2008 Woodie Awards
Workers protest wages
Eric Elizondo
Issue date: 12/4/07 Section: Front Page
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The protest involved those employees who provide food and cleaning services to Houston businesses. Protestors requested improved wages and affordable healthcare, according to the release.
Aramark employs over 1,000 people in the Houston area at locations such as Reliant Arena, the George R. Brown Convention Center, the University of Houston, Houston Community College and UST.
Employees, community activists and elected officials like City Council member Texas Democratic representative Adrian Garcia and Sheila Jackson Lee spoke against Aramark, calling for action from its top officials.
Community activist Maria Jimenez said the rally closely resembled the SEIU-backed strike of Houston janitors that occurred one year ago. "Last year, thousands of Houston janitors and their families won, for the first time, better wages, access to affordable health care and dignity on the job," she said. "But there are thousands more service workers in Houston who still struggle to make ends meet at dead-end, low-wage jobs with no path toward health insurance."
Thomas Arellano, UST director of food services, said the low pay and lack of health care benefits is not a problem for the Aramark employees contracted by the school.
"In this age, you have to be competitive in the marketplace and pay people fair wages," he said. "My employees enjoy quite a few benefits including vacation, sick time, personal time off and holiday pay."
Arellano said that he realizes the importance of fair pay and equal opportunities for all of his employees, because if they are unhappy, he said, it creates a cycle that affects many people.
"If I pay my workers poorly and they become unhappy, it reflects in the service," he said. "They make bad food and then the students become unhappy. The students complain, and the administrators become unhappy. Then I'm in trouble. So really, it's in my best interest to have happy employees."