California’s new $20-an-hour minimum wage for fast food workers will not only impact consumers who must pay higher prices for menu items, but also mean that some public schools will be forced to pay lower-paid cafeteria staff. Retaining employment may become more difficult.
Cash-strapped school districts in the Golden State could be forced to compete with multibillion-dollar companies such as McDonald’s, Wendy’s and Pizza Hut’s parent company Yum!. A brand for food service workers who are desperately needed in California.
The state, the first in the nation to guarantee free meals to all students regardless of income, will distribute 70 million more meals this year than in 2018, according to Sacramento education officials.
School cafeteria jobs typically suffer from high turnover and other staffing issues, a problem that could be exacerbated by new minimum wage laws.
“They’re all very concerned about it. Most say they expect it to become increasingly difficult to hire employees,” said Carrie Bogdanovich, president of the California School Nutrition Association. Ta. he told the Associated Press.
In the Fresno School District, cafeteria workers make just $15 an hour, according to job site Glassdoor.
Some districts pre-empted the law by offering raises to cafeteria workers.
The Sacramento Unified School District last year agreed to a 10% pay increase for food service workers.
It also promised to implement another 6% hike in July, bringing wages to about $20 an hour.
This is the largest pay raise for school district employees in nearly 30 years.
“We’re not only looking at competition with school districts and comparisons with school districts, but we’re also looking at fast food restaurants,” Cancie McKern, chief human resources officer for the Sacramento Unified School District, told The Associated Press.
San Luis Coastal Unified doubled the number of food service staff to 40 after seeing a 52% increase in the number of students eating school meals.
The district prepares 8,500 meals daily for 7,600 students at 15 school facilities, and also provides breakfast, lunch and even dinner options for youth participating in after-school sports and activities. Masu.
The district has since limited the number of entry-level positions, which are the most difficult to fill, while hiring more complex roles such as “head food prep” and “central kitchen supervisor,” which require more skills and time. are trying to expand. Attractive to job seekers.
“It’s allowed us to be more competitive,” said Erin Primer, director of food and nutrition services for the San Luis Coastal Unified School District.
However, in some areas there are limits to what can be done.
In Los Angeles County’s Linwood Unified School District, food service staff earn a starting wage of $17.70 an hour and a maximum of $21.51 an hour, said Gretchen Janson, the district’s assistant superintendent of business services.
She said these workers are not covered by health insurance because they only work three hours per day.
Janson said the district is waiting to hear from staff, adding that “there is no increase in revenue to provide additional funding for staff.”
with post wire
