Workers at two Foragers Market stores in Chelsea and Brooklyn, N.Y., recently joined UFCW Local 1500 for a better life.
Foragers Market specializes in high quality groceries from local farms and producers. The 11 workers at the Brooklyn store in the Dumbo neighborhood and their 19 colleagues at the store in Chelsea voted unanimously to join our union family because they were concerned about arbitrary pay cuts, scheduling issues, sick leave violations, unfair and cruel treatment from management, lack of raises and benefits, and arbitrary and unfair terminations.
“I have been working during the pandemic and the company not only cut my work hours, but they also cut my salary from $19 per hour to $16,” said René Cantú, who works at the Forager’s Market store in Chelsea. “That’s why I voted for the union.”
“Our team of organizers are prepared to combat injustices of the sort that were discovered at Foragers Market,” said UFCW Local 1500 Secretary-Treasurer Aly Y. Waddy. “Unfortunately, they are not unique in this aspect. Our goal is to bring the best quality jobs available to New York, and if necessary, we will do it one company at a time. Congratulations to the workers at Foragers!”
“We are extremely proud of the workers at Foragers Market in Chelsea and Dumbo for having the courage to stand up and make their voices heard,” said UFCW Local 1500 President Robert W. Newell, Jr. “We welcome them to our Local 1500 family with open arms. The workers at Foragers have now joined over 17,500 other Local 1500 members in New York and over 1.3 million UFCW members across North America who enjoy strong protections and dignity at their workplace.”