Piitsburgh, Pa.—Students, elected officials, religious leaders and union members engaged in civil disobedience today to show support for striking Sodexo cafeteria workers at the University of Pittsburgh. Protesters blocked traffic on Forbes Avenue in front of Litchfield Towers in response to university food service provider Sodexo’s unlawful intimidation and harassment of workers. The striking workers are members of 32BJ SEIU.
“All we are asking for is a decent wage, affordable health insurance and a workplace free of intimidation,” said Henry Gaston, a Sodexo worker for three years. “This strike and today’s civil disobedience are about sending Sodexo a message that we want a better life for coworkers and for our children.”
This morning marks the third day of Sodexo workers’ walk off. Nearly 200 workers have participated in the strike that affects the university’s Central Market and Perch cafeterias. Today’s rally began at 8 a.m. with workers and rallying and picketing. At 9 a.m., labor activists walked across a police line and blocked traffic on Forbes Avenue.
“What Sodexo is doing to Pittsburgh’s working families is clearly wrong,” said Gabe Morgan, 32BJ Western Pennsylvania Director. “Sodexo should be ashamed of trying to take money out of low income workers’ pockets—many of whom rely on state subsidized anti-poverty measures—while making over $1 billion in profits.”
Sodexo has proposed changes to health insurance premiums that would raise workers’ costs for family coverage. This increased premium would nearly cancel out the 90 cent per hour raise the company is offering over the next three years.
When workers have stood up on the job for affordable health insurance and a fair raise, the company has responded with intimidation and harassment. Workers filed charges with the National Labor Relations Board last week calling for an investigation into the company’s violations of federal labor law.
In addition to the company’s reaction to its employee’s efforts for better jobs at University of Pittsburgh, Sodexo workers have filed labor board charges against the company in seven states.
With more than 120,000 members in eight states, including 16,000 in Pennsylvania, 32BJ SEIU is the largest property service workers union in the country.
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updated 4/28/2010
