Wild By Nature Contract Update: Agreement Reached

—WILD BY NATURE CONTRACT NEGOTIATIONS UPDATE —

 

 

We are pleased to report your Union negotiating committee has reached a tentative agreement with Wild by Nature. Thanks to your support, the negotiating committee has worked hard to come to an agreement you can be proud of.  The next step is reviewing and voting on the agreement.

 

Voting will take place on Thursday, Sept. 8, 2016 at five different locations (you may vote at any location) from 9:30 AM - 11:30 AM & 3:30 PM - 5:30 PM.

 

Voting Locations

• Wild by Nature 201: 198 Main St. East - Setauket, NY
• Wild by Nature 202: 369 West Main St. - Huntington, NY
• WIld by Nature 203: 260 West Montauk Highway - Hampton Bays, NY
• Wild by Nature 204: 2709 W. Long Beach Rd. - Oceanside, NY
• Wild by Nature 205: 478 Union Blvd. - West Islip, NY

 

 

At the vote you will receive a tentative agreement which you will be able to review. Your Union Representative and negotiating committee members will be present at each voting location to answer your questions. The Union negotiation committee unanimously reached this agreement and unanimously recommends to accept the new contract.

 

It is very important that you participate in the voting so that you may ACCEPT or REJECT the company’s last proposal for the new contract. Please encourage your coworkers to read the tentative agreement and vote on Sept. 8th!

 

Contact your Union Representative by phone or email if you have any questions.
 

 

In Solidarity,

 

Wild by Nature Union Negotiating Team

UFCW Local 1500

 

 

Are you a UFCW Local 1500 member?

We want to hear what you think.
Please take a 30 second survey on what you think of your union:

http://www.ufcw1500.org/Survey16

 

Stop & Shop, King Kullen Overwhelmingly Ratify New Contracts

Over 8,500 Union Grocery Workers Secure a New 37 Month Pact, Increasing Wages While Maintaining All Pension and Health Benefits 

Congratulations to over 8,500 grocery workers from Stop & Shop and King Kullen! Yesterday they overwhelmingly ratified a new 37 month agreement. More details on the agreement can be found in the release below:

United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW) Local 1500, announced they have ratified new agreements with both Stop & Shop and King Kullen Supermarkets. The new contracts were voted on and ratified on Thursday, April 16th, and cover over 8,500 grocery workers across New York.

“Both negotiating committees did an excellent job. The agreements provide wage increases for all our members, full-time and part-time,” said union President, Bruce Both. “We fought hard for months to protect our medical and pension plans, which will remain unchanged. We battled to secure benefits for all members, full and part-time," said negotiating committee member Paul Waldron, who works at King Kullen in Shirley.

Stop & Shop members in Staten Island reviewing & voting on the agreement yesterday

The previous contracts expired on December 6, 2014. Since then each company has been on monthly renewing extensions with the union. The union announced the agreement also includes a no discrimination clause. The progressive clause protects all UFCW Local 1500 members from any discriminatory acts regarding race, gender, sex, or sexual preference. The contracts will also increase weekly and Sunday hours for more part-time workers, and added new premiums for certain union members. They also provide vision, legal, dental benefits for both full and part-time union members.

“I’m proud of our negotiating committee, it’s our best agreement in years,” said Andre Phillips, a Shop Steward at Stop & Shop in Brooklyn, “We were able to maintain our current pension and medical benefits, something the company fought hard throughout negotiations to take away from us. That’s an important benefit to me, it lets me plan for my future.”

The contracts also increased contributions by King Kullen and Stop & Shop to the UFCW Local 1500 scholarship fund. The union annually awards over $27,000 of scholarships to UFCW Local 1500 members and their dependents. “With the new agreement we’ll be able to increase the amount of scholarships we award to students. That’s a benefit we’re very proud to provide to our members,” said President Both. Each contract is effective December 7, 2014 through December 30, 2017.  

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United Food and Commercial Workers Union Local 1500, based out of Westbury, New York, represents over 22,800 grocery workers in New York City, Long Island, Westchester, Putnam and Dutchess Counties. Members of Local 1500 are employed by Pathmark, Fairway, Stop and Shop, Gristedes, D'Agostino, Key Food, Shop Rite and King Kullen. Stay up to date with UFCW Local 1500 on twitter @ufcw1500, facebook.com/ufcw1500, and at ufcw1500.org.

Union Negotiations Update

Here's an update on all current union contract negotiations: 
 
King Kullen & Stop & Shop:
Tomorrow, February 19th, Union Trustees will meet again with company Trustees to resolve Pension and Welfare benefits.  As we previously updated, progress continues to be slow, and this has stalled the negotiation process.  President Both and Secretary-Treasurer Speelman indicated all Union Trustees will continue to demand that employers pay the appropriate level of contributions necessary to responsibly maintain benefit plans.

Fairway Market:
A new era began at Fairway Market in September with the introduction of new CEO, Jack Murphy.  We'll begin our first negotiations with the new leadership on Friday, February 20th.  We expect CEO Murphy and other operating officers to be in attendance for the duration of negotiations.  These negotiations are crucial in setting the tone for the future of our collective bargaining agreements with Fairway Market, an emerging company throughout the Northeast.

D'Agostino's:
Negotiations have yet to begin, although our contract proposal meeting is scheduled for Thursday, February 26th at 7PM at the Holiday Inn on West 57th Street.  All D'Agostino's members should attend with their proposals for the next collective bargaining agreement. 


We'll be keeping you updated digitally through emails, our social networks and on our website ufcw1500.org.   If you know any coworkers that would like to be on our Contract Update list, please sign them up here, or tell them to send us an email.


Thank you,

Bruce Both
President
UFCW Local 1500

Tony Speelman
Secretary-Treasurer
UFCW Local 1500

Please reply to this message with any questions, comments or suggestions.

Top 10 Stories This Week: Paid Sick Leave, Target Canada Fail, Fairway Swagger

FEATURED

 

Obama Calls for Paid Sick Leave, Paid Family Lead for Workers

 

President Obama is directing federal agencies to give their employees up to six weeks of paid leave after the birth or adoption of a child, a benefit he wants to extend to all American workers.

 

He will also call on Congress to pass a bill that would allow workers across the United States to earn up to seven paid sick days a year and would create a $2 billion incentive fund to help states pay for family leave programs, officials said.

 

Related: Can U.S. Ever Fix its Screwed Up Maternity Leave System?

FEATURED IMAGE

WHAT'S NEWS THIS WEEK   1. New Fairway CEO vows to get Fairway's Swagger Back New CEO said the chain is launching a new marketing campaign geared to get Fairway's swag back.     2. Two King Kullen Perishable Execs Retires Two longtime employees are retiring this month.

3. Delta to have Largest Transportation Union Vote, Covering 20k Flight Attendants 12,000 of Delta's roughly 20,000 flight attendants signed authorization cards

4. Save-Mart to Take Apple-Pay The California Supermarket is the first of its kind to take Apple-Pay

5. NYC Groups Seek to End Credit Checks by Employers New York City employers use credit checks to screen applicants for all sorts of jobs, like dog-walking, and janitorial work.  Now a group of advocates are seeking to end that practice, claiming it hurts blacks and Hispanics without predicting job performance.

6. Middle Class Struggles...Retailers Close Their Doors The retail sector is powered by consumer spending and the employer of millions of Americans and the source of stagnant wages.

7. How to Zing Your State Rep in 30 Seconds via Roseanne This clip is 17 years old, and is sadly still ringing true today.  It is worth the watch!

8. Aetna CEO: Our Minimum Wage is Now $16 per hour. The health insurance co. is increasing wages to reach and hold on to talented employees.

9. Supermarkets fared better than the Food Industry in 2014

10. Target to Shut Down Canada To say the chain has failed, would be a major understatement. Read more.     11. Deer are Invading Staten Island and NYC... The past six years, Staten Island has seen a 3,304 percent (that's %!) increase in white-tailed deer.

12. New Study: Ocean Life Faces Mass Extinction In a groundbreaking analysis of data, a team of scientists have concluded that humans are on the verge of causing unprecedented damage to oceans and animals, that we will not be able to recover from.   "If you cranked up the aquarium heater and dumped some acid in the water, your fish would not be very happy,” Dr. Pinsky said. “In effect, that’s what we’re doing to the oceans.”  Read more.     13. Update on UFCW 1500 Contract Negotiations     14. 2014 Was the Hottest Year on Record...Ever. The 10 hottest years on record have occurred since 1997.

Update on Current Contract Negotiations

Here's an update on all current union negotiations. 

King Kullen and Stop & Shop negotiating committees met with company officials last week.  Minor progress was made and there is more work to do with both collective bargaining agreements.

Union and Company Trustees also met last week to discuss Pension and Welfare benefits, and will meet again on Tuesday, January 13th. 

Stop & Shop's next negotiating session is scheduled for January 22nd.

King Kullen's next negotiating session is scheduled for January 20th.

We'll be keeping you updated digitally through emails, our social networks and on our website ufcw1500.org.  So, if you know any coworkers that would like to be on our Contract Update list, please sign them up here, or tell them to send us an email.


Thank you, Happy New Year and in Solidarity,


Bruce Both
President
UFCW Local 1500

Tony Speelman
Secretary-Treasurer
UFCW Local 1500

Please reply to this message with any questions, comments or suggestions.

9,000 Stop & Shop, King Kullen Workers Standing Together...Again

By: Tony Speelman

At our Shop Steward’s Seminar in October, my message to the Stewards was the same as all Local 1500 Executives, stand together.

Stop & Shop and King Kullen negotiations are ongoing as you read this, and as expected the billion-dollar employer Stop & Shop is attempting to tighten their grip even further on our union contracts. Even scheduling dates for negotiation sessions were long dragged out process.

The company approached us with one date they were available for negotiations. Finally after tremendous pressure from us, they succumbed and we have been meeting throughout the month of November. My point is everything from scheduling negotiations, to actual negotiations is difficult with Stop & Shop. We aren’t surprised and we don’t expect you to be either. Stop & Shop’s negotiations history with the UFCW is frustrating.  Just take a look at this chart below:

This chart does not and is not intended to bash our brothers and sisters in other Locals throughout our area, but it is intended to shed a light on how difficult this company makes the negotiation process, and how little urgency they exhibit when there are thousands upon thousands of jobs on the line. While negotiations with Local 342 and Stop & Shop are going on with at the same time as ours, keep in mind that if there is a possible stop work action between Local 342 and Stop & Shop, our contracts allow us to stand the line with our brothers and sisters from Local 342. We do not have to cross the line. 

I am not saying it will come to this, but we are all aware it’s quite possible when negotiating with Stop & Shop. My message is clear as always, communicate with your union. Do not believe or buy into company propaganda, which includes rumors heard throughout the store. Do not back down; stand up for your union and your coworkers.

Stop & Shop’s plan is to divide us and take away our solidarity. Our job as union members is to stick together to demand more from our employer. The only way we can do this is with full commitment from every member. Negativity, double guessing and bad talking the negotiation process is doing no good, it’s just what Stop & Shop wants to hear.

This holds true for all members who aren’t working at Stop & Shop or King Kullen, we’re all in this together and we all need to stick together. Last year we saw hundreds of Local 1500 members volunteer to support Stop & Shop workers if a potential work action would occur, and I expect the same for this round of negotiations. That feeling of solidarity is special. I get goose bumps just writing about the selfless actions of fellow UFCW Local 1500 members who are willing to stand up for their brothers and sisters.

Please enjoy a safe and healthy holiday season. As always my door is open to speak to anyone who has any questions or comments. You can always tweet me @Aspeel1500. Happy Holidays, stay together, united and we will succeed!

King Kullen Negotiations Begin Thursday Oct. 30th

By: Tony Speelman, Secretary Treasurer

On Thursday, October 30th,  we'll be heading into our first negotiation session with King Kullen.  Our elected King Kullen negotiation committee will be led by President Bruce Both.  At this first meeting, the committee will present the company with our proposals that were submitted from contract proposal meetings in September. 

We'll be keeping you updated digitally through emails, our social networks, on our website and blog ufcw1500.org.  So, if you know any coworkers that would like to be on our King Kullen Contract Update List, please sign them up here.  Two-way
communication is essential during negotiations, and this is the first step.

Please feel free to email me with any questions!

Mrs. Green's CEO Robin Michel Steps Down

UFCW Local 1500 Official Local, 2013

Statement from New York's Largest Grocery Workers Union on Mrs. Green's Natural Market CEO Removal

United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW) Local 1500 President Bruce W. Both released the following statement on the removal of Mrs. Green's Natural Market CEO, Robin Michel:

"The news of Mrs. Green's CEO Robin Michel's removal is welcoming to the fired workers who have been picketing in front of Mrs. Green's in Mt. Kisco since January. Through Robin Michel's leadership, Mrs. Green's Natural Market has transformed from what was once a friendly neighborhood natural foods store, to a company that emulates Walmart's labor practices, putting a strict priority on expansion and profits, over people."

"Mrs. Green's unacceptable anti worker behavior began with Ms. Michel's tenure and was exemplified by its vicious anti-union campaign the company launched in April 2013 that instilled fear in the workers and contributed to our union's narrow election defeat. It culminated with the unlawful termination in January of eight workers for standing up for their basic rights at work.

"Workers like David Ramirez, who had become a cornerstone in the store throughout his nearly 10 years of employment, were left out in the cold during a frigid winter on a picket line, simply for standing up for his rights at work. Community, labor and faith leaders will continue to stand with the fired workers until Mrs. Green's ends its labor dispute."

For more information visit: ufcw1500.org/greenismean

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Read the guest blog on Mrs. Green's Natural Market.

United Food and Commercial Workers Union Local 1500, based out of Westbury, New York, represents over 23,000 grocery workers in New York City, Long Island, Westchester, Putnam and Dutchess Counties. Members of Local 1500 are employed by A&P/Pathmark, Fairway, Stop and Shop, Gristedes, D'Agastino, Key Food, Shop Rite and King Kullen.

Stay up to date with UFCW Local 1500 on twitter @ufcw1500, facebook.com/ufcw1500, www.ufcw1500.org.

Contact UFCW Local 1500 at info@ufcw1500.org.

ShopRite Contracts Ratified

UFCW's OnPoint, a weekly synopsis of what's going on within the UFCW nation wide, covered the ShopRite vote.  Here's what they had to say below:

Last week, UFCW Local 1500 members who work in over 15 ShopRite stores in the greater New York area ratified new three-year contracts. The new agreements provide for wage increases, premiums for part-timers and full-timers, improved working hours for night crews, and preserve pensions. The new agreements also recognize same-sex marriage. The contracts cover over 3,100 ShopRite workers. 

“We’re extremely proud of our negotiating committees,” said UFCW Local 1500 President Bruce W. Both. “Their com- mitment to their union and to bettering their coworkers’ lives achieved higher wage increases and premiums for full and part-timers. That’s what made this a success. These contracts will guide us into negotiations with Stop & Shop and King Kullen in December.”

Support Workers Fired for Exercising Basic Rights-

By: Tony Speelman
Secretary-Treasurer, UFCW Local 1500


David Ramirez and Martha Urgiles worked in the Mrs. Green’s Dairy Department for over ten years. Elivia Miguel worked at Mrs. Green’s for over 11 years. Yesica Mendez worked at Mrs. Green’s for four years. These are just four of the nine workers who were fired from Mrs. Green’s Natural Market in Mt. Kisco for “poor customer service.” Like you, the workers at Mrs. Green’s saw a lot of change at their store over the last year. After new management took over in December of 2012, a friendly, community favorite manager was fired.

This was the first of many changes employees were about to endure throughout the next year. Throughout the changes longtime employees stood up and began to demand better treatment from management. An overwhelming number of workers filed for a union election in May, losing by just three votes. Afterwards, the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) charged Mrs. Green’s with violating federal labor law, performing illegal interrogation and intimidation of employees in the weeks leading up to the election.

 After charges were filed, employees from the store began to meet with local elected politicians, including Assembly Member Shelly Mayer, to discuss the difficulties they face every day at their job. Workers were thrilled to meet with and receive the support from their elected officials who took the time to speak to them about their lives. The federal charges were settled in November, and Mrs. Green’s agreed under federal order to post a notice in their store for 60-days. The notice notified Mt. Kisco employees of their basic rights that were protected under federal laws.

 During the 60-day posting, Mrs. Green’s abruptly fired nine pro-union workers for “poor customer service”. A majority of the fired workers had over seven years on the job; some had worked for the company for over a decade. The fired workers were not only leading supporters of the union in the election, but were the same workers who met with politicians in the Mt. Kisco area for help. We have since filed federal charges against Mrs. Green’s and called the firings illegal retaliation and are hopeful they will all be reinstated.


Many of you may have seen the workers in front of the store the last two weeks, notifying customers they have come to know over the last decade, they were fired for “poor customer service.” There has been an outpouring of support from former customers who have pledged not to shop at the store. Today, community members, community groups, and former customers will join the fired workers on their picket line, calling for a boycott of the store until the fired workers are reinstated. Local politicians will also be there to support the fired workers and the community. Please come by and show your support for the men and women who have helped sever you at Mrs. Green’s for the last decade and demand management reinstates the workers.

 For more info on any of these events please head to www.ufcw1500.org.

 Tony Speelman is Secretary-Treasurer of the United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW) Union Local 1500. UFCW Local 1500 is based out of Westbury, New York, represents over 23,000 grocery workers in New York City, Long Island, Westchester, Putnam and Dutchess Counties. Members of Local 1500 are employed by Pathmark, Fairway, Stop and Shop, Gristedes, D’Agastino, Key Food, Shop Rite and King Kullen. Stay up to date with UFCW Local 1500 on twitter@ufcw1500, facebook.com/ufcw1500, www.ufcw1500.org. Contact UFCW Local 1500 at info@ufcw1500.org.

Top 13 Stories This Week: Target, Stop and Shop, King Kullen and Walmart

1. Stop & Shop and King Kullen negotiating committees reach tentative agreements...Vote scheduled for Monday.  

[Check coverage from Newsday, Westfair, Progressive Grocer Supermarket News]

Find voting times and locations here.

2.  Aldi announced plans to open 650 stores in the next five years. Wow.

3.  With Yucapia as the new owner, Fresh & Easy is already changing.

4.  Over 400,000 no, over 40 million Target customers' credit / debit cards were stolen in a data breach.  Here's how customers are reacting. Forbes calls Target's reaction to customers a PR Nightmare. More on data breaches at retailers from Time.

5.  Amazon may get their first labor union in the U.S., as a warehouse in Delaware preps for a vote that will be watched nationally. If you remember, workers in Germany have gone on strike several times this year (and will continue to in 2014), and have even gone so far as holding demonstrations at the company HQ in Seattle.

6.  Not only would a guaranteed minimum wage increase could eliminate poverty for all, a new study shows it would create jobs. 1 in 10 people working Full-Time are still poor.

7. Walmart is being fined again, this time over $4.7 million dollars, for wage theft.

8. Fairway is holding hourly prize give-a-ways until Christmas.

9.  Whole Foods is pulling Chobani yogurt and they're upping their goal from 1,000 to 1,200 stores in the US.

10.  Brooklyn's Food Pantry is struggling to help fill the gap left by SNAP cuts (food stamps).  You've heard us talk about this before, 47 million people rely on SNAP, cutting it has put us on a dangerous road. Check out why at HungerCliff.

11. Another change was made to the ACA today.

12. Our friends at The Brandworkers, are fighting with workers from Amy's Bread in Queens. Check out the workers campaign for better wages, healthcare and job security here.

13. Chart of the week: Being in a Union Raises Women's Pay 12.9 percent.

Quick Hits: Fast-Food workers at the Smithsonian have unionized. Ikea has been spying on their employees for a long time, DC passed a minimum wage increase, President Obama said Immigration Reform is at the top of the list for his presidency, and The US South is finally coming around on unions.

Thanks!

Got a suggestion? Get at us on Twitter!

Tentative Agreements Reached with King Kullen & Stop & Shop

Tentative Agreements Reached with King Kullen & Stop & Shop

Vote & Contract Review Scheduled for Monday, December 23 @ 8 AM - 8 PM at the following locations.

Yesterday our union negotiating committee's for Stop & Shop and King Kullen announced they reached tentative agreements.  

Stop & Shop members have been without a contract since November, and King Kullen's latest extension was set to expire on 12/21. 

Meetings to review and vote for the tentative agreement will be held on Monday, December 23, 2013 from 8 AM to 8 PM at the following locations.  

(Note: You may review the contract for as long as you would like on Monday at the locations below from 8 AM - 8PM)

King Kullen Review & Voting Locations:

Nassau:

UFCW Local 1500 Office
425 Merrick Ave. Westbury NY 11590

Suffolk:
Ramada Plaza Long Island Hotel
1730 North Ocean Ave. Holtsville, NY 11742 

Stop & Shop Review & Voting Locations:

Nassau: UFCW Local 1500 Office 425 Merrick Ave. Westbury NY 11590 Suffolk: Ramada Plaza Long Island Hotel 1730 North Ocean Ave. Holtsville, NY 11742 Brooklyn: Stop & Shop Avenue Y 1710 Avenue Y Brooklyn, NY 11235 Staten Island: Stop & Shop of Hylan Blvd. 2754 Hylan Blvd. Staten Island, NY 10306 Yonkers: The Royal Regency 125 Tuckahoe Rd. Yonkers, NY 10710 Dutchess: The Ramada Hotel Route 9 Fishkill, NY 12524

President Bruce Both said:  "The only way we could have reached  tentative agreements was through your solidarity, preparedness and dedication. I thank you for your support during this tense and difficult process. I urge all members to come to one of the polling sites, review the contract thoroughly, then vote for their best interests."

If you aren't already, please follow our Facebook and Twitter where updates are posted regularly throughout the day.

Thank you again, 

Bruce Both

President, Lead Negotiator, UFCW Local 1500

The Stop & Shop Negotiating Committee 

King Kullen Negotiating Committee 

Tentative Agreements Reached with Stop and Shop, King Kullen -

UFCW Local 1500 announced they have reached tentative agreements with Stop and Shop and King Kullen.

UFCW Local 1500 Official Logo

After three-months of tense negotiations, the negotiating committee for United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW) Local 1500 announced they have come a tentative agreement with Stop & Shop.  The previous agreement expired on Sept. 28th and was extended twice until November 2nd.  Since then 6,000 New York Stop & Shop workers from the East End of Long Island, to Rhinebeck, in upstate New York, have been working without a contract. 

"Our team has fought every second of the day to try and secure not just "any contract" but the best contract we can.  We feel we have,” said Negotiating Committee Member Greg Pasquale from Stop & Shop in Beekman, NY.

Secretary-Treasurer for UFCW Local 1500 Tony Speelman said, ”The only way we were able to reached this tentative agreement was through our members’ solidarity, preparedness and dedication during this tense and difficult process.  I urge all Stop & Shop members to come to the polling sites, review the contract thoroughly, then vote for their best interests.”

Problems with Affordable Care Act mandates were cited throughout negotiations.  UFCW Local 1500 had been in final stages of planning for a work stoppage at Stop & Shop if a deal could not be reached.

The negotiating committee for United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW) Local 1500 announced they have come a tentative agreement with King Kullen after three-months of negotiations.  The previous agreement expired on Sept. 28th and was extended four-times, the latest was set to expire on December 21, 2013.

Both tentative agreements for over 8,400 King Kullen and Stop and Shop workers will be voted on Monday, December 23, 2013 from 8 AM to 8 PM at the following locations

Meetings to review and vote for the tentative agreement will be held on Monday, December 23, 2013 from 8 AM to 8 PM at ANY of the locations below.  It is VERY important for you to vote! (Note: You may review the tentative agreement for however long you would like between 8 AM - 8 PM on Monday, Dec. 23) Find the six (6) Stop & Shop Contract Review/Voting Locations Here. Find the Nassau & Suffolk King Kullen Voting/ Review Locations Here.

United Food and Commercial Workers Union Local 1500, based out of Westbury, New York, represents over 22,000 grocery workers in New York City, Long Island, Westchester, Putnam and Dutchess Counties. Members of Local 1500 are employed by Pathmark, Fairway, Stop and Shop, Gristedes, D'Agostinos, Key Food, Shop Rite and King Kullen.

Stay up to date with UFCW Local 1500 on twitter @ufcw1500, facebook.com/ufcw1500, and at ufcw1500.org.