5 things: Pomona College dining staff win “historic” wage increase

In this edition of 5 Things, Food Management highlights five things you may have missed recently about developments affecting onsite dining.

Here’s your list for today:

An overwhelming majority of Pomona College dining hall employees have voted to approve a bargaining agreement with a 36% wage increase over four years, ending almost six months of labor organizing and negotiations with the college’s administration. Along with a $7.50 wage increase allocated over four years, the contract establishes more benefits for the dining and catering staff, including increased protections for pregnant workers, and Pomona will also begin contributing to union funds that offer workers access to hospitality training and legal aid.

Read more: ‘This is everybody’s success’: Pomona dining staff settles contract agreement with historic raises

A measure in the Washington State Legislature recently passed by its Committee on Early Learning & K-12 Education would provide free school meals to K-12 students, but nutrition service workers are worried that there may not be enough staff in school kitchens to provide the meals as their union, the American Federation of Teachers of Washington, expects the number of students being fed to double from before COVID-19. "With this new bill coming up, we are so concerned with how many actual workers there will be available to feed all the children," noted Kristine Bengochea, kitchen manager for the Northshore School District in King and Snohomish counties.

Related:5 tech things: Solar powered drive-thru will save KFC unit thousands in energy costs

Read more: WA Bill Provides Free School Meals, But Worker Shortage is Hurdle

African American owned plant-based manufacturer Everything Legendary has entered into an agreement with Bowie State University, the oldest Historically Black College and University (HBCU) in Maryland, to launch a variety of healthy, gourmet plant-based foods at the university beginning in February. It’s the first agreement with an HBCU or any other institution of higher learning by the company founded by HBCU graduates two years ago that now has products on 4,000 national grocery store shelves, including major retailers like Whole Foods, Safeway, ACME Markets, Target and Kroger.

Read more: Everything Legendary is Providing Plant-Based Gourmet Foods to Bowie State

Related:5 things: School FSD charged with $1.5 million embezzlement scheme

A ribbon cutting ceremony was held recently for Atrium Food Market, which was conceived to give people one more reason to come back and really savor what downtown Cincinnati has to offer. The market started when representatives of the Atrium One corporate office tower reached out to FM Top 50 contract firm Parkhurst Dining providing high-quality food prepared by local chefs to get workers back to enjoying their lunch breaks again with local purchases. Located on Atrium One's ground floor, the location offers 12 distinct brands via four stations that rotate weekly.

Read more: Atrium Food Market Will Get You Back Downtown

Due to student demand, colleges and universities across the country are increasing plant-based offerings in their dining halls. Bryant University in Rhode Island is taking it one step further: It has partnered with Providence-based vegan food hall and marketplace Plant City to open a fast-food location in a residence hall on its Smithfield campus.

Read more: A new branch of Plant CityX to open at Bryant University. But there’s a twist.

Bonus: The 2023 K-12 Power Players

Contact Mike Buzalka at [email protected]