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Duquesne Plans to Switch Food Service Providers
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

June 22, 2013 12:08 am
By Mary Niederberger / Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

A switch in food service providers at Duquesne University will bring more fresh and locally grown foods to the campus and is expected to preserve the jobs of both unionized food service workers and student employees.

Aramark Educational Services LLC at Duquesne University filed a notice to the state Department of Labor & Industry stating it will close operations at Duquesne University as of Aug. 6 and permanently terminate its employees. That move came after Duquesne notified Aramark that it would not be retained to provide food services at the university.

Duquesne's new food service provider will be Parkhurst Dining, which is a division of Eat'n Park Hospitality Group.

Parkhurst spokeswoman Grace Zarnas-Hoyer said her firm intends to offer jobs to the 134 part-time and full-time employees represented by SEIU 32 BJ and the 80 part-time student employees who worked for Aramark. She said her firm will accept applications from food service managers who worked for Aramark.

Sam Williamson, assistant district director for SEIU Local 32BJ, which represents the Duquesne food service workers, said that "although Parkhurst has not yet agreed, our expectation is that our workers will be hired and the terms and conditions of their contract will be respected." The Duquesne employees contract expires in 2016.

Duquesne spokeswoman Bridget Fare said the university made the change in food service providers in response to the results of student surveys indicating a desire "for more fresh foods and different selections." She said the change is not expected to increase the cost of a student meal plan.

Other local colleges where Parkhurst holds contracts include Chatham, Robert Morris and Saint Vincent universities and Washington & Jefferson and Allegheny colleges.



View original article here
Duquesne Plans to Switch Food Service Providers
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

June 22, 2013 12:08 am
By Mary Niederberger / Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

A switch in food service providers at Duquesne University will bring more fresh and locally grown foods to the campus and is expected to preserve the jobs of both unionized food service workers and student employees.

Aramark Educational Services LLC at Duquesne University filed a notice to the state Department of Labor & Industry stating it will close operations at Duquesne University as of Aug. 6 and permanently terminate its employees. That move came after Duquesne notified Aramark that it would not be retained to provide food services at the university.

Duquesne's new food service provider will be Parkhurst Dining, which is a division of Eat'n Park Hospitality Group.

Parkhurst spokeswoman Grace Zarnas-Hoyer said her firm intends to offer jobs to the 134 part-time and full-time employees represented by SEIU 32 BJ and the 80 part-time student employees who worked for Aramark. She said her firm will accept applications from food service managers who worked for Aramark.

Sam Williamson, assistant district director for SEIU Local 32BJ, which represents the Duquesne food service workers, said that "although Parkhurst has not yet agreed, our expectation is that our workers will be hired and the terms and conditions of their contract will be respected." The Duquesne employees contract expires in 2016.

Duquesne spokeswoman Bridget Fare said the university made the change in food service providers in response to the results of student surveys indicating a desire "for more fresh foods and different selections." She said the change is not expected to increase the cost of a student meal plan.

Other local colleges where Parkhurst holds contracts include Chatham, Robert Morris and Saint Vincent universities and Washington & Jefferson and Allegheny colleges.



View original article here