Hey, everyone! We want to go on strike, and I could use some help.
I work at a well-known Seattle grocery chain (not going to say which one for obvious reasons). Recently, the evening shift for the deli employees was moved from 12:00—8:30 to 12:15—8:45 (times changed from the actual). Because we were often working until 8:45 anyways, this move was essentially only to prevent us from getting overtime while keeping us working late and doing the same amount of work.
Our union is essentially useless (we don't even have the right to strike in our contract) and as management has resisted changing our schedule back, we have decided to go on strike. It's a simple thing for them to change, and given that the deli is easily one of their most profitable parts of the store, the strike should be very successful. With luck, a successful strike might even give the rest of the store enough confidence to move to change unions to one that will actually do something for us. They've been giving up more and more every contract renegotiation, and all of the employees have no faith in it at all. Most of the employees want to strike, but there's not been enough confidence to convince enough people.
So, what am I asking for? It's simple: read the flyer we'll be handing to customers when we go on strike, and let me know if you have any comments or suggestions on how to improve it. That's it!
On date, the Seattle Grocery deli evening shift was changed from 12:00—8:30 to 12:15—8:45 without warning or discussion with employees. As Grocery Deli workers regularly work past 8:30 while closing the deli, the only purpose of this change is to avoid having to pay overtime. Now we're still working late every night, but for less pay, while the extra 15 minutes earlier makes no practical difference in our lives. Since the deli still closes at the same time, if we finish on our usual schedule and close by 8:30, we may not even get at least 40 hours a week despite working 5 days. This decision is reprehensible and should be reversed.
The employees of the Grocery Deli have decided to go on strike in order to change this. We sincerely apologize for any interruption we may have caused in your day—we realize this is unexpected, but this is important. Many of us live in the nearby area. We are your community, and your neighbors. A small change like this can affect our pay by 5-10% (a conservative estimate). That’s a big pay cut—especially when so many of us still have to live month to month because of Seattle’s skyrocketing cost of living.
Help us so we can get back to helping you! Please show your support for Grocery Deli workers by asking the managers to change the schedule back—it’s an easy thing to do, an easy thing for the Grocery to change, and it makes a surprisingly big difference in our lives.
See you in the Deli!
Thanks for your help, everyone.
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http://www.workdayminnesota.org/articles/grocery-store-workers-seek-justice-unpaid-wages?can_id=a9cf23302332fb8fa0573509116ae7fe&source=email-labor-update-9&email_referrer=labor-update-9
Bearing a banner that read "Shame on you Tom Wartman," United Food and Commerical Workers Local 653 members launched an informational picket June 17 at the opening of non-union Glen Lake's Market in Minnetonka. Minneapolis Labor Review photo
Grocery store workers seek justice for unpaid wages
By Steve Share, Minneapolis Labor Review
June 28, 2015
MINNETONKA_ United Food and Commercial Workers Local 653 (link is external) launched an informational picket June 17 at the opening of non-union Glen Lake’s Market in Minnetonka.
The union is urging the public to not patronize Glen Lake’s Market, 14400 Excelsior Blvd. in Minnetonka, and a sister store, Victoria’s Market, 7999 Victoria Drive in Victoria. Informational picketing by Local 653 members is underway at both stores.
Both stores opened at the sites of two former Fresh Seasons grocery stores which closed abruptly in May 2014 — with tens of thousands of dollars owed to the 120 UFCW Local 653 members who worked at the two stores.
Fresh Seasons also closed owing many thousands more dollars to the Minneapolis Retail Meat Cutter and Food Handlers Health, Welfare, and Pension Fund, the union said.
FULL story at link.
