Concerned Mouths for the Removal of Sodexo from Luther College

Regarding Sodexo at Luther, for the good of our community, the well-being of our workers, and the health of the planet,
We the Undersigned

Addressees:
• Richard Torgerson, President, Luther College
• Diane Tacke, Vice President for Finance and Administration, Luther College
• Luther College Board of Regents
• Luther College Student Senate
• Jeff Paulson, Senior Vice President, Sodexo (Luther Grad ’81)
• Deb Naughton, Vice President, Sodexo
• Barbara Madden, District Manager, Sodexo

As we complete our first academic year with Sodexo running Dining Services at Luther College, it is increasingly clear that the Luther administration is indifferent to concerns about Sodexo voiced by members of the Luther community.

With this petition we demonstrate that dissatisfaction with the administration’s process, the quality of food, the work climate, and Sodexo’ unsavory reputation is broad-based enough to require that the College reconsider its relationship with Sodexo.

We the Undersigned, stand by the following concerns:

1.) The lack of community involvement in and outright secrecy around the initial decision to hire Sodexo has damaged the level of trust between the Administration and the rest of the campus.

2.) The general quality of food provided at Luther eateries has diminished noticeably; this is not a criticism of the kitchen staff, but rather of the food provided to them to begin with. Moreover, Sodexo has provided confusing, inconsistent, and even misleading nutritional information to its customers here and seems unwilling to keep concerned parties informed and updated as to whether these issues are being addressed (reference: letter to Sodexo by Luther Professor Wendy Stevens re: the items mentioned, among others).

3.) A climate of discontent and fear pervades the kitchen staff. Many non-student cafeteria workers who worked in Dining Services pre-Sodexo and now for Sodexo, have been very unhappy with the new management, but fear for their jobs if they were to speak up. Such a climate is antithetical to Luther’s mission.

4.) Much of the creativity has been taken from the day-to-day jobs of managers and staff, who now do little more than implement planning done by Sodexo managers elsewhere. Such a diminishment of creativity is also at odds with Luther’s mission.

5.) Outsourcing Dining Services—especially to a multinational corporation—runs counter to Luther’s commitment to sustainability and undermines its commitment to “move beyond immediate interests.” Such a decision does not model a brighter future for any of us.

6.) Sodexo’s reputation has been repeatedly marred by systemically poor wages, lack of access to affordable healthcare, racial bias (including an $80 million settlement), anti-union activities (currently there are 16 charges of unfair labor practices pending before the National Labor Relations Board), workplaces devoid of dignity, and poor food quality (http://cleanupsodexo.org). During April 2010 the Service Employees International Union staged two weeks of nationwide protests over Sodexo’s record on workers’ rights. Luther College should not be complicit in rewarding these practices.

7.) The contract between Sodexo and Luther has recently been extended with no attempt having been made to address any of the concerns above—and with no attempt having been made to determine whether the student dining experience has been at all “enhanced,” (this was the administration’s stated reason for hiring Sodexo in the first place).

9.) We fully anticipate that some Luther alumni will withhold further donations to the College as an act of conscience until Luther ends its partnership with Sodexo.