HELP OUR WORKERS GET REHIRED (or how I suddenly turned into such a leftist)

When I first came to American University, I must say I was not delighted by the food I found in TDR. (Terrace-Dining-Room, place where students eat.) Salsa and Tavern were not that great either. It took me a while to get over my cultural shock with the food and realize that not all American food is what we get on campus. Also, after a while I started loving TDR (especially when they put out Nutella) and Tavern (tenders!!). And I made friends with the workers, who first started teasing me about my English accent. Soon enough they all knew me really well, they knew my struggles to getting used to the food, and they did all they could to make my staying at AU more pleasant. For example, when making my food they would all pay attention to spices, stuff they put in, so I can really have a nice abroad experience – completed with food.

Coming to TDR, they would always greet me with my smile, asking how I am and how is my day. Workers would always chat with me, listen to my abroad adventures, make jokes, etc.. I also witnessed not so great treatment of workers by students- some of them definitely lacked some home education by trashing everywhere, and being completely disrespectful to the workers.. But that’s another story. Just because they work there doesn’t mean we should treat them inappropriately.

As the end of the year is coming by, I realized TDR is not going to be the same next year. Bon Appetit is not going to be there anymore. Tavern and Salsa, Eagle express , Einstein Bagels and Pronto will be gone. Replaced with Starbucks and other corporations. Well, in my point of view seems like AU will never be the same without TDR , tenders .. and the workers of Bon Appetit. Yes. New company is here. Aramark recently took over for Bon Appetit as the campus food service company. They now refuse to acknowledge the worker’s union contract and are threatening to not rehire our workers. This is not acceptable. If Aramark wants to stay on campus, they need to learn that here at AU we respect our workers.

Several student organizations already have a history of fighting for TDR workers. I mean, if they were not good , we wouldn’t care, and we would let them be rehired. But we have great workers at AU, who make our food, who serve the AU with pride- who come to work every day no matter is it snowy, sunny or rainy outside. They love their jobs. They deserve respect. AND TO BE REHIRED.

Today , group of students (among which I was present) together with some workers marched through MGC with posters and visited campus life office. Administration was cold as always, justifying that everyone are “busy” “at the meeting” “can’t come right now”.. If I learnt anything about this culture- it is certainly that everyone are busy. Or they pretend to be. Students are in the middle of finals week. Still we fight for workers who deserve so. I really hope Aramark will rehire and renew all the contracts of people. They deserved it, working for AU for so long. So, I want to invite all of the students to join the action and help workers. Because if we don’t care about our school , who will ? Administration and leaders will always be “at the meeting”.. But that’s another (cultural) story..