As Aramark workers on the CSU East Bay campus continue their struggle to become unionized, other groups located on campus are finding ways to band together and support the cause.

CSUEB’s Associated Students Inc. drafted their resolution in support of the student workers of Aramark last week, but due to lack of research and insight on the matter, the resolution has been postponed until further findings can be made.

“We’re really going to make sure we do our part to make sure students get a voice, and we’re going to work on a solid resolution in the summer and by the fall it should be finished,” said Michelle Xiong, CSUEB’s newly appointed student body president.

The resolution presented at ASI’s Board of Directors meeting last Wednesday, stated that there have been multiple reports of abuse of the rights of Aramark student employees; which had been brought to the attention of ASI previously.

As ASI states, part of their mission is to advocate for the 1,300 plus students and the things that concern them on campus.

In the resolution, the ASI board also expressed it’s absolute disapproval of the unfair labor practices committed by Aramark, stating that this kind of behavior puts students at a disadvantage for receiving the best educational experience possible.

Furthermore, the board urges President Morishita to conduct an investigation into Aramark’s employment practices and the company’s treatment of their student employees.

“It’s a dark period,” said Jennifer Eagan, member of CSUEB’s Academic Senate and the California Faculty Association. “The negotiations are ongoing. There hasn’t been any recent action by workers or supporters because of fear that it’ll jepoardize the negotiations.”

CSUEB’s Academic Senate drafted their own resolution weeks before where members voiced their opinion that Aramark workers ought to be unionized because they are an important aspect to the campus community seeing as they provide food to all students, faculty and staff at the university.

The CSUEB campus is the only CSU where food service workers are not unionized, reads the resolution. Currently two-thirds of the food service workers at the university have signed cards stating their desire to be represented by UNITE HERE, Local 2850, a union which represents workers throughout the U.S. and Canada who work in low-wage, family sustaining, middle class jobs, reads the union’s website.

Upon finalizing their resolution, the Academic Senate calls upon CSUEB’s President Morishita to urge Aramark’s management to recognize the food workers union through a card check.

Meanwhile, Aramark’s response to helping facilitate the unionization of their workers is stated very clearly in a statement by Karen Cutler, the company’s director of communications.

“While we do not believe that third party representation best serves the interests of our employees, the students, or our client, Aramark recognizes the right of its employees to choose to be represented or to not be represented by a labor organization,” reads the statement.

As Aramark continues negotiations with UNITE HERE, other groups await responses from President Morishita, unionized faculty members and other groups continue to express the importance of standing behind and encouraging the workers at Aramark.