UNITE HERE: Cafeteria workers at Intel to lose jobs on Thanksgiving

In a brazen display of corporate indifference to the well-being of the workers that serve Intel’s (NASDAQ: INTC) sprawling Santa Clara campus, over 70 cafeteria workers at the Silicon Valley giant face losing their jobs on Thanksgiving. Cafeteria workers at Intel have been told that, as of Thanksgiving, a new company will be taking over the management of the Food Service operation.

Intel has the power to require that the new food service company retain the current employees, but has not taken this basic step to ensure people don’t lose their jobs. Workers asked Intel management to help on October 24th but Intel has not responded.

The new company, Guckenheimer Corporate Dining, is making employees re-apply for their jobs online and has only interviewed a few of the existing employees.

"Thanksgiving is coming and it’s hard to know how we’ll be able to buy food because what we make is just enough to survive, it’s not enough to save,” said Mariana Martinez, who has worked at the Intel cafeteria for five years. “This Christmas is going to be the hardest ever. Most of my coworkers are in the same position I’m in. I’m asking Intel to take us into account, value the years we’ve given to them, and think about what’s going to happen to us."

Enrique Fernandez, President of UNITE HERE Local 19, which represents the workers in Intel’s Santa Clara cafeteria, has asked Intel CEO Brian Krzanich to make the new contractor retain these workers. In a letter earlier this month, Fernandez wrote, “Intel has a responsibility to these individuals and should take steps to ensure that your new contractor Guckenheimer offers employment to current food service workers.”

“This is a story about the hardship that these workers will suffer because of Intel’s inaction,” said Fernandez, “and it is a story that we will tell in Santa Clara and other communities where Intel has facilities and where we believe Intel asks for tax breaks and other favors. In Arizona, in New Mexico, in Oregon we will be reaching out to elected officials and community leaders and suggesting they take a closer look at what kind of corporation this really is.”

In January 2014, Intel reported revenue of $52.7 billion dollars and $9.6 billion in profit. Intel has secured billions of dollars of tax breaks in Arizona, Oregon and New Mexico.