Archive: News

LIPS was successful in engaging with a broad-based community coalition that was able to engage with an Ithaca College Administration successfully on the fact that the College had been paying its own workers at least a Living Wage + 50 cents, as well as being recognized as an institution of higher education that was particularly committed to a Living Wage.

At 10:15 am on Thursday April 28, Sodexo Supervisor Jeff Scott met with Sodexo employees and informed them that the Living Wage will be granted to everyone currently below the $11.11 calculation by Alternatives Federal Credit Union for 2010.  This is a clear victory for workers at Ithaca College, for the Labor Initiative in Promoting Solidarity, and for workers’ rights in general. The multinational Sodexo has agreed to bear the costs of this increase for the 2011-2012 school year.

Employees expressed surprise that the collaborative campaign for an ‘All Campus Living Wage’ was granted and that senior employees received an adjusted wage increase of only 25 cents. One Sodexo employee expressed on the condition of anonymity, “Twenty-five cents is like a slap in the face for people who have been there 30 years or more.” This worker added, “I was glad that we got it because I wasn’t sure if they were going to give it to us or not, but they should have done better by the people who have been there a long time.”

The significance of this victory for workers is clear. The history of this campaign at Ithaca College is still in its youth, only seven months long. In late September, the labor group, the Labor Initiative Promoting Solidarity was founded, which seeks to spread awareness and initiate positive change in labor standards on both local and global levels at IC, though the issues surrounding Sodexo emerged in Spring 2010 among various students. The student-led community-based group kicked off with a Living Wage campaign, paralleling the Living Wage Coalition campaign on the city-wide level. Students quickly established a broad-based coalition, connecting with employees, working with Service Employees International Union, who had been trying to form a union at IC, United Students Against Sweatshops, and seeking out the Tompkins County Workers’ Center as a strong social alliance. Pete Meyers, has been working on the living wage issue and says of it,

"The Tompkins County Workers' Center is impressed at the level of organizing that happened with the student organization, the Labor Initiative Promoting Solidarity, to help gain the Ithaca College Dining Service workers a Living Wage. We were inspired by their campaign to join in and organize with significant community voices which included workers, political, religious, and community leaders.”

As part of the greater Ithaca living wage movement Herb Engman explains, “Since Ithaca College is in the Town of Ithaca, we are extremely proud that IC has made the decision to pay a living wage to all its employees. As a certified living wage employer The Town is overjoyed that Ithaca College has joined the ranks of those of us who wish to set high standards for all our workers.”

After just seven months of campaigning, the community coalition for the ‘All Campus Living Wage’ campaign had surpassed all expectations of community involvement. By mid-March the campaign had over 1400 petition signatures.

Reverend Rich Rose of the First Baptist Church expresses on the win that "This is not only a great victory for Sodexo workers, but also a reflection of the Tompkins County people's commitment to a Living Wage. It is indicative of the power of community to affect corporate America. Obviously, Sodexo wants to have a positive image in the community and on the Ithaca College campus. And it is another example of how important the voice of community members is in influencing corporate policy."

On the Ithaca College front, workers and students  connecting to make sure that Sodexo workers have their needs addressed. Though it’s been difficult due to the level of anxiety around expressing concerns about work issues, students and workers have engaged in projects to help bridge the divide.

One worker expressed anonymously, about the win for workers under Sodexo, “I’m so excited that we just got it, because after all that work.” Senior Kiera Lewis explains, “This is a huge victory, regardless of the technicalities that will inevitably be involved. This is just a first step. We hope that workers will continue to trust and support initiatives and speak up because we did change things. This is what the Labor Initiative is for bringing different constituencies together for sustainable initiatives.” LIPS will continue to hold the college accountable to labor rights for all workers.

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