A local union that had threatened to picket this week’s Democratic presidential debate in Los Angeles announced Tuesday they struck a tentative deal on a new contract, paving the way for the debate to proceed as planned on Thursday.
On Friday, UNITE HERE Local 11 had said food service workers at Loyola Marymount University planned to picket Thursday’s debate amid stalled contract negotiations.
The seven candidates who qualified for the debate then indicated they wouldn’t cross the picket line, even if it meant missing the debate. The tentative agreement would seemingly negate the need for the candidates to make such a choice.
The union had been negotiating with Sodexo, a food service management company that contracts with LMU, on a new contract. Local 11 says it represents 150 cooks, dishwashers, cashiers, and servers who prepare and serve meals at LMU.
The union said the three-year agreement includes a 25% pay bump, a 50% decrease in health care costs, and increased job security for workers.
“The Democratic National Committee and [Chairman] Tom Perez worked hard to help bring the situation to a positive resolution,” the union said.
A spokesperson for Sodexo confirmed Tuesday a tentative deal had been reached.
“We have been a member of the LMU community since 1975 and are excited to continue working with our partners on campus to welcome the Democratic presidential debate,” the spokesperson said.
The DNC had originally eyed the University of California, Los Angeles as the debate site but shifted gears amid a labor dispute on that campus as well.
• David Sherfinski can be reached at dsherfinski@washingtontimes.com.
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