FONTHILL – No settlement was reached in contract talks Tuesday between the Ontario Public Service Employees Union and Aramark Canada Ltd. in the strike by cafeteria workers at Niagara College.
“Our members believe that $10 an hour is a fair wage for the work they do but the company won’t give it to them for another four years,” said OPSEU staff representative Gary Adams.
Aramark offered a 21 per cent wage increase in five years which would see the workers earn $10.09 an hour as of Dec. 1, 2008.
“The company pays replacement workers $10 an hour to do our members’ work during the strike, but refuses to do the same for our members until 2008,” said Adams.
The average wage of the cafeteria workers, members of OPSEU Local 214, is $8.34 an hour. They want $10 an hour to bring their wages more in line with food services staff at other colleges and universities who earn between $10 and $13 an hour.
The 27 full- and part-time employees have been on strike against Aramark since March 27. Niagara College contracts with Aramark to provide food services at their Niagara-on-the-Lake and Welland campuses.
No new talks are planned.
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For further information: Gary Adams (905) 379-3802
