Coliseum concession workers say they won’t get severance, health insurance after last A’s game

By Tim Johns

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    OAKLAND, California (KGO) — For Kenyetta Gentry, the Oakland A’s are a part of her family’s DNA.

“My grandfather was security here in the 80s – that I know of. If not, even longer. And my auntie, Auntie Pat, she worked here as security as well,” Gentry said.

A tradition in which Gentry has participated.

For the past 24 years, she’s worked for Aramark, the company that runs the shops and concession stands at the Coliseum for home games.

After all those years of service, Gentry says she was shocked to find out Monday that Aramark will not be offering any severance to their employees following the A’s last game on Thursday.

In addition, Gentry says she and her coworkers will also lose their health insurance.

“I’m very mad, more pissed, that they wouldn’t give us anything. Especially for us working here for so long. Sweat, you know, tears,” said Gentry.

On Wednesday afternoon, Gentry and some of her colleagues held a news conference with their union outside the Coliseum gates.

They say for months, Aramark has led them to believe they would ultimately be offered some form of severance.

Now, many of these workers are unsure of what they’ll do next.

Robert Preston has worked here for almost 40 years and relies on the health insurance the job provided to help pay for some of his expensive medication.

“I’m old enough for Medicare but Medicare doesn’t cover all the medicines. You know, I’m diabetic, hypertension and I’m on oxygen,” Preston said.

We reached out to Aramark for a response.

They sent us a statement which reads in part:

“We are bargaining in good faith with the union regarding the effects of the A’s departure and are prepared to offer those impacted available roles in other areas of our organization.”

Little comfort for many of these workers, who worry there’s no guarantee that will happen.

Despite the difficulty that these workers say that they’re facing, one thing they all tell ABC7 News is that they will miss is the fans.

And to all of those people, Gentry just has one thing to say.

“The smiles on your faces – we grew up as family. And I thank you guys for thanking us for our services, that we’re doing a great job,” Gentry said.

The workers’ union says they have asked the A’s to assist them in their negotiations with Aramark, but that those requests have been unsuccessful.

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