Effort to decertify union is driving a wedge into Janesville-based business

[Omaha Steve]

http://gazettextra.com/news/2008/may/09/rift-family/

By JIM LEUTE ( Contact ) Friday, May 9, 2008

JANESVILLE — Jack Bandemer refers to his co-workers at the Woodman’s Food Market in Janesville as family.

But there’s trouble in the family, he says.

For that, Bandemer lays the blame on the family’s patriarch, Phil Woodman, and his “union-busting interloper.”

The pair is working hard to rid the Woodman’s stores in Janesville, Beloit and Madison of union representation, Bandemer and others said Thursday at a rally in Janesville. Speakers included lawmakers, union reps and workers, and all drew enthusiastic support from the 200 or so in attendance.

Earlier this year, more than a third of the 950 employees at the stores signed a petition to decertify United Food & Commercial Workers Union Local 1473. The petition moved to the National Labor Relations Board for a decision on whether the petition was valid and whether a decertification election should be scheduled. The case has resulted in weeks of testimony, thousands of pages of transcripts and hundreds of exhibits.

It’s also resulted in a volley of charges of unfair labor practices between Woodman’s and the union. Most accuse the other side of unfair tampering and tainting of employees.

FULL story at link.

[LiberalFighter]

1. Woodman's is the only grocery store I patronize when I shop in Wisconsin during my vacations.

Because I know it is union.