DCPS food service workers demand fair wages, threaten to strike

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Food service workers at Duval County Public Schools are threatening to walk off the job if they don’t get higher pay.

The local chapter of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees said low wages has led to increased turnover and therefore diminished food services for students and staff.

Contract negotiations have been ongoing since July and the second extension ends Thursday. Right now Chartwells K12, the food service provider for DCPS, is paying new employees Florida’s $13 minimum wage.

“We’re asking them to go beyond what the state is saying. At least give us something we feel we can taste a little,” Elton Brown, the local AFSCME president, said. “If you’re going to continue this then people are going to do the least.”

The union is asking Chartwells K12 for a $1 increase for new employees and a 3% raise for current employees.

The union also said it wants Chartwells K12 to come closer to Florida’s $15 mandate for public school employees which was passed in 2022.

In a statement, a Chartwells K12 representative said, “We deeply value our team members serving students and staff at Duval County Public Schools and have a long history of listening to our employees and working productively with AFSCME Local 2941 and with unions across the country.”

We have had very productive conversations with AFSCME Local 2941over the past several months and look forward to partnering with them to continue to provide a very competitive and fair agreement that reiterates how much we care for and value our employees. We continue to negotiate in good faith and our next bargaining session is scheduled for this Wednesday when everyone agreed it was best to get back together.

Every day, our team is committed to serve DCPS students great-tasting meals and it is our expectation that this will continue."

Two negotiating meetings are scheduled for Wednesday and Thursday before the contract expiration. If they can’t come to an agreement Thursday, the union could vote to go on strike. Members said they hope to avoid that.

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