Aramark, USD’s dining provider, recently terminated five full-time employment positions, and some of the recently-let-go employees are speaking out, calling the company’s tactics insensitive.
The firing came without warning, said Glen Schmidt, a Wakonda, S.D. resident and father of five. Losing his job came out of left field.
“(My bosses) called me in about an hour before my shift was up and told me they didn’t need me anymore,” he said.
Schmidt said he was told to gather his things and leave the building immediately.
“(The boss) literally said ‘You have to clean out your locker and leave now,’” he said.
According to a U.News interview, Aramark Director Darren Peterson said the terminations were not performance-based and were necessary to maintain profitability.
Schmidt said Peterson told him the cuts had been coming for quite some time.
“That’s what really bothers me,” he said. “If (the firings) had been coming for a while, why didn’t we get some kind of warning?”
Schmidt said the loss of his job couldn’t have come at a worse time.
“I just had a baby and I have three other kids,” he said. “It’s going to be tough.”
Eric Adams, who was one of the five let go, said he understands economic times are tough but questions how Aramark chose to fire the employees they did.
“I’m young. I can bounce back from this,” he said. “But some people who were fired have kids to feed.”
Adams said Aramark should have considered family conditions before making a final decision.
Peterson was unavailable for comment.
Prior to the firings, Schmidt said Aramark had hired a handful of part-time employees, adding to the sourness of the job termination.
Adams said he wouldn’t expect any more layoffs unless the university keeps making budget cuts.
“I honestly think that they are done (making cuts) unless the university has another budget crisis,” he said.
Reach reporter Joe Sneve at Joe.Sneve@usd.edu.
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