Posts Categorized: Retail

In a recent victory for Ohio workers, more than 100 Save-A Lot distribution center employees in Austinburg voted to join UFCW Local 880 for a better life. The workers joined our union family because they were concerned about health care, treatment by management, and other issues.

This victory is due, in part, to the work of UFCW Local 880 Organizer Lonnie Stacy and Region 4 Organizing Coordinator Cedric Burroughs, who worked around the clock over the past two months through committee meetings, home calls, phone calls, texting, Hustle, and hand billing. These organizers assisted a solid worker organizing committee that stayed strong from the first day until the day of the election in spite of management’s union-busting tactics.

Save-A-Lot employees were happy to join our union.

“It feels amazing that we were able to stick together through all of the mandatory union-busting meetings and constant threats from management,” said Shawn, one of the Save-A-Lot employees.

“Honestly, this win is just the beginning,” said Rebeccah, another Save-A-Lot employee. “It feels great that all of our hard work and petitioning paid off and we’re ready for the next step: getting our contract negotiated and accepted.”

Taylor Julian, who works at the Central Co-op in Tacoma, recently joined UFCW Local 367.

Region 7 has been growing our union family in Washington state. Recently, workers from the Central Co-op and Fred Meyer joined UFCW Locals 367 and 1439.

In July, the Central Co-op opened a new location in Tacoma, Wash., as their second store in the Puget Sound area. The co-op’s managers originally refused access to union representatives from UFCW Local 367. To help UFCW Local 367 gain access to their coworkers, Seattle Central Co-op workers represented by UFCW Local 21 worked with Region 7 to launch a sticker action and engaged community groups to send emails to Central Co-op’s CEO.

The end result was access to the Central Co-op’s breakroom in Tacoma, where union representatives and Seattle Central Co-op workers signed up 36 of the 41 workers from the Tacoma store in two days. Central Co-op workers from Tacoma are proudly heading into negotiations with a strong majority of support.

“I am 100 percent for the union,” said Taylor Julian, who works at the Central Co-op in Tacoma. “I want to see everyone earn a living wage, have job security and equal pay for equal work.”

In August, UFCW Local 1439 in Spokane, Wash., gained 115 members from ClickList departments at five Fred Meyer locations in Spokane, Yakama and Wenatchee. The Fred Meyer workers joined UFCW Local 1439 for superior medical insurance that costs less and covers more. They also secured a grievance procedure, guaranteed wage increases. and a stronger voice on the job.