Sports complex concession workers could get assistance from City Council in contract dispute against Aramark

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Workers at the sports complex ended a four-day strike in October as the Phillies brief playoff run started, but they remain locked in a contract dispute over pay and benefits with Aramark, which operates concessions at Philadelphia’s sports stadiums.

Now, workers could get help in their fight from City Council.

Council President Kenyatta Johnson has proposed a measure calling for city-mandated wages and benefits for stadium concession workers similar to those in place for workers at Philadelphia International Airport.

The proposal, introduced during council’s weekly session on Thursday, would mandate concessions by Aramark because the city owns the land beneath the facilities and their parking lots.

The bill would amend the current legislation that covers airport workers and add those who work on concessions at Lincoln Financial Field, Citizens Bank Park and the Wells Fargo Center as entitled to the city’s prevailing wage regulations.

Johnson said the goal of the legislation is to support workers with better pay and health care. He said the workers are “the backbone of the stadium moving forward, and it’s something we have been working on in the past.”

Johnson said it’s not about circumventing the collective bargaining process, which has been at a standstill for months.

“This is about making sure that when you have stadiums that are working with the city of Philadelphia, we are the landlords,” Johnson said. “In the past, we passed a prevailing wage ordinance for workers at the airport covering concession workers. For me, this is about elevating the standard in the city of Philadelphia of how we support concession stand workers in the stadiums.”

He called it “closing a loophole” for legislation on the books as opposed to raising the minimum wage for those at the stadiums.

Workers at the stadiums came to council chambers to show support for the bill.

Union President Rosslyn Wuchinich joined workers in speaking out during the public comment portion of the council meeting about their plight.

“Service workers are overwhelmingly women and people of color, and it’s our opinion in our union that our jobs are not paid what they should be because of that fact,” Wuchinich said.

Samantha Spector wore her uniform to the hearing before heading right to Lincoln Financial Field after giving her testimony.

“I don’t have health care right now because I can’t afford it. I’m a single mom. I spent 300 hours a month on my 17-year-old daughter to make sure she has health care,” she said. “I can’t afford to refill my prescription right now. I can’t get a mammogram. I can’t get a way with the doctor to make sure I’m healthy. I’m afraid it’s impossible for me to stay healthy.”

The union has held several brief walkouts to draw attention to its cause and force Aramark to agree to its terms. Part of the union’s effort is to get Aramark to recognize hours worked across the three stadiums as one full-time job for those who qualify, instead of three part-time jobs.

The legislation next goes to a council committee for a hearing and then the full council for a vote.

Attempts to contact Aramark for comment were not returned.