Cranston School Lunch Ladies Join Union

CRANSTON, RI—Cranston school food service workers on Feb. 16 voted to join a union. The vote was 55-18 to join Local 26 of Unite Here, according to Tiffany Ten Eyck, union spokeswoman.

"Workers hope to begin negotiating a first contract with Aramark, the company that manages Cranston Public Schools food service operations, as soon as possible," she said.

The workers' main concerns were focused on job security, higher wages, and health insurance, she said. On Jan. 31, they filed with the National Labor Relations Board to hold a vote for or against a union.

“We are thrilled to win our union today,” said Pat Pashalain, a food service worker at Cranston West High School. “We all feel a sense of security in our jobs now and we know our working conditions will get better.”

The union represents hotel and food service workers in Massachusetts and Rhode Island. Local 26 includes public school food service employees in Coventry, East Bay, East Providence, Narragansett, Pawtucket, Newport, and Warwick.

Courtesy Photo Credit: UNITE HERE Local 26