In the midst of stalemated negotiations between Sodexho and the Hospital Employees' Union (HEU) for a collective agreement for food service workers, the HEU has reached a tentative agreement with Sodexho's competitor, Aramark, which contracts housekeepers to hospitals.
The HEU and Aramark have been negotiating an agreement for six months. Sodexho workers have been on strike since Sept. 15 after the two parties failed to reach an agreement over wage increases.
"We're hoping that having reached a tentative agreement with Aramark will put pressure on Sodexho to come back to the table," said HEU spokesperson Margi Blamey.
The agreement will go before Aramark workers to vote on over the next couple weeks. The HEU's bargaining committee is recommending its members accept the agreement.
Aramark workers on the Coast provide housekeeping services at St. Mary's Hospital, Totem Lodge and Shorncliffe nursing home. The workers clean everywhere in the hospital, Blamey said, including operating rooms and nurseries. There are 35 Aramark housekeepers in the Sunshine Coast and Powell River area, Blamey said.
This would be the HEU's first collective agreement with Aramark. The Vancouver Coastal Health Authority began contracting out cleaning and food service work to private companies in 2003. The agreement would increase wages from $10.67 to $12.47 and up to $13.05 in 2007. It also includes benefits, grievance procedures, harassment protection, seniority rights, a signing bonus, job protection and establishing a health and safety committee.
"This agreement provides an immediate and much-needed financial boost for our members and their families," HEU secretary-business manager Judy Darcy said in a press release. "And better wages will reduce staff turnover and improve services to patients and the public."
Meanwhile, Blamey said, the whole negotiating process has broken down between the HEU and Sodexho.Sunshine Coast's Sodexho workers are getting reinforcements in from the Sunshine Coast Community Coalition, whose members voted to get involved with the striking Sodexho workers at St. Mary's.
"Our coalition feels very strongly that this strike is extremely important for health care and deserves more attention," president Alice Lutes said in a press release. "We are asking our coalition members to support the strike by joining the picket line on Tuesdays, beginning at 11 a.m. for an hour or so. We will continue until the employer responds and starts treating its employees with dignity and fair wages. We ask residents of the Sunshine Coast community to join us."
Neither Aramark nor Sodexho spokespeople could be reached for comment before Coast Reporter's deadline.
