Members of the East Aurora School Board expressed concern about renewing the district's food service contract, before ultimately approving the agreement.
Some District 131 board members said they were concerned about working with Sodexo, an international company widely contracted to provide food and other services. Their concerns centered around Sodexo's pricing and labor practices.
Board member Alex Arroyo, one of two members who voted against renewing the approximately $5.7 million contract, said issues have been raised with how Sodexo treats its employees.
Board member John Laesch – the other member who voted against the renewal – said he was concerned that Sodexo was bidding low, then raising prices once it has a district's contract.
He said the district should ensure Sodexo employees have a living wage.
"These people live and work in our community," he said, adding that the dollars they bring home stay in the community.
In a statement, Sodexo Senior Media Relations Manager Enrico Dinges said Sodexo uses its scale, scope, experience and expertise to offer competitive prices and improve the community in which employees live and work.
"We work continuously to engage our employees, provide a safe, open and inclusive workplace, and offer meaningful wages, benefits, and resources," he said in the statement. "We are committed to workforce development and achieve this by honing the best talent, building diverse and inclusive teams and continually focusing on improving performance."