Dist. 95 leaders ask if 'secret pacts' are behind picketing, mold charges

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Dist. 95 leaders ask if 'secret pacts' are behind picketing, mold

charges

Daily Herald, IL*

By Madhu Krishnamurthy |

http://www.dailyherald.com/story/?id=192830 & src=109

Lake Zurich schools officials want to know if a national labor

union's bargaining tactics are behind recent picketing and what they

call false charges of health and safety problems at a district

facility.

The District 95 officials are calling a meeting with the Service

Employees International Union and the district's custodial and food

service contractors to find out if the accusations of potentially

toxic mold at the Annex really were just part of the union's effort

to unionize the district's janitorial workers.

" It was never about the workers, nor was it about us, " school board

member Hussey said Friday. " Everybody got played for a sucker

here. I'm really upset that they took our community through a

knothole. "

Hussey said the board learned of " secret deals " between the two

contractors -- Aramark and Sodexho -- and the union. Those deals,

the Wall Street Journal reported May 10, give the companies the

right to say which of their locations and how many workers the

unions can try to organize.

Aramark manages District 95's facilities maintenance and custodial

services, and Sodexho is the district's food service program manager.

District 95 wants the union, Aramark and Sodexho to appear before

the school board May 22 to answer questions. That meeting starts at

7 p.m. in the little theater at Lake Zurich High School, 300 Church

St.

National Service Employees International Union spokeswoman

Tran said the confidential agreement with Aramark has nothing to do

with local picketing activities.

An Aramark spokeswoman would not comment on concerns raised by

District 95. Sodexho officials could not be reached for comment

Friday.

Service union Local 1 spokeswoman a Hade said the district is

using the agreements at the national level as a " diversion " to avoid

the mold issue.

" This is the same thing that the district has been doing all along,

diverting the attention from what the workers are talking about, "

she said.

Local 1 recently rallied Aramark janitorial workers in protests

outside several Lake Zurich schools.

At issue are claims by Aramark workers of potentially toxic mold at

the district's new May Whitney Elementary School or the Annex next

door at 100 Church St.

Storms had flooded the original May Whitney Elementary in August

2007, leading to the discovery of stachybotrys, a toxic strain of

mold, and asbestos.

At the same time, the national pact between Aramark and the union

expired. Talks for a new deal fell apart, prompting the union to

launch a national campaign against Aramark, union officials

confirmed Friday.

In April, workers in Lake Zurich filed complaints with five state

and federal agencies claiming they were asked to clean up mold at

the Annex without proper equipment. They also cite concerns that

results of recent air quality tests may not be reliable.

District 95 conducted environmental quality tests at the Annex in

March. Test results released April 24 showed no mold problems in the

building.

District 95 officials argue the district's name was dragged through

the mud for a bargaining ploy.

" To the union, I'd love to ask them was this all about trying to

force Aramark back to the table, or was it really interested in

organizing our workers? " Hussey said.

Aramark's nearly $3 million contract with District 95 expires June

30, 2009. District officials say they will not sign a renewal for

the 2008-09 school year until questions are resolved.