Aramark workers demand correct pay

By NIKKI COLLINS and JORGE SPEEDE

Tension is rising between Aramark workers and management because some workers did not receive their paychecks, or had been shorted hours during the first two pay periods of the quarter. Sixteen people did not receive a check on Jan. 27, the most recent payday.

Workers complain that mistakes in their paychecks are common, and that Aramark is not complying with their contract with Local 715, Service Employees International Union.

"We have asked that all employees get paid for what they are entitled to, and that Aramark begin compensating when they pay them incorrectly," Local 715 Worksite Organizer Alan Moore said.Aramark does make up for mistakes that are made on employees' paychecks, according to Campus Services General Manager Sara Sauvageau.

"We understand everyone needs to get paid, and deserves to get paid," Sauvageau said.On Jan. 13, a dishwasher, whose check had been short $60, was compensated at the end of the day Ñ in quarters and other small change, according to Chief Steward Thomas English, who is also a member of a negotiating team elected by workers.

Payroll problems prior to December can be attributed to a computer generated timecard system, which did not provide workers with a means to view their hours. A new system was implemented in early December, according to Sauvageau.

Problems occurring this quarter have been attributed to software glitches."Our software wasn't Y2K compliant," Sauvageau said.

The Santa Clara office is hooked up to Aramark's office in Philadelphia, and the information needed to produce accurate paychecks did not transmit during the first two pay periods of the quarter. Money was wired over from a local Aramark account to pay the workers at the end of the payday, according to Sauvageau.

"Now we're supposed to be Y2K compliant," Sauvageau said. "Our support services have gone into the computers and we shouldn't have anymore problems. There was never any intent to not pay workers."

This explanation is not good enough for the workers.

"These problems have been going on for years," Cook Oscar Arango said. "There are people who have worked here over 10 years, and any one of them will tell you that these problems are nothing new."

Union officials agree."Every pay period there is always a problem," Moore said.

Moore reports a number of other problems as well.

Aramark is not following the contract with Local 715, which was created Nov., 1999. The contract states that workers will be paid time and a half for work done on designated holidays, including Christmas and New Year's. Some employees have not yet been paid. Aramark misreports how much they pay workers, and does not pay employees by the right classification. If a worker is promoted, they may never see their pay increase, according to Moore.

Moore also reports a general lack of respect between management and workers.

"They break every law possible," Moore said.

Sauvageau denies these allegations, reporting monthly meetings, bimonthly task force meetings and postings as ways to ensure good communication between workers and management. English represents the workers at task force meetings, as well as Cooks Arcelia Valencia, Oscar Arango and Daciano Silva.