On June 5, members of UFCW Local 1625 who work at the H&M store in Melbourne, Fla., ratified their first union contract.
The 14 workers, who are employed as sales associates and visual associates, made history when they joined UFCW local 1625 in May of 2024, marking the first time H&M workers have unionized in the state of Florida.
The three-year contract includes the following provisions:
- Annual wage increases.
- Weekly guarantee of hours for part- and full-time employees.
- Bereavement leave that expands the definition of immediate family members.
- Job posting language.
- Emergency closing language.
- 30-day notice before any dress code changes are made and upon request, meet with the union to discuss any changes to the dress code.
“We look forward to representing the H&M workers,” said UFCW Local 1625 President Ed Chambers. “We are hopeful that since our foot is in the door, we’ll be able to organize more retail workers in the future.”