Workers at eight Homewise Appliance stores in Northern California joined UFCW Local 5 on Feb. 26. Homewise Appliance is a family-owned and operated appliance business and the eight stores are located in Redwood City, San Jose, Hayward, Concord, San Rafael and Roseville.
The 93 workers, who are employed as sales associates, merchandisers and janitors, joined our union out of concerns about wage cuts and freezes and reduced commissions over the last five years. UFCW Local 5 organizers engaged the workers through a worker-led committee, which met weekly via Zoom. The committee led the organizing campaign with support from UFCW Local 5 and the local’s organizers met with the workers in person at a BBQ hosted by one of the committee leaders and another event at the local’s hall in Hayward to solidify support for unionizing.
“When we tried to push back on commission cuts during on-line meetings, our voices were literally silenced as managers muted us and pretty much told us to take it or leave it,” said Janelle Cendusky, who is a 15-year sales associate at the Homewise Appliance store in San Jose. “It used to be the more we delivered, the more we earned. That’s the way it should be. We want to see our company thrive and we want to be compensated fairly.”