Janitors and food service workers employed by Aramark Corp. testified Thursday at an Illinois House of Representatives hearing that food shortages, unhealthy food, and unsanitary cleaning practices are all too common at area public schools the company services.

Hearing testimony of improper removal of mold, shortages of fruits and vegetables, schools so short staffed that classrooms aren’t properly sanitized, and poverty-wage jobs with no benefits, members of the Illinois House of Representatives Elementary and Secondary Education Committee added their concern to the growing questions about Aramark’s service in Chicago-area public schools.

“It’s disgusting that to save a few dollars, companies are taking these shortcuts and putting kids at risk” said State Representative Kevin Joyce (D-35), whose district includes portions of Orland Park School District 230 where Aramark performs janitorial services.

Workers testified that Aramark, the largest food service contractor in the U.S., is cutting corners to make money at the expense of students and is making it hard for workers to do their jobs and provide the schools with the quality service they should be getting.

“I’m worried that Aramark may be putting the janitors and the students at risk by not reporting mold problems,” said Gustavo Gomez, a janitor in the Lake Zurich School District 95, who was instructed by Aramark to clean mold out of a school without training or proper equipment.  “After a while, the smell was too strong that we were only able to work for 15 to 20 minutes at a time before we had to go outside for air. I felt dizzy, I was sneezing and I couldn’t stop coughing.  I am angry at Aramark for putting me in an unsafe situation, but I am also concerned about the teachers, students, and janitors who are in that building right now.”

Food service workers share these concerns, saying that food shortages, poor quality food and bare-bones staffing have led to poor nutrition for kids.

“We are not allowed to throw away more than 10% of the food we prepare so we have to err on the side of making too little food to avoid getting in trouble,” said Sherri Meehan, a food service worker in Carpentersville School District 300.  “The quality of the food we prepare also concerns me and we sometimes have to literally spoon grease off the food before we serve it.”

Schools have been increasingly outsourcing cleaning and food service to for-profit companies.  There are now, 4,300 school service workers in Chicago’s suburban schools working for for-profit companies like Aramark.  But workers and legislators worry that there isn’t enough oversight of these private companies to ensure that they meet the needs of students and schools.

“Parents are trusting us to protect their children,” said Representative Monique Davis, (D-27), Vice Chair of the committee.  “They are supposing that their children are in a safe environment, eating healthy meals.”

Parents, community organizations, and workers have increasingly questioned nutrition and sanitary conditions in area schools since last fall when janitors and food service workers from suburban schools around the area – including Lake Zurich, Carpentersville, Orland Park, Dixmoor and Dolton – began raising concerns about the quality of services provided by Aramark to school districts.

These worries over nutrition and cleanliness in our schools are particularly troubling at a time when obesity and illness are growing threats to our kids.

“Janitorial staff are not just the guys cleaning the floor and food service staff are not just the proverbial lunch ladies,” said Mark Bishop, Deputy Director of the Healthy Schools Campaign.  “These are important members of our schools, of our communities, who have important roles in keeping our children healthy and safe.”

Community activists also worry that the poverty-wage, no benefit jobs Aramark provides harm communities.

“School should be a place where kids find stability and come into contact with adults they can trust,” said Rod Chaney, a teacher and coach in Harvey.  “When our workforce is unstable, our communities become unstable, and it’s the kids who suffer the most.”

School service workers are doing their best to make things better, but without a voice in the process, they face steep obstacles in bringing about change.  School service workers who provide cleaning, food preparation and other services to Chicagoland schools are working to form a union with SEIU Local 1 to be able to raise their concerns without fear of being fired or disciplined and to improve working conditions, end poverty level wages, and win access to quality, affordable health insurance.  

The school service workers want to make improvements rather than finding news jobs because they are committed to the kids and the schools.

“These kids are my neighbors and part of my community,” said Ollie Mottley, a food service worker in Dixmoor.  “Someone needs to be there to see that the kids get what they are supposed to have and that’s what I’m trying to do.”


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