Cafeteria and Tim Hortons campus workers rallied at the University of Northern British Columbia (UNBC) on Wednesday (Sept. 12) to voice their frustrations over low wages and job security.
“What do we want?” about 30 ralliers chanted outside of the Agora Dining Hall, before answering in unison “job security!”
The workers are employees of Chartwells Food Service Company, which is contracted by UNBC. They're represented by the Unite Here Local 40 Union.
“I started working here and realized the amount of work put on by each individual is ridiculous for what they are getting paid,” says Jeannie Gilbert, who has been working in the cafeteria for four years and is the union shop steward.
“We want a fair wage. We want some of the workload taken off us. Many people who are working here have been here for over 20 years and they are just getting paid up to $15 (an hour) now and that is what minimum wage is going up to,” says Gilbert, adding that employees also want job security.
Workers recently voted 80 per cent in favour of strike action.
“Workers are dealing with really low wages; some of the members are below the poverty line and those above the poverty line are barely above it,” says Octavian Cadabeschi, a research analyst for the union. “The other issue is their jobs are precarious; basically, whenever the employer is picked, it’s entirely possible for everyone to lose their job because there’s no successorship.”
The contract between Chartwells and UNBC expires at the end of the school year, and the workers are not guaranteed job security if UNBC decides to select another contractor.
Cadabeschi says the university was built with the idea of showcasing to the rest of Northern B.C. what a good institution should look like, “so it’s not OK that there are workers who are struggling with poverty wages on campus.”
Cadabeschi says while the issue lies between the employer and the employees, UNBC plays a large role in the matter.
“They have a responsibility to make sure everyone here on campus is paid a decent wage regardless of who their direct employer is,” he tells PrinceGeorgeMatters.
“The idea outcome would be a scenario where the university guarantees that no matter the scenario of who is doing the food service contract for them, the employees have jobs and their contracts and union transfers over, and a situation where they are making a living wage.”
When asked to comment on the issue, UNBC declined.
Negotiations between the two sides will resume on Sept. 13. If talks are unsuccessful, the workers reserve the right to call strike action at any time.
