The Mixer, November, 2007 Philadelphia – In a week long rally held in November, hundreds of Aramark workers, who provide food and cleaning services at facilities in ten cities across the United States, joined with supporters, public school parents, clergy and elected officials to call on Philadelphia-based Aramark to improve its treatment of workers and customers at Aramark facilities. Aramark workers and people who rely on Aramark services in public schools, hospitals, prisons and corporate cafeterias have come together around the belief that Aramark’s business practices not only harm workers but shortchange customers by cutting corners on quality and promising savings that the company can’t deliver. The week of action was aimed at Aramark and was coordinated by the Campaign for Quality Services - a joint initiative of UNITE HERE and the Service Employees International Union, two unions that represent more than 25,000 Aramark workers who prepare and serve food, clean buildings and provide laundry services in cities and towns across the US and in Canada. Carrying signs that called Aramark a “recipe for disaster”, Aramark workers and their supporters marched down Market Street in Philadelphia to Aramark’s headquarters where they attempted to present an oversized check representing what Aramark should reimburse Philadelphia’s school system. In September, the Philadelphia School District terminated its contract with Aramark after company-managed cafeterias had estimated losses of almost $7 million over two years. Robin Savage, a Cook Manager in the Philadelphia School District hailed the unique alliance between cafeteria workers and Philadelphia parents. “Too often workers and communities both end up paying the price for Aramark’s shoddy business practices. Whether its poverty pay and no healthcare jobs or its failing public school children in Philadelphia, Aramark needs to do better,” she said. Houston Five hundred Aramark workers and their supporters kicked off a campaign to end poverty wages for more than 1,000 Aramark workers who clean and prepare and serve food at major facilities throughout Houston with a rally and march at Houston’s Tranquility Park. New York City Aramark workers are on strike - protesting low wages and disrespect on the job at Aramark run corporate cafeterias in the city; New York City workers joined hundreds of other Aramark workers for the march to the company’s Philadelphia headquarters. New Jersey Aramark workers and their supporters protested working conditions that make it difficult to provide the kind of services they want to provide to kids, as well as low wages and lack of affordable healthcare at school districts around the state; New Jersey workers also participated in the march in Philadelphia. New Haven, Connecticut Parents and Aramark cafeteria workers called on the New Haven School board to insist that Aramark come clean about its management of cafeterias in the New Haven schools. Orange County California 300 Aramark workers at the Honda Center rallied for a living wage at Aramark’s concession stands before the Mighty Ducks took to the ice. Los Angeles Convention Centre Several hundred Aramark workers who operate concessions at the center and their supporters held a rally during the convention’s biggest annual event, the LA Autoshow. Portland, Oregon Aramark workers who operate concessions at the Portland Center for the Performing Arts joined with supporters to rally for a living wage and respect on the job. Chicago Hundreds of Aramark workers demonstrated against poverty wages and lack of affordable health care at Aramark corporate cafeterias and universities. Chicago Suburbs Hundreds of school cafeteria workers and janitors employed by Aramark came together to demand an end to poverty wages, lack of health insurance and dignity on the job -- and called on Aramark to provide quality services to Illinois schools and their employees; workers and supporters also conducted outreach to members of a national organization of school boards. Pennsylvania Aramark workers and students distributed leaflets on college campuses. | 
