US Foods driver strike impacting Detroit schools, superintendent says
US Foods says it is 'working diligently to mitigate any potential disruptions'
US Foods driver strike impacting Detroit Public Schools students
Detroit public schools are receiving less food than usual due to a distributor strike, leading to reduced meal choices for students until the district finds a new vendor to fill the gap. (FOX 2 Detroit)
US Foods union driver strikes are impacting the food choices of Detroit Public Schools students, the superintendent says.
"These strikes are preventing the District from receiving the volume of food regularly received to feed students," DPS Superintendent Nikolai P. Vitti said in a statement posted on the district's website.
US Foods is the district's main food distributor. Vitti added that DPS is seeking alternate national, state and local food vendors to continue to provide meals for students.
Students are still being fed, but the disruption is causing a temporary reduction in menu items and choices.
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Detroit Public Schools superintendent says a US Foods driver strike is impacting students. (FOX 2 Detroit)
The district hopes to solve the issue within the next two weeks.
"To be clear, all schools and all students will still be provided daily breakfast and lunch through a variety of different food choices until the District’s food supply chain is reestablished," Vitti's statement reads.
DPS is Michigan's largest school district with 48,000 students, according to the Detroit News.
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Food cups sit in a Detroit Public Schools cafeteria. The district superintendent says students currently have fewer choices due to a US Foods driver strike. (FOX 2 Detroit)
Restaurants in the Midwest are also feeling the effects of the strike, as workers in Illinois and Minnesota have also taken to the picket lines, FOX 9 Minneapolis reports.
The labor union involved in Bensenville, Illinois, Teamsters Local 705, said on social media platform X that the strike launched by 130 workers on Jan. 8 came "less than two days after 160 US Foods drivers in California stood strong to win representation with Teamsters Local 853 to address years of workplace concerns."
Local 705's contract with US Foods expired on Dec. 29.
Students get food in a Detroit Public Schools cafeteria. (FOX 2 Detroit)
A US Foods statement provided to FOX Business states some union members are picketing at a few US Foods facilities "as a show of solidarity with Bensenville, Illinois, drivers." The company says it has activated plans to mitigate customer disruptions.
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US Foods says its Bensenville drivers "currently receive wages and benefits that are market-leading for food service distribution in Chicagoland, and our current proposal includes increases to both wages and benefits."
The company's statement added that they remain open to negotiations.
US Foods' website says the company partners with approximately 300,000 restaurants and food service operators. It employs 28,000 people at more than 70 locations.