New Agreement Will Allow CT Highway Service Plaza Workers To Unionize

CONNECTICUT — Employees at highway service plazas statewide will be allowed to unionize and will get $1.5 million in back wages owed to them, officials announced Thursday.

Hundreds of employees work at the state’s 23 service plazas, including on I-95, I-395, and Route 15.

Gov. Ned Lamont said his administration helped facilitate an agreement between Applegreen CT and SEIU Local 32BJ which will give the workers the chance to unionize. The workers are employed at franchises which Applegreen operates, according to Lamont.

Unionizing will require majority support from the workers. If the majority favors unionizing, then the workers and their employers will negotiate a contract.

Also, Project Service, the operator of the service plazas, has agreed to pay $1.5 million to resolve claims that its food service subcontractors underpaid workers in violation of standard wage laws. Subcontractors must pay standard wages going forward, Lamont’s office announced.

“This agreement not only reflects our strong commitment to workers’ rights, but also ensures their voice is heard while on the job and that they are fairly compensated for their work,” Lamont said.

Attorney General William Tong said the state’s service plaza workers have been unfairly underpaid in violation of state law “for years.”

“This is a major step forward for service plaza workers who fought tirelessly for the working conditions and fair wages they deserve,” Tong said.

Rochelle Palache, vice president and Connecticut district leader of SEIU Local 32BJ, said, “We will continue to fight for these workers’ right to better wages, benefits, and a fair workplace so they can succeed, and their families can thrive.”

Trevor Moore, CEO of Project Service, said the settlement “clarifies the prospective application of standard wage law to food service workers employed at the Connecticut service plazas and the continuing obligations of food service subcontractors.”

The settlement allows Project Service to continue to invest in the state’s service plazas, according to Moore.

Plans include enhancing facilities, including additional truck parking, the introduction of new food and beverage brands, and new drive-thru systems, Moore said.