Sodexo Silences Workers Around the World

Sodexo might not be a household name, but this massive France-based food service company employs hundreds of thousands of people in 80 countries. You have probably eaten food provided by Sodexo at a local university or hospital many times. While this company might not be well-known to many consumers, it's poor labor practices are all too familiar to workers around the world.

A recent report by Human Rights Watch (HRW) highlights how Sodexo violates the right of workers to organize in the United States. HRW found that: "Despite claims of adherence to international standards on workers’ freedom of association, Sodexo has launched aggressive campaigns against some of its U.S. employees' efforts to form unions and bargain collectively. Sodexo managers have used many of the tactics described above that, while legal under U.S. law, violate international standards requiring non-interference with workers' organizing rights." For example, the report accuses the company of firing union organizers at an operation in Phoenix and holding threatening meetings with staff to weaken support for a union.

Similar abuses are experienced by Sodexo workers around the world. Another new report by TransAfrica Forum found violations of the right to organize, discrimination, poor safety conditions and low wages at Sodexo workplaces in five countries surveyed. In Guinea, workers reported making 33 cents an hour while working for Sodexo. Many workers in various countries employed by Sodexo said they ended up working overtime or turning to social welfare programs to make ends meet. In Colombia, the Dominican Republic and Morocco, workers stated that the company created an environment where they were afraid to speak up for their rights. This climate of fear was partly created by the firing of workers who organize and spoke out against low wages and other problems on the job. In Colombia, women workers said that they were required to take pregnancy tests as a condition of employment or for the renewal of a contract.

While Sodexo uses its global reach to violate worker rights around the globe, workers, students and human and civil rights advocates are joining together to fight back. At the company's shareholder meeting in France last week, activists stormed the stage to confront the company. The action at the shareholder meeting was just one of the efforts organized by a diverse coalition of worker rights organizations from around the world including Brazil, Colombia, the Dominican Republic, Morocco and the United States to are joining in solidarity to hold Sodexo accountable. Said Nafi, President of Morocco Observatory Workplace Rights, demonstrated the commitment of workers in his country to change Sodexo's behavior saying, "We stand in solidarity with the global effort to change working conditions in Sodexo and will do everything in our capacity to raise attention to the situation nationally and internationally."

You can join these efforts right now by sending a message to Sodexo calling on the company to respect worker rights globally and inviting your friends and family to join.

Photo credit: Carrie Sloan