Last Tuesday, students stood alongside workers from the United Professional and Service Employees Union (UPSEU) 1222 to protest stagnated contract negotiations for Sodexo’s employees.
Having been employed without a contract since last May, the workers were fighting for pay increases and comprehensive healthcare plans. This week, UPSEU 1222 and Sodexo representatives reached an agreement granting workers better health insurance, increased vacation time and higher pay for more skilled employees. This contract will be valid through December 2017.
Last week, we discussed how the workers are members of our campus community and that student support for their cause was necessary. They are the smiling faces that have been helping us since our first days at BU, and some have even worked on this campus for over 20 years. They deserve to work under fair conditions, and we are pleased to see that this new contract will ensure their stability.
The timing of this agreement can only be described as uncanny. Negotiations had been underway for months with no avail, but in the days following student involvement a conclusion was reached. Student voices can hold weight and power — as Vice President of Student Affairs Brian Rose said, “you were heard.” And we agree: students spoke out, and change ensued.
We can’t help but consider how students at one university managed to help sway a global corporation like Sodexo. But in a world where online media is increasing communication efficiency, protests have even more potential. If voices on our campus went unrecognized, there was potential for students on other campuses to catch word of the issue and join in the efforts. Since Sodexo serves so many campuses across the nation, the potential for business problems were exponential if news of contract issues spread. By coming to such an immediate conclusion, Sodexo was spared a potentially larger media headache.
And when the contract is up next December, we hope that the students who are still here remain mindful to the issue. This victory is potentially temporary, and it is important that students do not waiver with their support. While we hope that the contract will be swiftly renewed in a year, it will once again become a pressing issue. Sodexo workers are a vital part of the University’s day-to-day operations, and an integral aspect of each student’s day.
Students should always be ready to mobilize for issues that affect our campus community — if we want to be conscious citizens, we have to start close to home.