum of five paid sick days per year, as well as general wage increases for each year. The contract also honors employees' seniority and provides for medical insurance coverage for those working thirty or more hours per week.

CSEA/SEIU Local 2001's 25,000 members are retired and active public sector workers in state, municipal, and local schools' agencies across Connecticut, as well as workers employed by non-profit organizations and private companies contracted to provide public services. Visit www.seiu2001.org online for more information on its efforts to bring parents, policy makers, and community leaders together with service workers to improve food quality and nutrition in our public schools.

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[donco6]

1. I'm under a lot of pressure to outsource our food service.

So far, I've been able to hold them off by showing how the food service dept. is actually making money, and to outsource would lose that profit. But the board members are being lobbied directly by Sodexho and others and they're telling them all sorts of bogus stories. I don't know if I'll be able to keep them out forever.