Oakland Coliseum union says Aramark won’t meet healthcare obligations

( KRON ) – The Oakland Athletics won their last game in the Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum against the Texas Rangers on Thursday.

Despite the final victory, about 400 Oakland Coliseum workers are waking up without a job and healthcare benefits. The Oakland Coliseum union continues to fight.

Unite Here Local 2 told KRON4 that its employer Aramark stopped all benefits and pay for 400 food service workers despite an original contract that may have allowed healthcare to be extended.

The union says the contract penned in 2023 stipulates that the hours worked in one year would pay for the following years’ healthcare benefits.

But Aramark now says it won’t provide benefits that were accrued during the current baseball season, according to the union. Workers inform KRON4 that many of them are Oakland natives and have worked at the ballpark for 25 to 30 years.

KRON4 reached out to Aramark and received a statement.

“We understand that this is a difficult transition period. We are bargaining in good faith. With the union regarding the effects of the A’s departure and are prepared to offer those impacted available roles in other areas of our organization.”

The Oakland A’s said the team committed a million dollars to help the Coliseum vendor assistance fund which helps support workers employed by third-party vendors like Aramark.

Unite Here Local 2 has filed a grievance with the company and is expecting to go to arbitration.

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