Livable Wage Victory for Burlington Food Service & Maintenance Workers
Contract will bring workers up to a Livable Wage over 4 years
After a three and a half year campaign, Burlington school food service and custodial workers of AFSCME Local 1343 won an agreement that will bring all of its members up to a livable wage by the end of the contract. This agreement is a ground-breaking victory. This is the second livable wage victory in less then a year, last fall the Burlington para-educators had the first livable wage victory in the Burlington Schools.
The campaign for livable wages for Burlington food service and custodial workers has not been without struggle. It took three years of educating school board and community members, as well as organizing faith leaders, elected officials, other union members and hundreds of Burlington residents to show their support.
It is hoped that this contract will change the economic reality for many hard working Vermonters. According to the Report on Livable Wages in Burlington Schools put out in June 2007 by the Peace and Justice Center’s, Vermont Livable Wage Campaign and the Vermont Workers Center, no food service workers make the hourly livable wage, 43% earned $8.59/hr or less in 2005-2006 school year, and 94% of food service workers are women. Many food service workers have to work two jobs to make ends meet while their own children qualify for free or reduced price meals at school.
Congratulations to the food service and maintenance workers in Burlington and thank you to everyone who help out over the past three and a half years. The hard work of the food service and maintenance workers and AFSCME, coupled with the community solidarity efforts and Burlington Livable City Coalition lead to a victory that is a true community success and finally address some issues of gender wage inequity in Burlington.
More>>
Read the Press CoverageAre you a tipped worker?
Do you know your rights?
Watch our short video, Survival Tips, to learn more.
Give to the PJC |
Listen online
to archives of the VLWC on Equal Time Radio |
Home | Mission | FAQs & Facts | Campaigns | Contact Us | Site Map
Vermont Livable Wage Campaign
60 Lake Street, Burlington, VT 05401
802.863.2345 x8 livablewage@pjcvt.org
© 2007 Vermont Livable Wage Campaign