A possible strike by 400 food service workers at Northwestern University has apparently been averted.
A spokesperson for UNITE HERE Local 1, the union which represents those workers, tells Evanston Now a tentative contract agreement was reached Wednesday night.
Terms will be revealed when the workers vote on the deal, at a date to be announced.
The dining hall, conference center and sports events concession staffers do not work directly for the university, but rather are employed by a contractor, Compass Group.
Earlier this month, student supporters of the union put together picket signs, and a union representative said a walkout could come at any time.
If the tentative deal is ratified, the strike threat goes away.
The food service workers have not had a raise since 2019, and have been negotiating for a new contract since then.
The union says its average NU food service employee makes less than $28,000 a year.
The company had said it was offering a $2 per hour raise, although it’s unknown if that amount is in the tentative agreement.