After almost two months of silence, Northwestern dining workers returned to the arch on Friday holding a protest and speak out against Compass Group, Northwestern’s Dining Service provider.
PATRICK GRIFFIN: In March, compass food service workers at Northwestern made history when they walked out on a 12-day strike, a first for the campus. The strike was paused for spring break and in hopes that we would return to the bargaining table with Compass to be able to settle a fair contract. Instead, compass retaliated against strikers and has been bargaining in bad faith.
That’s Patrick Griffin, the organizing director of Unite Here Local 1, the union representing the workers.
GRIFFIN: Today we’re here to tell Compass Northwestern to stop breaking the law and to settle a fair contract.
On May 1st, Local 1 filed federal labor charges with the National Labor Relations Board against Compass Group alleging Repudiation/Modification of Contract, Refusal to Bargain/Bad Faith Bargaining, Discipline, and Coercive Statements against the workers in the ongoing contract negotiation process.
Noel Saval is one of the workers who has seen such action at play. They work at Nona Jo’s in the athletic dining hall and alleges that Compass’ communications to workers have taken on intimidating undertones.
NOEL SAVAL: I remember one of them saying it is your right to cross the picket line. We’re not gonna punish anyone who decides not to go on strike. And a lot of it is just like very much pressuring leaders in the union to fold before we get everything that we’re looking to get with the contract.
Some workers also allege some internal bullying and tension from non-striking co-workers since the initial strike in March.
For many, it’s frustrating to see Compass seemingly skirt labor law in their negotiations. Here’s Melissa Watkins, a barista at Kresge Cafe who has been working at Northwestern for the past 12 and a half years.
MELISSA WATKINS: As citizens, as people, we are not to break the law. We are to uphold the law, so I’m asking, as well as my fellow workers, that Compass would do the same to uphold the law, to uphold our rights as workers.
While it can be a long and difficult situation to be in, the workers are encouraged to stay strong. One community member in their corner is Evanston Mayor Daniel Biss, who was present at Friday’s speak out.
DANIEL BISS: Right now it can feel hard to stand up. It’s easy to feel targeted. When you stand up against a powerful interest like Compass, you can feel vulnerable and alone, especially when there’s allegations of retaliatory layoffs. And it is important for all of us to stand with those workers.
Friday’s events are just a part of what has been a truly historic and critical year for labor on campus. It has been nearly a year since Local 1 and Compass began negotiating on May 28th, 2024, and workers have been almost nine months without a contract. All of this contributed to their 12-day strike in March.
From these events, the question arises: “what have the takeaways been from this year for labor on campus?”
For Saval, as trying as times have been, they have also yielded more connection and community.
SAVAL: I would say with those of us who were out here on strike, our bonds have never been stronger.
And due to higher visibility moments like the pickets, the campus culture around labor rights has also seen some changes.
JULIÁN FEFER: When you walk around, you see the “I heart campus workers” pins. I think we did an incredible job distributing, and we distributed ’em, I think around 2,500 or something like that during the strike last quarter.
That’s Julián Fefer, Weinberg senior and a member of Students Organizing for Labor Rights, also known as SOLR, which works to support campus workers. According to Fefer, following March’s strike, SOLR saw a roughly 75% increase in membership and roughly 1200 people on the organization’s email and communication list.
FEFER: I think that’s a small step. I think like students can get more involved and I would ask them to come join the picket and to get involved to fill out interest forms and talk with people in SOLR to join the fight.
Since March’s strike, SOLR organized a string of events in honor of May Day, also known as International Workers Day, which included teach-ins and food sales. The organization also raised $2304 in mutual aid for workers through their May Day fundraising drive. For Fefer, this work is a way to give back some of the gratitude he has for campus workers.
FEFER: I feel incredibly thankful that the workers have allowed me and other students to join in their fight. I always say this, I’ve learned infinitely more organizing alongside the workers than I have in a lot of my classes. And that’s not saying that the classes here are bad, they’re incredible, but the workers are insanely inspiring. I’ve learned so much about what it means to show up for one another more than anything, what it means to demand your rights with joy.
While the strike officially went on pause March 22nd, many workers look back proudly on the time spent on the picket line.
Here’s Victorina Rivera, who has been working in Elder Dining Hall for four years.
VICTORINA RIVERA: Lo que estuvimos aquí la última vez, para mí fue bonito Porque nos juntamos todos y hay voz.
TRANSLATOR: The last day that I was of the strike was actually so beautiful because there’s so many of us. We came together from all over and we were raising our voices together.
As of now, no further action has been taken on the charges outside of their filing and the workers strike remains on pause. The future of labor on campus is still up in the air but the crowds at The Arch hold out hope for a fair contract and remain committed to continuing their fight however they can.
Here’s Watkins again.
WATKINS: This strike means a lot to me because I’m fighting and standing up for poverty, for dignity, for respect for those who feel hopeless in a world that’s hopeless and broken. I’m fighting to stand up for those who are scared to fight. For those who feel their voice does not matter. Our voices, they do matter. We matter. We matter. These jobs, these positions, they don’t fill themselves. It’s us.
WNUR News contacted Compass for comment but received no response.
For WNUR News, I’m Sophia Casa.
