Workers in the Bakery Department at the Market Street store in Carlsbad, N.M., voted to join UFCW Local 1564 on Feb. 10, marking the second unit of grocery workers in the last two months to join the local. Market Street is a subsidiary of Albertsons.
The 13 workers, who are employed as bakers, cake decorators and assistant bakery managers, cited firsthand experience with union representation as a key reason for organizing. Some of the workers were former members of UFCW Local 1564 and shared their positive experiences with their colleagues about the better wages and benefits that come with a union contract.
Building on that momentum, UFCW Local 1564 led a strong organizing campaign that focused on consistent servicing, timely communication, and meetings with the workers to discuss the advantages of union membership. The bakery employees were the only non-union department in the store and wanted to be covered under the same contract as their coworkers in other departments, who are already represented by UFCW Local 1564. With this successful vote, this Market Street store is now officially wall-to-wall union.
“Local 1564 was honored to have previous members reaching out to us because they had good experiences with being union before, and worked alongside other union members who prompted and encouraged them to GO UNION!,” said UFCW Local 1564 President Greg Frazier.