by PEARLJAM 550 : 5/22/09 7:24pm - Report Abuse

im sure all current employees will be elgible to re-apply for their positions once chartwells gets things ship shape over there.
out with the old and in with the new.
chartwells is one of the best companies around to work for.

by bonnie blue : 5/23/09 7:02am - Report Abuse

Question the district's motives?????????? It's all about the money and abolishing the union. Doesn't Mr. Vigue's position with Chartwells constitute a conflict of interest????? I smell a rat!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

by Scott Burckhard : 5/23/09 8:31am - Report Abuse

the argument that schools shouldn't look for ways to cut costs just because they are currently enjoying financial health is ludicrious...no wonder most people see unions as outdated and self serving....

by MrsG : 5/23/09 11:00am - Report Abuse

My husband is a former employee of Chartwells. The benefit package was horrid, they did not pay holiday pay to people on the 90 day probation period until someone brought it up to the union that it was not in writing that new people where ineligible for holiday pay and people who spoke up for themselves during the 90 day probation period where threatened with being fired if they did not drop their complaint. They only way a person could say that this is a good company to work for is they do not work in any of the kitchens, is kissing the district managers butt in order to keep their job or is the district manager!

Ridgefield is one of the few districts that still has a personal feel to it. Even if the current employees have the option of applying for positions with Chartwells they will not be treated fairly, they will get less money and hours will be cut! Chartwells will do so because they have a history of underbidding every other company and claiming they do not have the funds to pay more and give more money. They do not care about their employees and are always hiring because people get fed up and walk out! For example to production kitchen at Evergreen is on it's 4th manager in 2 years. Doing business with Chartwells is one of the worst things the Ridgefield School District could do.

P.S. My Husband was on the

by MrsG : 5/23/09 11:04am - Report Abuse

PS My Husband was on the union committee that went to the renegotiate the contract and continued after he was terminated to try and help other employees from getting screwed over.

by Oregon Webfoot : 5/23/09 1:42pm - Report Abuse

Changing from government (school district, whatever) workers to contracted labor is never a good idea. I've seen it time and time again, you lose the involved, vested employees for a bunch of usually minimum wage people to whom it is just a job. My saying is... "you either have in-house labor, or you have outhouse labor!" And once you go contract it's almost impossible to go back to what you had, once the error becomes apparent.

by (Anonymous) : 5/23/09 4:46pm - Report Abuse

Recusing himself is not enough. Not even close to being enough. Are these people out of their minds! Could anything be more suspicious than this bizarre proposal! Saving money? There is no proof of that. None at all. What you get for what you spend has something to do with value. This nonsense is what you get with detached school board members who spend about an hour per week on their assignment. All they "know" is what administration tells them. Disgusting!

by Tri Lo : 5/23/09 8:48pm - Report Abuse

Chartwells food is HORRIBLE. My kids and even other parents that have eatten lunch with their kids really dislike their food. Good Luck Ridgefield.

by An Advocate : 5/23/09 9:26pm - Report Abuse

Mrs G - Irregardless of if and what the practices are of one company you should also worry about other food service companies. If it is not Chartwells that is trying to gain your school district's food contract it will be another like Aramark or Sodexo. Your district would not like Aramark or Sodexo as well. They will come in and bid on a contract and promise all kinds of changes and it does not happen.
There are federal guidelines in place that each student or child that is buying a school lunch has to receive a third of their daily caloric intake from the lunch that they are served. Now, just think.....that may be their ONLY meal of the day.
I agree that the meals can be made healthier, like changing their practices of frying and bringing in more whole grains and fresh vegetables and fruits. At the elementary school level, there is nothing being served that is deep fried. All the food is baked.
If you think the food is horrible Tri Lo, send you kids to school with a sack lunch!

by Tri Lo : 5/24/09 7:54pm - Report Abuse

Chartwells thinks ketchup is considered the daily allowance of vegetables and even offers maple bars and cinnamon rolls for breakfast. My kids get free lunch through their school, a sack lunch is not an option.

by PEARLJAM 550 : 5/25/09 9:04am - Report Abuse

just because theres left over money doesnt mean a school/business should stick with the current numbers.
too many people think businesses are in business to furnish them with jobs.bottom line,theyre in a business to make money,be they a school or factory.put emotions aside.small town america is really just a thing of the past,and ya cant operate on emotions,familiarality etc.and to the lady complaining about the taste of the food her children get for free,dont look a gift horse in the mouth,and its not free,my federal tax dollars are paying for the food yr complaining about.