Northwestern dining hall workers go on strike

Chicago Tribune

10-03-2025

Hundreds of dining hall workers at Northwestern University walked off the job Monday morning as their union said it has reached an impasse with their employer after nine months of contract bargaining.
The workers, who are employed by British food service giant Compass Group, are represented by hospitality union Unite Here Local 1. A union contract for the approximately 500 cooks, cashiers, baristas, dishwashers and catering workers expired this summer, and union members voted to authorize a strike at the end of February.
In a news release, Unite Here said the workers are 'fighting for a fair contract with family-sustaining wages and increased pension contributions.' Compass, in turn, said it was 'disappointed' by the decision to strike, saying the union had not allowed workers to vote on its most recent contract proposal.
On Monday morning, the strike had shut down some campus dining halls and food retail locations, while others remained open, according to the university's website.
'Thank you for your patience as we adjust our operations. We are focused on reopening locations as soon as we are able to do so,' Northwestern said in an FAQ posted online.
In a statement to the Tribune, a spokesperson for Compass said its most recent offer to the union included immediate raises of $3 per hour for all dining workers, additional raises over the course of the contract and an 80% increase in pension contributions.
'While we respect our employees' right to voice their opinions, we are disappointed by the Union's decision to strike, as we believe our employees overwhelmingly support reaching an agreement now,' Compass said, adding that it was keeping dining locations on campus 'running as close to schedule as possible.'
Union spokesperson Sarah Lyons did not contest Compass's characterization of its contract proposal.
'Workers are in the streets because it's not sufficient,' Lyons said. Unite Here noted Monday that Compass had reported $42 billion in revenue in the last fiscal year.
Veronica Reyes, a dining hall cashier who said she has worked at Northwestern for 15 years, said she didn't think she could retire on her current pension plan. 'Life is so expensive,' she said. 'Everything is impossible.'
Reyes described Northwestern students as 'family.'
'We don't want them to suffer for the closure of the dining halls,' she said. 'But we don't have another way to fight with the company for a better life for all of us.'
In a statement, Northwestern said the university hopes for 'a swift and equitable resolution' to the contract negotiations.