Sodexo, workers’ union reach agreement before 6th Democratic primary debate at LMU

This post was updated Dec. 18 at 11:00 a.m.

Labor contract issues that threatened Thursday’s Democratic presidential debate at Loyola Marymount University have been resolved, party and union leaders announced Tuesday.

UNITE HERE Local 11, a hospitality workers’ union, reached an agreement with Sodexo, the facilities management and food service company for LMU, days before the sixth Democratic debate. All seven qualifying candidates for the debate pledged to skip the stage if Sodexo could not negotiate a fair contract with the union.

Elizabeth Warren, one of the leading Democratic candidates for the White House, also attended the union press conference to show her support and announce the end of her boycott.

“Congratulations, UNITE HERE. You have won,” Warren said. “UNITE HERE has sent a message across America: One job should be enough.”

The three-year agreement outlines a 25% increase in compensation, 50% reduction in costs of health care and better job security for the 150 Sodexo workers at LMU represented by UNITE HERE, according to a press release from the union. An LMU representative could not be reached for comment.

“This agreement will make it easier for workers to get access to critical health care,” said Tom Perez, the chair of the Democratic National Committee. “When you are paid well and treated with dignity, you stay longer and you have less attrition. That’s the simple bargain of win-win solutions.”

Angela Fisher has prepared food at LMU under Sodexo for three years. Fisher, who spoke at Tuesday’s conference, said Sodexo’s unwillingness to provide for the worker’s needs made the negotiations difficult.

“When it comes to our getting a raise, … they wanted to take our holidays and give it from there,” Fisher said. “To take something away to give us something, you know, I didn’t like that part.”

The DNC originally planned to hold the debate at UCLA’s Royce Hall, but moved the venue to LMU – because of an ongoing dispute between the University of California and American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees Local 3299, a UC employee union that has held six UC-wide strikes against outsourced labor in the past two years.

“The candidates and the DNC made clear at both venues that they wanted to see fairness for these workers,” said Todd Stenhouse, the communications director for AFSCME Local 3299. “The distinction is at LMU they said, ‘You know, so do we.’ … UCLA or UC said, ‘Well, if that’s what you want, then you should take your debate somewhere else.’”

UCLA’s statement in November said “renewed and unanticipated objections from organized labor” prompted the university to forgo the debate. The university could not be reached in time for additional comment.

Warren, was the first candidate to take UNITE HERE Local 11’s side, pledging Friday to not cross the union’s picket line. Warren’s pledge was picked up by other Democratic candidates shortly after.

Andrew Yang and Tom Steyer, both of whom qualified for the upcoming presidential debate, also congratulated UNITE HERE Local 11 through Twitter.

Glad to hear it! https://t.co/qETj1D3Q12

— Andrew Yang (@AndrewYang) December 17, 2019

With the labor dispute resolved, Warren said she is more than eager to debate her opponents.

“I’m looking forward to it, are you kidding?” Warren said. “I’m going to dance my way onto the debate stage.”