Dining Hall Workers Celebrate Tentative Agreement, But Some Remain Cautious

Many dining hall workers are celebrating Thursday’s announcement of a tentative, unanimously passed contract agreement between Harvard and UNITE HERE Local 26, the union representing dining hall staff.

The tentative contract guarantees, among other things, a 2.73 percent annual wage increase for workers and the creation of a joint committee of University staff and union members to monitor workplace conditions in dining halls and oversee the sustainable foods program.

Adams House cook Edward B. Childs, a member of the bargaining committee, said that dining hall workers are very excited about the new contract agreement.

“For this period of time, we did good,” Childs said.

He added that there were no cutbacks as part of the new contract, which was a big victory for dining hall workers.

“The number one thing is that there were not take-aways,” he said. “We didn’t lose anything.”

For many dining hall workers, the most important part of the contract is the five-year job security it offers.

“I’ve got a family, so I’m just happy to have a job,” said John S. Martin, an ID checker in Annenberg. “Of course, the wages are nice too.”

Martin added that aside from the pay raise, little about his job will change.

“Everything basically stays the same,” Martin said. “But that’s fine. We get paid good here. I think it’s fair.”

However, several dining hall workers disagreed with Martin, saying that the contract did not go far enough. The new contract will not include an option for workers to roll over or buy back unused sick days, for example.

“They just don’t want to pay us as much as they should,” said one dining hall worker who wished to remain anonymous to preserve his/her relationship with the University.

The worker added that the bargaining committee settled too easily. “I think they should have fought harder,” the worker said.

Another dining hall worker, who also wished to remain anonymous, said though she is happy with the contract, she is not sure if she feels she can trust the University.

“I think the contract is good if the University does their side,” she said. “But we do not know if they will.”

Despite these doubts, Local 26 leadership and members of the bargaining committee are fairly certain that the contract will be approved by union members when they vote on it Sept. 19.

“I think that most of the workers who know about it are excited,” Childs said. “I think there is a step in the right direction.”

—Staff Writer Mercer R. Cook can be reached at mcook@college.harvard.edu.