OPSEU backs striking cafeteria and janitorial workers at Seneca

March 17, 2008

OPSEU Region 5 Executive Board Members David Rapaport, (VP) and Nancy Pridham joined the members of UNITE HERE on the picket line March 14.

OPSEU is calling on all its members to back the 30 striking cafeteria and janitorial staff who work for Aramark at Seneca College’s Markham campus. The workers have gone on strike this week to back their bargaining demands for a fair first contract, after bargaining for about a year. 

Aramark is offering a 10 cent per hour wage increase on an average wage under $10 per hour.

Several disturbing incidents on the picket line have prompted members of UNITE HERE to call York Region Police to the line, at 10 Allstate Parkway (Highways 7 and 404).

“This is a legal picket line at a well known public, Ontario post secondary institution,” said Alex Dagg, Director of the Ontario Council of UNITE HERE in a news release.  “It is outrageous that people think that driving, sometimes at high speed, through a picket line of people is acceptable in this province. Seneca needs to take immediate action to stop this violence on their campus.”

Rod Bemister, chair of the college support staff bargaining team and president of the support local at Seneca, Local 561, has written a letter of complaint to college president Rick Miner about freedom of association within the college after he was stopped by security from distributing UNITE HERE literature inside the campus.

OPSEU is asking its members to lend a hand on the picket line, and/or contact the college administration with a message of support, to make sure this strike is a short and successful one.

Read UNITE HERE news release