Working people across the United States have stepped up to help out our friends, neighbors and communities during these trying times. In our Service & Solidarity Spotlight series, we'll showcase one of these stories every day. Here’s today’s story.
Workers at American University Kitchen approved a new contract with their employer, food service provider Compass Group, according to UNITE HERE Local 23, the union representing the workers. The new contract is now in effect and guarantees all employees under Compass a $20 minimum wage, which are “bigger raises than they have received in the last 21 years combined.” Additionally, health care for individual workers will become free by 2026 and all workers will be eligible for four weeks of paid parental leave. Local 23 also won guaranteed rights at work for transgender and nonbinary workers, new work accommodations for workers who are pregnant or have recently given birth, and specific job protections for workers dealing with family or intimate partner violence.