By Tara Conry
Lackmann employees are evoking a silent, yet earnest plea to save their benefits. Over the past three weeks, some employees have adorned stickers that state, "Save Our Health Benefits" and "We Want a Contract Now!"
When questioned about their subtle protest, the employees refused to comment. One cashier at Bits 'N' Bytes said, "I can't talk about this yet, we still have meetings to go to."
Another Lackmann employee working in the Student Center whispered, "I can't talk, my manager is over there."
"Management can intimidate their workers through subtle comments and by applying pressure to them," Dennis Romano, the director of collective bargaining for local 1120, the union that represents the Lackmann employees, said.
Romano said the employees can't be fired for speaking about the issue, but they don't want to create a negative work environment or damage relations with their colleagues and bosses.
The main concern of the employees is the fate of their healthcare.
"Right now there is a major health crisis in this country," Romano said. "The average cost of health insurance has increased 12 to 15 percent over the past year."
Currently, the union provides a comprehensive health insurance plan, which includes hospital, dental, eye care and prescriptions. However, as the costs continue to rise this plan is in jeopardy. The union has asked Lackmann to share more of the financial responsibility of supplying its workers with healthcare.
Representatives from Lackmann, the 1102 union, and the employees have met to bargain and discuss the different proposals presented by each side.
"At this point they (Lackmann) haven't come up with enough money for medical benefits," Romano said.
This is devastating to the employees who are unable to afford insurance from an outside provider. Many of these workers have families to support and are living on an average of $8 per hour, Romano said.
"It's never enough. People want raises and they deserve them," he said.
In a recent meeting the employees authorized a vote to determine if a strike will be used as a means to pressure Lackmann to meet their demands. As of Monday, they have not voted on the strike. Romano noted that six years ago when they were negotiating their contracts, which they are supposed to do every three years, the workers picketed to express their discontent with their employer.
Romano said he is currently working to negotiate a multi-year contract, a minimum three-year agreement, seeking more benefits than they received last time. Romano hopes to settle the contract by December.
"If we can't come to terms soon, there is a good possibility there will be a strike," he said.
President Stuart Rabinowitz has not been involved in the conflict; however, if the employees strike he may be forced to become involved.
The issue also raises the question of how the negotiations will affect the University.
Joseph Rudolph, the regional operations vice president for Lackmann, assures increases in the workers' benefits will not inflate the cost of products or the service Lackmann provides to the University.
"The contract expires every three years, we've known this and have anticipated the increases in wage, healthcare and welfare," Rudolph said. "We've already factored these costs into the current budget, so it will not affect the food prices."
Lackmann must also abide by the terms of their contract with the University, which is separate from their contract with the union. The University has little influence on the issue because Lackmann is an outside vendor. When Lackmann became the food service provider to the University, they assumed the existing union contract and have continued to abide by its terms and stipulations.
"The workers receive fair increases and good benefits," Rudolph said. "Their benefits are consistent with the norm of the industry."
He said the most recent meeting held at the University Club on Nov. 8 was promising.
"We are not in an adversarial phase," he said and predicts a settlement will be reached by late November or early December.
Rudolph said the different sides have only met three times.
"Because of his schedule, Romano has had a tough time meeting with us, but we are available to meet every day," he said. "For everyone's sake, including the employees, I would have liked to settle this months ago."
Lackmann employees wore pins in a silent protest for a fair contract complete with health benefits and a salary raise. (Harry Tanielyan/The Chronicle)