Monthly Archives: August 2025

On July 25, workers at the H&M store in historic downtown Detroit voted unanimously to join UFCW Local 876, marking the first time H&M workers have unionized in Michigan.

These workers filed for a union election with the National Labor Relations Board on July 3 after being denied voluntary recognition by H&M. After winning their union election on July 25, they now join the other 2,000 H&M workers represented by the UFCW and RWDSU.

“During the heat wave earlier this summer, the air conditioning in the store was out for weeks,” said Stephanie Kennedy, who is a part-time sales advisor at H&M Detroit and served as a member of the organizing committee. “Our jobs are physically demanding, so we had to push heavy totes filled with clothing while the temperature in the store neared 90 degrees. After it was clear that the company wasn’t listening to our concerns, my co-workers and I stood together to say we wanted to vote to join a union. I’m excited that we won and can now join the other 2,000 H&M workers represented by UFCW/RWDSU.”

“I’m looking forward to negotiating with H&M because we need better pay, a safer workplace, and stability at our job,” said Alexis Byrd, who is a part-time sales advisor at H&M Detroit and served as a member of the organizing committee. “At the end of the day, we are the face of the company to customers, and our value to H&M should be reflected in our pay and working conditions. H&M says it wants to be a great place to work. We’re going to hold them to that and make sure they’re practicing what they preach. We know the company can provide security, fix problems quickly, and pay us more. I’m glad we now have a union to make sure they do better.”

“We’re thrilled to welcome workers from H&M Detroit into the UFCW family and the 18,000 workers represented by UFCW Local 876,” said UFCW International Vice President and UFCW Local 876 President Dan Pedersen. “These workers should be proud of being the first ones to unionize an H&M store in Michigan. They were determined to join a union because they knew that it meant better pay, better benefits, and better working conditions. We look forward to supporting them as they negotiate a strong, first contract with H&M.”

Members of UFCW Local 227 who work at Feast BBQ and Royals Hot Chicken in Louisville, Ky., ratified their first union contracts on July 21 and 22. Feast BBQ and Royals Hot Chicken are owned by the Kentucky-based restaurant group Eternal Optimist Hospitality, and the workers are employed in a variety of front and back of house service crew positions at the restaurants ranging from waiters to cooks.

They joined our union because they were concerned about insufficient wages and benefits and the first contracts address those issues.

The three-year contracts include immediate wages increases (an additional $1.00 per hour immediate increase) and guaranteed wage increases during each year of the agreement. The contracts also maintain affordable health insurance and create a grievance process for the workers.

“It was a long process,” said Jakob Sawyer, who works at Feast BBQ and is a member of the Bargaining Committee. “Things were quite tough at times. But finally reaching this goal is incredibly rewarding. I’m so proud of the work we’ve all done to get here and I would do it all again a hundred times if it means a better, more just work environment for my fellow workers.”

“While the process was long, it was well worth it to finally feel heard and to have our union looking out for us,” said David Capeheart, who works at Royals Hot Chicken and is a member of the Bargaining Committee.

“Feast BBQ and Royals Hot Chicken workers made history in Louisville by becoming some of the first unionized restaurant workers in our city,” said UFCW 227 President Bob Blair. “For over a year, these workers stood together to demand better for themselves and their industry. We are grateful that they choose UFCW 227 as their union and we are excited to build a better future for restaurant workers in Kentucky.”