FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
News from Progress Michigan
October 1, 2014
Contact: Sam Inglot, 616-916-0574, sam@progressmichigan.org
Snyder Administration Cannot Be Trusted to Handle Aramark Situation
LANSING — The claim made by Ed Buss, the Snyder-appointed overseer of the state’s Aramark contract, that the company is increasing pay as a way to remedy the numerous problems that have occurred in Michigan’s prisons is not true, according to an Aramark spokesperson.
“With new hires in the UP (Upper Peninsula), where there is a limited applicant pool, starting wages were increased in an effort to attract qualified candidates,” the spokesperson wrote in an email to Paul Egan of the Detroit Free Press. “Aramark did add several management positions at our expense to ensure all facilities have adequate staffing at all times, to cover daily employee call outs (for being sick, not coming to work, etc.) or job transitions.”
Clearly, the pay increases were not part of a plan to fix Aramark, like the Snyder-appointee claimed.
“Aramark is saying they’re increasing pay in the U.P. to attract workers to address employment shortages, not as a way to fix the problems they’ve imported to Michigan. That sounds like a business tactic, not an accountability measure,” said Lonnie Scott, executive director of Progress Michigan. “Gov. Snyder’s appointee is either lying to the media or clearly doesn’t have a handle on the situation.”
Several outlets reported that Buss said the company would be increasing pay for its workers by an average of $2 an hour, among other things, to improve the situation.
“It’s obvious that we cannot believe anything that comes from the Snyder administration regarding the Aramark contract,” Scott continued. “His administration lied to the media, the public and to lawmakers about a $98,000 fine earlier this year after his Chief of Staff had the fine pulled. Gov. Snyder needs to do what he should have done a long time ago and come clean about why he continues to allow an out-of-state corporation to endanger Michigan communities. How many administration officials does it take to solve this mess? It should only take one, the Governor. He should end the Aramark contract immediately.”
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