Notice: 53 workers impacted by expiration of dining services contract at YSU

Compass Group USA Inc., operating as Chartwells, will cease its dining services at Youngstown State University (YSU) on May 5th, leading to the loss of 53 jobs. This information was disclosed in a notice sent to the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services.

Lisa Beck, Director of Dining Services for Chartwells, stated in the letter that the closure is a direct result of the expiration of the company’s contract with the university. The letter serves as the official notice required under the federal Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification (WARN) Act.

The closure will be permanent, and the 53 affected employees, including food service workers, bakers, chefs, managers, and other staff, will be terminated on May 5th, according to Beck's letter. The affected location is not covered by a collective bargaining agreement, and no bumping rights apply.

Chartwells has managed YSU's dining services since 2013, when the university's Dining Committee selected the company to replace Sodexo, which had held the contract for 20 years, as reported by the Jambar, the university’s student newspaper.

21 News has contacted YSU officials to inquire about the reasons for the contract termination, the identity of the replacement dining service provider, and whether any Chartwells employees will be offered continued employment.

YSU sent us the following statement:

YSU’s current dining contract is not being terminated. Rather, it came to its normal end-of-contract life. In July 2024, Youngstown State University put out an RFP to find the next dining provider. After the review process, a company other than YSU’s current dining provider was selected. The University is currently still in contract negotiations with the chosen provider and will not make any public statements until this negotiation process is complete.