Workers to UC/Davis: ‘Bring our Work In House!’

March 01, 2007

Marisol Lopez (center), a UC Davis student, and Patricia Zermeño (right), a student and part-time food service worker at UC Davis, demonstrate on behalf of Sodexho food service employees who work at the campus and want to better their lives by becoming UC employees.
PHOTO CREDIT: Stacey J. Miller/Woodland Daily Democrat

Some 500 contracted-out food service workers at the University of California at Davis should become UC employees, demanded hundreds of students, university workers and AFSCME members during acampus rally today.

The Davis campus is the last in the UC system that still outsources its student dining services. The workers, employed by Sodexho, say they are paid less – and receive fewer benefits – than their university-employed counterparts at other campuses.

“It’s just not fair,” says Lidia Uribe, a cook with seven years of service. “We work so hard for this school, but we are not respected. People know that I work at the university. What they don’t understand is that I don’t work for the UC. But I deserveto.”

A Sodexho-employed cook makes about $10.75 per hour compared to between $12.11 and $15.49 per hour for cooks who work directly for the UC system (and are members of Local 3299), AFSCME organizers say. Health care costs are much higher for Sodexho workers than members of Local 3299, who also receive other benefits, including vacation and sick leave.

The rally – the first public demonstration for these contracted food service employees – was organized by AFSCME Local 3299, which represents 19,500 service and patient care workers throughout the 10 campuses and five medical centers that constitute the UC system.

Workers will meet soon with UC Davis Chancellor Larry Vanderhoef to express their concerns about unfair working conditions, overwork, lack of representation and inadequate wages.