Democratic debate on campus can proceed as planned Thursday

Los Angeles, CA–Sodexo at Loyola Marymount University and their employees negotiated through Monday evening to secure a tentative contract agreement. The Democratic National Committee and Tom Perez worked hard to help bring the situation to a positive resolution.

The three-year agreement includes a 25% increase in compensation, a 50% drop in health care costs, and increases to workers’ job security.

All of the Democratic presidential candidates who had qualified for the debate pledged on Twitter Friday that they would not cross a picket line to attend the debate scheduled for Thursday, December 19 after learning of the ongoing labor dispute between UNITE HERE Local 11 and food service provider Sodexo.

WHAT: Press Conference

WHO: Tom Perez (Chair of DNC), Maria Elena Durazo (State Senator), Ron Herrera (President of the LA County Federation of Labor – invited), workers at Loyola Marymount University

WHEN: Tuesday December 17, 2019 at 1 pm PT

WHERE: UNITE HERE Local 11 Imperial office, 4634 W. Imperial Hwy, Inglewood, CA

WHY: Tentative agreement reached between Sodexo at LMU and UNITE HERE Local 11 members

“I am thrilled that we were able to reach an agreement, and that the candidate debate can continue as scheduled,” said Angela Fisher, prep cook at Loyola Marymount University. “I want to thank the Democratic candidates who stood with us and the Democratic party that helped us win.”

Local 11 represents 150 cooks, dishwashers, cashiers, and servers who prepare and serve meals for LMU students, faculty, and staff. LMU subcontracts its food service operations to global services company Sodexo, which employs these workers.

UNITE HERE Local 11 is a labor union representing over 32,000 hospitality workers in Southern California and Arizona that work in hotels, restaurants, universities, convention centers and airports.