U.S. Foodservice
Q&A
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| QUESTION | ANSWER |
|---|---|
| How does U.S. Foodservice protect our food supply? | U.S. Foodservice is a recognized leader in food quality and safety practices. We are committed to meeting or exceeding FDA and USDA requirements and we have more Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points (HACCP) certified employees than any other distributor. Every USF truck is subject to temperature testing throughout the delivery cycle to ensure all food remains at safe temperatures from its arrival at our warehouse until delivery to our customers.In addition, we were the first distributor to publicly support the Food Safety Enhancement Act of 2009. Our companywide response to industry or government recalls is the best in the industry. |
| What kind of jobs does U.S. Foodservice offer? | U.S. Foodservice offers a broad range of career opportunities including delivery truck drivers, warehouse stock selectors, sales and information technology specialists. Visit our careers page to view current job openings. |
| How do U.S. Foodservice wages and benefits compare with other jobs in the industry? | U.S. Foodservice provides wages and high-quality benefits that are at the top of the market:Average 2008 employee compensation was 47% higher than the 2008 national average, according to U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Pay-for-Performance programs enable employees at many locations to earn higher wages by exceeding performance targets.
We also provide employees and their families with medical coverage, prescription drug, dental and vision plans, life insurance and disability coverage. We also provide a defined benefit pension plan and a 401(k) retirement savings plan with a generous company match for non-exempt employees. |
| Where does U.S. Foodservice stand on equal employment opportunities and diversity? | Diversity and respect are core values at U.S. Foodservice. The company is strongly committed to equal opportunity for its more than 25,000 associates. The company’s Code of Conduct and Associate Handbook make clear that the company does not tolerate discrimination or retaliation. |
| What kind of pension plan does U.S. Foodservice (USF) provide? | USF provides two types of retirement plans that offer significant benefits and flexibility to employees. Eligible hourly workers participate in the U.S. Foodservice Pension Plan, a traditional defined benefit pension plan. The company is committed to managing the pension plan with care and maintaining its funding. In 2009, for example, the plan was funded at 86 percent. The second type of retirement plan offered to all eligible employees is a traditional 401(k) savings program, which receives generous matching contributions from U.S. Foodservice. |
| Are the Teamsters’ multi-employer pension plans financially stable? | Many question the long-term viability of multi-employer pension plans:
In a September 2009 report, Moody’s Investors Service estimated that the 126 largest multiemployer pension plans had unfunded liabilities equal to $165 billion. “Multiemployer pension plans are like a pyramid scheme,” says Ken Margolies, director of organizing programs at the Cornell University School of Industrial and Labor Relations. (Source: Institutional Investor, Multiemployer Pension Plans Face Uncertain Future, March 2010) Diana Furchtgott-Roth, senior fellow at the Hudson Institute in Washington, likens multi-employer plans to a ‘Ponzi scheme,’ that puts newly unionized workers into an underfunded pension plan.” (Source: Institutional Investor, Multiemployer Pension Plans Face Uncertain Future, March 2010) For example, The Teamsters’ Central States multi-employer pension plan, which covers some U.S. Foodservice workers, is in questionable financial condition. In fact, Teamster pension plans are so weak that the union is lobbying for taxpayer help through the Preserve Benefits and Jobs Act of 2009, H.R. 3936 (Teamster Bulletin: Support Pension Reform). Following are statements from a recent Central States funding notice and a Teamsters bulletin regarding the union’s pension plan, respectively:
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