The company, which employs 335,000 workers in 80 different countries, is a leading provider of contracts in cleaning, catering and ancillary service contracts in schools, colleges, universities and hospitals in the UK.
It also provides services to the military and emergency services across the world and is about to secure a 20 year contract with the Ministry of Defence in the UK worth a total of 5 billion Euros.
It also provides services, including security, in detention centres in the UK.
However the US union the SEIU had filed 2 questions to the AGM regarding the employment practices of the company. SEIU members spoke at the lobby and at a press conference about the intimidation of workers who expressed interest in joining unions and of victimisation of individuals who were trying to exercise their right to organise a union. In complete contradiction to the announcements to shareholders of Sodexo’s commitment to Human Rights, these workers spoke of many instances of union busting techniques being deployed by the company across the USA.
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/01/25/business/global/25iht-sodexo.html
That a union is needed is underlined by the level of wages and other terms and conditions. US workers are unable to access Healthcare unless classed as ‘full time’. Even if they do qualify as ‘full time’ many cannot afford the premiums of $150 - $250 a month out of their low wages. One group of workers talked about how they had not had a pay rise in 6 years. The Chief Executive of the Company earned 2.2 million Euros last year.
Turning out in solidarity with the US workers, French and British workers expressed fears that this was the future for people who work for Sodexo in Europe. Already workers on contracts in these countries have to fight for rights at work including paid sick leave and pensions. In the UK Sodexo workers at North Devon Health Trust in UNISON recently took strike action over these issues.
Last year Sodexo was forced to settle with SEIU over a class action on behalf of black workers – resulting in a payout of over $80 million. Yet when SEIU Vice president Mich Ackerman asked the AGM to hear a question from a black African American worker about being harassed out of organising for her union and to present a petition on behalf of her co workers, the Chair refused to allow her to speak.
http://www.businessweek.com/globalbiz/content/jan2010/gb20100122_716025.htm
The press conference, the worker delegation meetings and the lobby were deemed a great success by the workers who took part, as Sodexo workers from across the United States and Europe were able to share experiences and plan ways to work together. All 3 unions met later with the International Union of Food Service Workers to discuss ways forward in the campaign. The CGT will host the next meeting which will look at applying further pressure on Sodexo with actions involving workers across the world.
Sodexo appears to have grabbed a tiger by the tail.
