Protests Over Civil Rights Violations by Food Service Giant Sodexo to Hit Campuses in 11 States

Protests Over Civil Rights Violations by Food Service Giant Sodexo to Hit Campuses in 11 States

Actor Danny Glover and SEIU President Andrew Stern to Attend Protest

WASHINGTON, April 13 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- To protest attacks of their employees for trying to form a union, Sodexo cafeteria workers, janitors, students, religious leaders and elected officials in 11 states will participate in rallies and lead strikes in some locations; and some individuals may participate in civil disobedience. Events are planned for Massachusetts, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Virginia, Maryland, Ohio, Illinois, Colorado, Louisiana, Georgia and California.

Workers in the United States who are campaigning to improve their working conditions have come under attack by Sodexo in recent months including illegal firings, interrogations and surveillance. This activity spans eight states and is the basis of 16 unfair labor practice charges that are pending before the National Labor Relations Board.

Actor Danny Glover, SEIU President Andy Stern and a delegation of French and British union representatives will attend a rally at Sodexo Headquarters in Gaithersburg, Md., on Friday, April 16.

French and British unions along with SEIU are working together to secure a global guarantee from Sodexo to improve pay and working conditions and guarantee the right of Sodexo workers to be able to join a union without opposition. Sodexo is the 22nd largest employer in the world with more than 80,000 workers in the United States.

Service sector workers are bearing the brunt of the bad economy as employers such as Sodexo take advantage of bad economic times to pay many in their workforce wages so low that many qualify for public assistance. Sodexo, the 22nd largest employer in the world, despite making more than a billion dollars profit in 2009, pays its workers in the United States as little as $7.50 an hour and does not offer affordable healthcare options; two-thirds of Sodexo's nonmanagerial employees in the United States are not covered by health insurance offered by the company. Service sector jobs such as those Sodexo provides will account for 96 percent of all job growth between now and 2018.

Sodexo workers across the nation have filed charges with the National Labor Relations Board alleging the company has interrogated, threatened, surveilled and even fired workers for trying to raise their families out of poverty by forming a union.

A schedule of events is below.

PUBLIC EVENTS LIST
SEIU

April 14
Pittsburg, PA -- University of Pittsburgh, Contact: Matt Painter,
917.561.2758
March
2 p.m.

Fairfax, VA -- George Mason University, Contact: Matt Painter,
917.561.2758

2 Marches and delegations
1 p.m. to SDX regional manager
Location: TBD
3 p.m. to university president
Location: TBD

Evanston, IL -- Northwestern University, Contact: Kevin O'Donnell,
312.401.7598
Sodexo workers employed at Northwestern University
Shantytown to Protest Multinational Food Service Giant Sodexo
3:30 until 4:15 p.m., Wednesday, April 14
Northwestern Administration Building, Rebecca Crown Center, 633 Clark,
Street, Evanston

Whittier, CA -- Whittier College, Contact: Rachele Huennekens, 510.
825.346
Protest of Sodexo's workers rights violations and low standards
Wednesday, April 14. March around campus to begin at 12:00 noon.
March will begin at the Whittier College Campus Center on the 7200 block
of Painter Ave. between Wardman St. and Earlham Dr., Whittier, CA, 90608

Sacramento, CA -- Sodexo Human Resources Office, Contact: Rachele
Huennekens, 510. 825.346
Protest
Noon
2151 River Plaza Drive, Sacramento, Calif.

April 15

Columbus, OH -- Ohio State University, Contact: Laurie Couch, 847.420.5108
(French and British delegation will attend this event)
March and Protest
1858 Neil Avenue Mall
2:15 p.m.

Clark University, Contact: Christina Bartolomeo, 978.810.0206
Protest
Main Street and Maywood -- Protest
Time: 10:30 a.m.

Denver, CO -- Denver University, Contact: Josh Downey, 970.443.9763
Funeral Procession and Rally
A march/funeral procession through campus led by workers and Brother David
that ends with Brother David doing an interment for the death of worker
justice.
4 p.m.

Allentown, PA -- Lehigh Valley, Pa., Contact: Matt Painter, 917.561.2758
All Lehigh Valley sites march and rally
March starts at Ninth/Hamilton to Sacred Heart in Allentown
Time: 4:30 p.m.

New Orleans, LA -- Loyola and Tulane Universities, Contact: Tanya Aquino,
321.960.3802
Joint march and rally through both campuses and along busy St. Charles
Avenue.
6363 St. Charles Avenue
3:00-4:30 p.m.

Anaheim, CA -- Anaheim Regional Medical Center, Contact: Rachele
Huennekens, 510. 825.346
1111 W. La Palms Ave., Anaheim Calif.
Noon

Atlanta, GA -- Georgia Tech
Rally and march
11:00 A.M.

April 16
Gaithersburg, MD -- Sodexo U.S. Headquarters, Contact: Renee Asher,
202.355.8318
(French and British delegation will attend this event)
Protest with SEIU President Andy Stern and Danny Glover
Noon
9801 Washingtonian Blvd.
Gaithersburg, Md.

April 19
North Andover, MD -- Merrimack University, Contact: Christina Bartolomeo,
978.810.0206
Protest
Location: Elm Street and Rockridge Road
Time: 1 p.m. - 2 p.m.
First Call Analyst:
FCMN Contact:

Source: Service Employees International Union

CONTACT: Renee Asher, +1-202-355-8318; LA: Tanya Aquino,
+1-321-960-3802; IL: Kevin O'Donnell, +1-312-401-7598; GA, MD: Virginia
Rodino, +1-202-465-0918; Ohio: Laurie Couch, +1-847-420-5108; NJ, PA, NY, VA:
Matt Painter, +1-917-561-2758; CO: Josh Downey, +1-970-443-9763; MA: Christina
Bartolomeo, +1-978-810-0206, all of SEIU

Web Site: http://www.seiu.org/

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