By Antonio D. French
Representatives from several labor unions addressed the school board yesterday in opposition to a proposal to look at bringing the district’s maintenance work back in-house and ending a contract with Sodexho USA, the company which SLPS outsourced its maintenance work to two years ago.
Rudy Smith, of the Plumbers and Pipefitters Local 562, asked the board if SLPS would honor the raises already agreed upon between the unions and Sodexho if their workers again became employees of the district.
“Would they guarantee re-employeement or will they have to re-apply for their jobs and be treated like the teachers?” asked Smith.
The contract with Sodexho has been a source of controversy since it was first entered into by former Superintendent Bill Roberti and the management firm that he worked for. Many parents, teachers and board members have been critical of the level of service that the company has supplied to SLPS.
Many point to the maintenance issues at Cleveland High School which have led to the students being relocated as an example of the neglect which has occured at some schools under Sodexho’s watch.
Near the end of last night’s meeting, the board approved a motion by Peter Downs to ask the superintendent to present to the board in September a report on the feasability of bringing those employees back in-house.
Board member Bob Archibald said the move undermined the superintendent, who he said had already promised to do such a study.
The board passed the motion 4-3 with board members Archibald, Ron Jackson and Flint Fowler voting against it.