New or first union contracts provide workers with life altering raises, health care, and retirement plans

NATIONWIDE—In a major success story that has raised wages and improved working conditions for essential campus workers across the country, over 1,900 campus dining workers at 20 colleges and universities organized with UNITE HERE, the hospitality workers union, between August 2022 and May 2023.

Dining services workers cook and serve on-campus meals to students, faculty, and staff members at nearly all institutions of higher education. They often form warm and long-lasting relationships with students, creating a “home away from home” environment in the form of warm meals. In winning the union, securing their first union contracts, or bargaining new union contracts these UNITE HERE members have won wages and benefits that match the care they afford to students.

“I’ve worked at William and Mary for more than 40 years, and I’ve always done my best to make students feel like they’re not so far away from home,” said Curtis Adkins, who has been known by generations of students for his singing. “I have tried to form a union with my coworkers before, but unfortunately we weren’t successful. This time, I was so proud to sit at the bargaining table to negotiate our union contract, and we won big raises and a pension. This is a legacy I am proud to leave behind.”

Donita Miller worked hard to organize a new union at Delaware State University, where she and her coworkers will begin bargaining their first union contract soon. “I’ve worked at Delaware State University for over 20 years,” she said. “I love my job and I love taking care of the students – we all do. But for the past few years, the company hasn’t been taking care of us. That’s why we decided to join the union so we can have a voice on the job, the respect we deserve and the benefits we need.”

“I’ve worked at Catholic for 13 years and I truly love it. We spend more time with the students than we do with our own families, and we love taking care of them,” said Tabitha Johnson, who works at Catholic University in Washington D.C. “One part of our new contract is free health insurance, which is huge for me. I have lupus, so knowing that I’ll be able to take care of myself after taking care of the students is a big relief. We also won raises, which will mean that I can spend less time working and more time with my elderly parents. This is really going to change so many parts of my life for the better.”

Most workers are employed by major food service providers Aramark, Sodexo, and Compass Group. Each of the new contracts provided raises, affordable or free health care coverage, improved working conditions, and access to retirement plans or union pensions.

“UNITE HERE is proud to celebrate a different kind of commencement during this graduation season by welcoming more campus dining workers into our union, and winning great new contracts for our existing members, “said UNITE HERE President D. Taylor. “These workers make students feel at home when they’re away from home, and they deserve to be paid well and treated with respect. ”

The 1,900 workers are employed on the campuses of Centenary University, Central Connecticut State University, Clark University, Columbus State University, Delaware State University, Drew University, George Washington University – Foggy Bottom, Glendon College, Hamline University, Loyola University New Orleans, Old Dominion University, Sage University, University of Hawaii, University of Las Vegas, University of Mary Washington, University of New Haven, University of Vermont, Utica College, Virginia Commonwealth University, and William and Mary University.

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