Loyola Marymount University and a California union have reached an agreement two days before the next scheduled Democratic presidential debate, potentially avoiding a high-profile debacle.
Democratic National Committee Chairman Tom Perez spent more than 20 hours on calls over the weekend with the university and representatives from Unite Here Local 11, attempting to work out a last-minute deal in time for the Thursday debate. Local 11 announced the deal with Sodexo, Loyola Marymount’s exclusive food-service operator, on Tuesday morning.
“Every worker deserves fair wages and benefits. That’s why I was proud to bring all stakeholders to the table, including Unite Here Local 11, Sodexo, and Loyola Marymount University, to reach a deal that meets their needs and supports workers,” Perez said in a statement. “I commend Sodexo and Unite Here for coming together in good faith to forge an agreement that is a win-win for everyone, and I appreciate the constructive engagement of LMU leadership, which was indispensable to the resolution of this negotiation.”
Without the agreement, the DNC faced the nearly impossible task of finding and prepping a new venue days before the debate. Several Democratic candidates had threatened to boycott the debate absent an agreement with the union.
