Md. company says strike threat won’t interrupt food service at Ohio Stadium football games

Md. food workers at Ohio Stadium threaten strike

COLUMBUS, Ohio — A Maryland food service company says a strike threat from some of its employees won’t affect concessions stands at Ohio State football games.

Service Employees International Union spokeswoman Laurie Couch says Sodexo workers who want to unionize have voted to allow a strike for what they say is retaliation for organizing. She says eight workers staged a strike last Saturday at a Columbus Crew soccer game but such a strike hasn’t been scheduled at Ohio Stadium.

Sodexo spokesman Alfred King says contingency plans are in place if workers strike when the Buckeyes host Indiana on Saturday. He says the Gaithersburg, Md.-based company respects workers’ rights to join a union and the SEIU has made false claims.

Sodexo employs at Ohio State about 100 people who prepare and distribute food to concessions stands staffed by volunteers.