Privatizing Petoskey school food services will cost local jobs
Source: By Ryan Bentley, News-Review (MI), Tuesday, July 31, 2007
Petoskey school board members decided Monday to turn to a private contractor to supply all employees for local schools’ food-service program in 2007-08 — eliminating 13 cook and cook helper positions from the district’s staff in the process.
......... Agnes Shaw, PESPA’s co-president and a cook at Petoskey High School, said several local organizations — such as Northern Michigan Hospital and North Central Michigan College — had privatized some of their support services in the past but later reversed their decisions.
“They are all back to their employees because there are hidden costs in these contracts that are prohibitive,” she said.
...... Hourly wages for the cook and cook helper positions which Petoskey plans to eliminate range from $10 to $14.08.
One of the 14 new food-service positions to be provided by contractor Chartwells would have a $7.75 hourly wage, while others’ wages would range from $9.25 to $10.20.
Currently, district food-service employees working more than 25 hours per week are eligible for health benefits for themselves and dependents, while workers scheduled for fewer hours can receive prorated benefits.
Chartwells would supply single benefit coverage for employees who work at least 28.75 hours weekly.