The move to break with Aramark Campus LLC and launch a new partnership with Compass to oversee dining and concessions, maintenance, grounds, custodial, in-patient transport and in-patient sitters has led to worries about job security and benefits for hundreds of workers at UK.
Scott Zurkuhlen works in the ground department at the university. He's one of the employees who showed up to a recent Board of Trustees meeting with questions.
"We're hoping that people continue this conversation because concern exists about how decisions are actually being made, how power is consolidated," he said.
An email from UK this week assured workers that all current UK employees will continue to have a job with the university and will keep their pay and benefits — at UK, UK HealthCare, UK King’s Daughters and UK St. Claire.
University President Eli Capilouto has framed the change as vital for an expanding campus.
“This partnership represents the next phase of how we support our growing, more complex university — and how we do so thoughtfully with our people and our purpose at the center of what we do,” Capilouto said. “Just as we have reimagined housing, research and health care to meet the needs of today and tomorrow, this partnership is about building strong, coordinated services that can meet and sustain the demand of excellence across the entire UK enterprise.”
The early end to the previous Aramark contract led to termination notices for over 900 dining workers. But UK says all will be rehired by Compass and offered comparable compensation and benefits.