Uncertainty regarding staffing during the upcoming Nelson Dining Hall renovations has cropped up as a result of the local union’s recent rejection of a memorandum of understanding.
John Dillon, president of AFSCME Local 1699, said he does not know what is going to happen next.
Dillon said he is waiting for the university to contact him after members of the union voted to reject the memorandum, a document describing the terms and responsibilities the party decided on for the renovations.
“It’s unusual to not know what is going on,” Dillon said.
Dillon said that, because the university has a copy of the union’s collective-bargaining contract from last year, he sees it as the university’s job to contact the union next.
The university is reorganizing in accordance with the collective-bargaining contract, OU spokeswoman Katie Quaranta said in an email.
The Nelson Commons renovation, a multi-phase project, is being completed and funded by the Department of Culinary Services through local, departmental reserves, Director of Auxiliaries Brian Thompson said
in an email.
The first project of the renovation is to convert Culinary Services’ banquet area into an expanded student dining facility, using feedback from students and staff, he said.
“The primary focus of the renovation is to elevate the residential dining experience,” Thompson said.
The renovated dining area will have a new interior and will offer expanded seating for students in the main area.
There also will be a new café and a relocated campus market on South Green.
The university is in the process of issuing contracts to begin the first phase of the Nelson renovations, set to begin this month, Thompson said.
The renovation will run until July 2012 and is set to open officially for the start of the 2012 fall semester.
The entire renovation of the Nelson banquet space into the new student dining facility, campus café and relocated campus market will require about $12.2 million in total project costs. The funds are from operational capital reserves budgeted through Culinary Services’ long-range capital schedule.
Dillon said staffing during these changes remains uncertain until the university and the union reach an agreement.
“I’d like to sit down and discuss; they have the options from our contract,” Dillon said.
“I can’t give you any solid information because there is no solid information.”
af234909@ohiou.edu
