AVI, employees clash over wages, insurance

A labor dispute between Kenyon's foodservice provider AVI Foodsystems, Inc. and its employees became public this week as union members released details about ongoing negotiations. Negotiation committee member Rochelle Arck said wage and insurance issues are slowing the negotiations to a standstill.

AVI's employees are members of UniteHere, a labor union representing workers in restaurants, hotels, casinos and other industries. Members of UniteHere Local 84, the union affiliate for AVI workers at Kenyon, raised several contractual complaints related to wages and health insurance coverage.

Representatives of UniteHere Local 84 claim that AVI's management has declined to raise the wage negotiated two years ago. Union members said that the raise would adjust their wages for inflation and other increased expenses including high fuel and heating costs.

"Everything goes up, so you need to adjust wages to prices," Arck said. "We're not really asking much more than a decent wage increase to offset that."

The current contract states that AVI must help pay for their employees insurance even while on vacation. As part of the new contract AVI would like to stop this practice.

"The committee is still negotiating a contract," Arck said. "We have a meeting on November 2 with a federal mediator. We want to keep insurance paid."

According to the negotiating committee, the foodservice workers conceded their pension in favor of a 401(k) when they negotiated a new contract with AVI after Aramark was let go. Under a 401(k) plan, employees contribute a certain amount of their monthly salary to a savings account, which is then matched up to a certain percentage by the employer. A pension guarantees a set amount following retirement.

"AVI saved $80,000 by switching to a 401(k) plan," Arck said. The negotiating team said that after giving up their pensions, AVI's employees are holding their ground on wage issues and health benefits.

"They're offering less than the previous contract, decreased wage and health insurance," Arck said. "We have to follow union guidelines, but we might be heading towards the strike area if the next meeting doesn't go well."

AVI's employees are currently working on an extension of their original contract while the negotiations take place. The workers would have to give a ten-day notice in order to terminate the extension.

AVI took over for Aramark as Kenyon's foodservice provider in January 2006. Many of the current AVI employees also worked for Aramark prior to the change. In the months leading up to the transition, AVI's management made assurances to the College and to Aramark employees that any existing employees would have the opportunity to continue work.

Although they work in College-owned dining halls, the foodservice workers are employed by AVI, not by Kenyon College. Chief Business Officer Dave McConnell declined to speak on the matter, saying it would be "inappropriate to comment on an active negotiation between AVI and its employees at this time."

Throughout AVI's association with the College, issues surrounding foodservice workers have garnered the attention of Kenyon's student body. In December of 2005, the Collegian reported that between 50 and 70 Kenyon students attended a contract negotiation between AVI and UniteHere representatives at the Mount Vernon Holiday Inn.

In light of the newest round of negotiations, several student groups have organized events in support of dining hall employees. Nu Iota Alpha, a local sorority, held an AVI Employee Appreciation Day yesterday, asking students to show support for the foodservice workers by signing a petition.

The AVI employees' negotiating team is hopeful that the upcoming meeting will lead to a favorable resolution between the two sides.

"We hope that on Nov. 2 we can get this thing wrapped up," Arck said. "We appreciate the support of students."

See http://www.unitehere.org for more on UniteHere and http://www.kenyon.avifoodweb.com/ for more about AVI and Kenyon's dining services.