First Update on Aramark Negotiations
The Aramark Negotiating Committee, Lead Negotiator and Union President Douglas O’Halloran, and Union Representatives John Leeyus and Joe Irving met with Aramark on July 5 to start negotiations and exchange proposals.
The exchange of proposals clarified the opening positions of both the union and the employer. With the initial proposals so far apart, we will have real work ahead of us to find resolution and common ground between the proposals and positions of the employer and the union.
While it is still early in negotiations, the Negotiating Committee has some concerns with the employer’s opening remarks. However, the employer has indicated they intend to bargain in good faith.
“We need to remain strong and vigilant over the next few weeks,” said Lead Negotiator and Union President Douglas O’Halloran. “We need Aramark members to inform both Union Representatives and the Negotiating Committee of any concerns or issues they are experiencing in the workplace so that they can be addressed and possibly turned into a proposal. We can’t solve problems that we are not aware of.”
The Negotiating Committee and the employer scheduled future dates of negotiating meetings for the following times:
- Monday, August 2 and Tuesday August 3, 2016
- Monday, August 22 and Tuesday August 23, 2016
- Thursday, September 22 and Friday, September 23, 2016
For the foreseeable future, meetings will take place in the Senate Room on the seventh floor of the Hotel Alma on the University of Calgary main campus. If the location of meetings changes we will provide an update with the new location.
Aramark members who are not members of the Negotiating Committee are welcome and invited to attend. However, if you wish to attend a future negotiating meeting, please contact Senior Labour Relations Officer John Leeyus so that we can ensure adequate seating is available in the room.
After each set of negotiating meetings an update will be sent out to all members so that everyone can stay up-to-date with the current situation and progress of negotiations. Senior Labour Relations Officer John Leeyus spent time after the negotiations speaking with employees who were on campus to ensure updates are making their way out to the members. Given that everyone is affected by negotiations, it is important to ensure that all members are up-to-date and informed.
If members have questions about negotiations, they should feel free to approach members of the Negotiating Committee for answers. The Negotiating Committee is comprised of the following people:
Ifeanyi Okolocha – Supervisor
Jason Scarpelli – Kitchen Supervisor
Peter D’Cruz – Kitchen Supervisor
Popi Barbas – Cashier Express
Ritchie Nagypal – Driver Supervisor
Yixuan (Olive) Teng – Lead Cook
Daniel Humphries – Supervisor
If Aramark members have any questions or concerns and cannot connect with a member of the Negotiating Committee, please contact Senior Labour Relations Officer John Leeyus via email at jleeyus@ufcw401.ab.ca or telephone at 403-291-1047.
Posted on: July 11,2016