Branded food service outlets at UTM are raising prices in anticipation of the upcoming minimum wage increase. Costs are expected to increase by five to 11 per cent, as opposed to the previous average year-on-year increase of three per cent.

Prices for non-branded food are also set to increase, although it is unclear by how much. UTM is set to work with its catering partner Chartwells to keep its non-branded price increases “as low as possible given the increase in labour costs and expected increase in food costs,” according to the minutes of the Food Service Advisory Committee meeting on November 15.

The Food Service Advisory Committee evaluates and reviews various policy and operational aspects pertaining to food services at UTM and serves in a consultative capacity responsible to Vicky Jezierski, Director of Hospitality and Retail Services at UTM.

Jezierski explained, “University of Toronto Mississauga has no control over price changes in branded food service outlets… We do not set our branded prices at premium or non-traditional price levels that some other campuses do.”

The food price increases will also affect student meal plan rates, since these can be used at both branded and non-branded vendors on and off-campus. Jezierski noted that food prices are “the driving force” behind proposed meal plan rates.

“We are still in this part of the process, so the price increase for non-branded food service outlets has not been finalized,” said Jezierski. “Our focus is… also on sustainable food service hours of operation and service levels from year to year while still maintaining food prices at UTM that are well below the average of food prices at other Canadian college and universities.”

Jezierski said that Hospitality and Retail Services cannot subsidize increased costs because it “operates as an ancillary and is not in a position to get subsidies from the UTM’s operating budget.”

UTM Dining Services has put up printed notices of these increases at the various branded services’ kiosks, including at the Tim Hortons in the William G. Davis Building. The notices indicate that branded services “will be introducing price increases consistently for the remainder of the year.”

All branded services are implementing price increases, such as Bento Sushi, Subway, and all branded vendors in the Temporary Food Court, including Booster Juice, Elements, and Pizza Pizza.

As of the 2017 University of Toronto Mississauga Students’ Union (UTMSU) AGM, the Blind Duck pub, a UTMSU division, had not indicated increases in price. The pub is currently running a deficit as UTMSU executives opted not to increase food costs last year despite increases in the cost of sales.

The UTMSU did not respond to The Varsity’s request for comment in time for publication.

With the university takeover of food services from Aramark occurring at the St. George campus on August 1, the university and CUPE have indicated that all former Aramark employees have been offered employment with the university.

“All Aramark employees were offered a new job with the university at a substantively higher rate of pay with a pension plan and benefits that they did not have before and the ability for them and their children to attend U of T for free,” said Sarah Jordison from CUPE Communications.

While employed by Aramark, hourly wages for most food services workers ranged between $12.00 to $12.80. The university offered food services workers wages at $20.29 an hour with benefits such as a tuition waiver for employees and dependents.

In May and June, supporters and active members of UNITE HERE Local 75 — the union that previously represented food services workers at UTSG — voiced concerns over whether all workers would be rehired by the university, the status of the seniority of the workers, and the 90-day probationary period. The union organized protests and a week-long hunger strike.

Following U of T’s takeover, food services workers are represented by CUPE 3261.

Representatives from U of T had one-on-one conversations with all former Aramark employees in order to establish what their duties at work were and the hours they worked.

“We tried not to change people’s lives too much so we met with them all individually,” Anne Macdonald, Director of Ancillary Services said. “We tried to stick with that but at the same time we are doing things differently, so there will be changes.”

Macdonald noted that most of these changes will occur in the type of work that people are doing. According to MacDonald, cooks can expect to be using different, more fresh, ingredients than they did when employed by Aramark.

Macdonald also told The Varsity that there were six or seven employees, out of 250 food services workers, who did not want to work for U of T; the university did not meet with these individuals.

“It’s not like it was a brand new venture to do this all ourselves, there’s some experience with respect to, certainly the things that count…cooking, the ability to cook and the ability to plan menus and to procure food,” Macdonald added, also noting that University College and Chestnut Residence already control their own food services.

As the university transitions to in-house food services on the St. George campus, significant changes are coming to the available food options for students.

The changes come after the university’s contract with Aramark expired on July 31. The contract expiry sparked rallies led by UNITE HERE members, the union which represented food services workers under the Aramark contract.

While some franchises, such as most of the Starbucks and Tim Hortons locations, will stay open under the new U of T management, others will be replaced by alternative dining options. The Subway in the Robarts Library food court will be traded for a campus brand serving Mexican dishes called Tortillas and the Athletic Centre Starbucks has also closed.

In a conversation with The Varsity, Director of Ancillary Services Anne MacDonald explained that the changes were motivated by the aims of creating healthier and more diverse options for students.

“[The University will] focus on more production on campus. The more on campus, the fresher it is, and the healthier it is,” explained MacDonald. “The more options we can put in front of students and other people on campus. You can change up the menu more if you’re doing it all yourself.”

Students may already be familiar with the campus-operated Grab’n’Go, which will be expanding its menu to include a greater range of options. This includes a promise to reduce the amount of processed foods, and substitute them with fresh alternatives.

A similar plan will be implemented in the New College and Chestnut Residence dining halls, which will introduce more variety to the menu. Students with flex dollars will receive 10 per cent off at these locations in the coming school year.

Three new brands will be opening on campus. This month, Pasta Pappardelle, which is a ‘make your own pasta’ joint, will be opening in the Robarts food court. Despite the fact that Pasta Pappardelle is a new brand, MacDonald said that it would build on what was popular about the pasta place that Aramark operated in Robarts. It will be joined by Za’atar, which features a range of different cuisines from the Mediterranean. Za’atar will also open a second location in the Medical Sciences Building.

In September, Urban Deli and Stone Oven Pizzeria will also open in the Robarts Food Court. Urban Deli is a new custom sandwich shop, while Stone Oven already has a location in the MSB and serves traditional-style pizza. According to MacDonald, all of the new brands and locations will be run by experienced chefs, and will utilize locally produced ingredients when available.

The University of Toronto’s decision to take over food services at UTSG has cooked up some controversy among food services workers.

UNITE HERE Local 75, the union that represents food service workers on campus, held a protest and march on the afternoon of May 11, rallying against what they perceive to be employment injustice on the part of U of T.

Close to 150 attendees — including workers, friends, family, and other unions — gathered outside the gates at King’s College Road. They marched up and around King’s College Circle before continuing their protest outside of Simcoe Hall, where the Offices of the President and Governing Council are located.

“We see these people every day in our cafeterias. A lot of us tend to graduate and have part times jobs at food service places,” said Melissa Sobers, a U of T graduate who works in food services at the Rogers Centre and an organizer for the rally. “We need to work to make these jobs good jobs, not just because we see these people, we have relationships with them, we’re occupied in these positions already, but we’re graduating into debt.”

In January, the university announced that it would be taking over food services after its contract with Aramark expires on July 31. UNITE HERE Local 75 argues that this change will affect crucial aspects of its members’ labour contracts, including job security, seniority, and the continuity of a fair wage.

Maria Goretti Frias, a cafeteria worker and member of the U of T community for 25 years, described how this transition is different from previous contract handovers that have seen labour rights continue just as they were.

“I have seen companies gone and come for three decades, and now the university’s taking over. Over the years we never had no problems, we got our jobs, we didn’t have to be on probation, and our seniority carried on,” Frias said. “And now the university decides we are no longer part of the university because we were contracted out, so they’re taking our seniority and they’re putting us on probation.”

Several students were also present at the rally, including members of the University of Toronto Students’ Union executive.

“Our position is to stand behind any member of our community that supports the ecosystem in which full-time undergrad students here are in,” said UTSU vice president, external Lucinda Qu. “The food services staff are definitely a part of that ecosystem.”

The May 11 rally was the second time UNITE HERE Local 75 held a rally in response to the university’s announcement. On May 5, members of the union held a smaller rally inside Simoe Hall, just outside U of T president Meric Gertler’s office.

Anne Macdonald, director of ancillary services at U of T, told The Varsity in an email statement that 100 job offers have already been made and more are expected in June. Macdonald also stated that the university is taking steps to recognize seniority.

“We will further recognise the seniority of the staff in relation to each other for as long as they are employed with us — meaning that within the cohort of former ARAMARK employees, staff will have their seniority recognised for the purposes defined by the collective agreement,” said Macdonald. “This is exactly the type of seniority recognition that would occur in a transition between food service companies.”

Cafeteria workers protest./Courtesy of Melissa Sobers

Union or university?
One of the challenges food workers are facing is the transition from UNITE HERE Local 75 to CUPE 3261, which represents service workers at U of T. Local 75 represents food service workers in Toronto and is the union under which they would have stayed despite contractual changeovers. The move to employment by U of T, however, will cause them to fall under CUPE 3261 for the purpose of collective bargaining.

Gertler stated that the demands of the food service workers were ones to be dealt with by the union, not the university. In an interview with The Varsity published May 5, he said, “They will, I gather, be changing unions as a result. UNITE HERE will be — is their former union and they’re going to be, I guess, moving to a different union. That is an agreement that was worked out between the unions themselves and we don’t play a role in that particular process.”

Many at the rally believe the university is responsible for responding to the issues the workers raised. According to Valerie Gaynor, a cook on campus and a member of the U of T community for 16 years, “It’s a university issue… because they are the ones that’s doing it. Because normally, before that, we had Sodexo and Aramark, and they took us with our seniority and everything. And suddenly, now that we’re going over to U of T, they’re going to separate us and change everything.”

On January 27, Aramark employees working at the UTSG campus received a letter from their employer informing them that the university had decided not to extend its contract with the company. The letter arrived on the same day that the university announced it would be taking over all campus food and beverage services for the entire campus. The contract was due to expire in 2016.

According to the letter, the university has scheduled three information sessions for employees to learn more about the transition. Aramark representatives will also be in attendance.

“This move will allow us to take a more active role in creating comfortable and welcoming dining areas,” said Anne Macdonald, director of ancillary services at U of T, “We’ll also be able to enhance the food offerings available to students on the St. George campus, particularly those who don’t live in residence.”           

In early October, the Faculty of Kinesiology and Physical Education sent out a survey to many varsity athletes about the Starbucks in the Athletic Centre, citing that in the coming months the faculty will have the opportunity to suggest changes to the food services offered at that location. Questions and comment ranged from how often student-athletes used the Starbucks, to possible improvements or changes that need to be made to the location,              

The change will affect employees working in locations such as Robarts Library and Sid’s Café, as well as those at New College and Chestnut residence dining halls, both of which were contracted out to Aramark. According to U of T News, the university is intending to offer around 250 UTSG Aramark employees opportunities to work under the new management. 

The prospect of employment has current Aramark employee Robin* cautiously optimistic. “I would hope that a renowned institution like U of T wouldn’t put people out of a job,” they said. When asked about any concerns they had about changes in job description and hourly wage, Robin expressed concern. “Now am I concerned that my pay and hours will change? I am a bit. We haven’t been briefed on the situation yet, so that alone is a bit concerning.”            

Aramark has held UTSG’s food service contract since 2006 when the company replaced Sodexho, a French company who were employed by the university for 16 years. During the transition, many concerns were raised by employees about the future of their collective agreement under UNITE HERE Local 75. Currently, the university has several union groups, many of which are under the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE).   

During the transition from Sodexho to Aramark at the Athletic Centre Starbucks, several employees, many of whom were students, were not re-hired.

In July, 2013 Ryerson University decided against tendering its contract with their Aramark in favour of food service operator Chartwells. Ryerson had been covering over $5.6 million in losses which former operator Aramark had agreed to undertake upon signing a contract with the university.              

Owned by British company Compass Group, Chartwells contracts out to Ryerson, UTM, George Brown, and Humber College. Food services at UTSC operate under both independent and institutional providers; one of which is Aramark.              

The university’s announcement not to renew its contract comes some months after the Starbucks in Robarts Library, one of Aramark’s contracts, was shut down temporarily by DineSafe, following a failed inspection. 

Robin hopes that under U of T, working and managerial conditions will improve. “I am hoping that there will be better organization. Aramark doesn’t seem to have the right handle on scheduling,” said Robin, adding, “Although the problem may come from workers not showing up at times, I’d say this is a direct effect of how things are managed. I want to be able to come into my job every day and know that I have people to work with. Not to mention that I want my work environment to be good, without unnecessary tension.”           

U of T and Aramark are still discussing the terms of the transition, including the date of effective termination.

*Name has been changed at subject’s request

Disclosure: Emma Kikulis was previously employed by Aramark; she no longer works for the company.