Justice for Bon Appétit workers
By Labor Action Committee
Bon Appétit prides itself as a socially responsible and ecologically-friendly company. Rightfully so -- Bon Appétit widely uses organic and local produce and is an industry leader in ensuring an ethical supply chain for their produce.
But where's the colorful pamphlet that describes the humane working environment here on campus? Isn't this something Bon Appétit should be proud of? Not yet it isn't.
Many workers constantly feel like they are being disrespected, harassed, discriminated against and even targeted with implied and explicit threats on their jobs. These aren't petty complaints of a handful of disgruntled workers, but a widespread sentiment evidenced by meetings packed with more than thirty employees and a worker-circulated petition with signatures of at least 80 percent of the full-time workers.
The Bon Appétit workers and their union have been attempting to change the fearful labor environment that has developed over the past few years.
In the past months, there have been several attempts by workers and union members to get the management to directly confront these problems with little success. There are several cases of discrimination and harassment that are currently being investigated by Bon Appétit. No doubt they take time but nothing has been communicated or changed, even in regards to problems that need no investigation.
The workers' concerns have not been validated. They have not been told what is concretely being done to rectify past injustices. Workers aren't even included in the procedures of the investigations, so there is little transparency in whether they will yield meaningful results.
Even though supervisors know of the current investigations taking place and that workers are frustrated and hurt, the workers continue to feel that they are being bullied.
Regardless of whether supervisors feel wholeheartedly that they are not being disrespectful, Bon Appétit needs to take a more active role in establishing better communication and relationships so that people don't have to work in such an unhealthy and intimidating environment for most of their waking life.
We applaud any action that Bon Appétit should take in the near future, but a respectful and cohesive work environment should be something proactively sought rather than a reaction to protest.
Tomorrow afternoon, students will be joining the union and workers in protesting the current state of the workplace and the delayed and insufficient response of the company to worker concerns.
We want Bon Appétit to be just as proud of their labor practices as they are their environmental ones.
If you would like to participate, stop by the SCCAP office in downstairs Benson or contact LaborAction@gmail.com.The protest will take place at the corner of Alma and Hamilton Avenue in Palo Alto from 2:30 p.m. to 5 p.m. Please join the struggle for respect and equal treatment in solidarity with the workers who have served our campus for decades!
Labor Action Committee, SCCAP