St. Louis Alderman introduces Board Resolution on behalf of Aramark Janitors Fighting for Unionization at Anheuser Busch Brewery and Corporate Center
ST. LOUIS, MO — On November 17, Cara Spencer, Ward 08 Alderman, introduced a Board Resolution on behalf of Aramark janitors fighting for unionization at Anheuser Busch (AB) Brewery and Corporate Center in St. Louis. Janitors working at AB are allegedly overworked, understaffed and underappreciated by Aramark.
“I am proud to sponsor a Board Resolution in support of Aramark janitors fighting for a pathway towards unionization at Anheuser Busch,” said Alderman Spencer. “There’s something incredibly wrong when wealthy corporations, like Aramark, post record profits while workers struggle for dignity, equality and respect in their workplace. Now is the time for us to stand with these workers as they exercise their right to organize.”
“I’m very proud to co-sponsor a Board Resolution in support of Aramark janitors fighting for a pathway towards unionization at Anheuser Busch,” said Alderman Aldridge. “I’m always here to help make sure working people in our city aren’t exploited by wealthy corporations but I can’t do it all alone. That’s why working people come together to form unions; and why unions are the only chance for workers to fight back against corporate greed.”
This Resolution from the St. Louis Board of Aldermen (BOA) sends a resounding message of solidarity with Aramark janitors and serves as a reminder to Anheuser-Busch that the working people of St. Louis fuels its operations. Aldermen Schweitzer, Browning, Sonnier, Keys, Clark-Hubbard, Narayan, Boyd, and Velazquez all requested to be added as cosponsors.
“My colleagues and I are providing essential work and helping Aramark and AB InBev to earn enormous profits. But right now, the healthcare Aramark offers us is too expensive and we have no pension or job protections,” said Aramark Janitor Aaron Umstead. “I’m organizing a Union with my coworkers, because I want to ensure that my family’s basic needs are met, both now and in the future.”
“The AB campus demands constant sanitation from professional cleaners, in order to maintain the standard of excellence that Anheuser Busch is known for. My colleagues and I take pride in our work but we've all been overworked; underpaid and underappreciated for too long,” said Aramark Janitor Charles Wagner. “That's why we're standing together to respectfully request that Aramark grant us neutrality and a pathway towards Union recognition.”
This resolution comes after over a month of requests being ignored by Aramark. On October 11, 2023, janitors at AB presented Aramark with a letter requesting neutrality and a pathway towards union recognition. On October 26, 2023, following a press conference on AB’s campus with BOA President, Megan Green, Aramark indicated a preference to remain non-union in St. Louis but left open the possibility of subcontracting janitorial services at AB to a union employer in order to avoid a prolonged labor dispute. However, since that time, Aramark has continued to ignore requests from janitors at AB who are requesting a pathway towards unionization.