On Zoe's Continued Closure

Shred the Contract has seen many students react to Aramark's statement in the Western Front article that touched on the understaffing issue that has led to Aramark locations such as Zoe's Bookside Bagels and Freshens still being closed. In the article, the Aramark resident district manager said students who want to help bring Zoe's back should apply for a job with campus dining services. Most students recognize that the understaffing issue stems from problems that are Aramark's responsibility to solve.

Issues with labor shortage have only worsened during the pandemic. Additionally, this generation of people entering the workforce generally expect and demand better working conditions and working wages. University tuition has become increasingly expensive nationwide, yet nationwide minimum wage stays the same, and housing and food prices rise. Students need liveable working wages to be able to survive in Bellingham and have access to the necessities of food, clean water, and a roof over their heads.

We should not forget that in mid to late 2020, Aramark laid off thousands of workers nationwide. Here at WWU, it laid off 183 campus workers. Even though WWU Aramark workers had months’ advance notice that they would be laid off, this still demonstrates Aramark failed to protect our student workers in unprecedented times and showed that such positions are not a secure occupation. When a corporation sends the message that its workers are dispensable, students are less likely to want to work under them again -- especially if they were forced to find another job in desperate times due to there being no hire-back promises. Additionally, for some students, already demanding jobs like food service in which workers have to work in person and in close contact with other people are less appealing than jobs with distanced options due to the higher probability of contracting COVID.

The issue of solving dining labor shortages should not be laid solely on the shoulders of students. It is the responsibility of Aramark as the contracted corporation to raise the wages for student workers, improve working conditions, and expand job advertisement so that more students want to work in campus dining as opposed to other appealing, competitive job openings.

Based on our research this year and past years, we've learned that Self Operated Dining systems allow for far more autonomy in both food and dining options and allows for better employment options for student and non-student workers. The first priority of self-op dining is always the students' needs and interests, with students having greater ability to influence change. With contracting, the first priority is always the corporation's well being, financially and otherwise, and the students come second or third only as consumers of their goods and services.

We still advocate to Shred the Contract with Aramark for more ethical and student-friendly food and dining.