New York's Largest Grocery Workers Union Slams Newly Appointed CEO of Mrs. Green's Natural Market

Calls comments "short-sighted" and a "disappointment"

United Food and Commercial Workers Local 1500 President Bruce W. Both released the following statement regarding the appointment of Pat Brown as CEO of Natural Markets Food Group, the parent company of Mrs. Green's Natural Market:

"We and the workers from Mrs. Green's eagerly awaited new CEO Pat Brown's statements on the future of Mrs. Green's Natural Market, and we were all equally disappointed.

"Like his predecessor, Mr. Brown failed to take advantage of an opportunity to address the serious labor management problems at Mrs. Green's Natural Market; declining to acknowledge any of the hardworking men and women who have been instrumental in emerging Mrs. Green's from a small chain of stores in one state, into a rapidly expanding international market.

"Brown's comments are short-sighted for a company that was been charged with and settled over 20 labor violations in the last 15 months with the National Labor Relations Board. Under Brown's predecessor's leadership, the company was charged with illegally firing eight longtime workers from its Mt. Kisco store for supporting the UFCW union. Those workers were left on a picket line for over 6 months in front of the store, until the company finally succumbed to community and political pressure to rehire them. Ignoring these problems will not make them go away.

"Mrs. Green's is plagued with worker unrest because their 'core mission' doesn't include workers. The company needs to acknowledge and respect the men and women who help them achieve their "core mission", every day."

For more information on the workers at Mrs. Green's Natural Market please visit www.mrsgreeds.com.

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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.

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

Contact UFCW Local 1500 at info@ufcw1500.org.

Labor Day...Every Day

By: Tony Speelman, Secretary Treasurer, UFCW Local 1500

In 1894, during a time of severe economic depression and social unrest, President Grover Cleveland established Labor Day as a national holiday in an effort to appease organized labor. President Cleveland’s decision to honor America’s workers came days after he ordered federal troops to crush workers at the Pullman Palace Car Company in Chicago who were striking for better wages and workplace conditions. One hundred and twenty years after the Pullman Strike, our country is still grappling with economic and social unrest as income inequality persists and the rights of workers to stick together for better workplace conditions continues to be challenged.

Too often, workers are harassed, intimidated and sometimes fired for sticking together to bargain for better wages and benefits. While discriminating against workers who want to organize is against the law, too many employers would rather pay fines under the National Labor Relations Act (NLRA) than allow for a process that lets workers choose a union freely and fairly. For many employers, these minimal penalties are not a deterrent, but rather the cost of doing business.

We all saw this first hand at Mrs. Green’s Natural Market in Mt. Kisco, where workers were unlawfully fired for their interest in joining a union. After six months on a picket line, the workers finally returned to work after the company caved to community and political support. Make no mistake, if it wasn’t for community support this would not have happened. We need to continue to hold employers accountable, and I thank you for supporting these brave workers at Mrs. Green’s Natural Market.

 That’s why UFCW Local 1500 supports the Employee Empowerment Act (H.R. 5280), new legislation recently introduced by Representatives Keith Ellison (D-Minn.) and John Lewis (D-Ga.), which would amend the NLRA to give victims of labor discrimination the same protections available under the 1964 Civil Rights Act. Currently, back pay is the only remedy available to these workers. Passage of this legislation would give victims the right to sue for compensatory and punitive damages in federal court, ensuring e
mployers are held appropriately accountable for illegal retaliation and truly discouraging anti-union activity.

English: The Fairway supermarket in Red Hook, Brooklyn. Category:Buildings in Brooklyn Category:Fairway Category:Red Hook, Brooklyn (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

When Hurricane Sandy hit New York, we were all devastated. Our 300 union members from New York City working at Fairway Market in Red Hook, Brooklyn were all displaced for months with nowhere to work after the supermarket was flooded with over five feet of water. The store closed for six months, leaving 300 men and women wondering where their next pay check would come from. The difference between a union employer and a non-union employer could not have been displayed more during those trying months. Fairway Market retained all employees and shuttled them to one of Fairway’s other 12 locations throughout the metropolitan area. The difference a union voice on the job has made the quality of life our members and our communities significantly improve. The key to economic prosperity for working people is power in numbers. More union jobs means more workers rights, better benefits and better communities. We all win.

Here in New York too many hard working men and women are struggling to stay afloat in a fragile economy.  New York flaunts itself as a progressive capital, yet our laws protecting workers and wages don’t compete with states like Vermont, Washington and Rhode Island.  All will have higher minimum wages than ours (New York’s) by January 1, 2015.  This is unacceptable. We all know first hand how expensive it is to make ends meet living in New York.

Movements like the “Fight for 15” and “Fast Food Strikes” have brought workers wages and conditions to national discussion.  McDonald’s was just at the center of a very important National Labor Relations Board (NRLB) ruling, where they argued they weren’t responsible for their 14,000 franchises treatment of workers.  The Labor Board disagreed, and found McDonald’s liable for the treatment of their workers across their franchises in America.  This was sadly an unsurprising move from today’s corporation, trying to pass the buck, make an excuse and not take responsibility for its treatment of workers.

What’s disappointing is an enormous corporation like McDonald’s, has tried to hide behind its franchisers and not do the ethical and right thing for people.   Movements like these are integral to our respect and progress in organized labor.  The national opinion on these issues is in our favor.  America wants better treatment of workers, better jobs and higher wages.  Why can’t we get it?

Narrowing the gap between the rich and poor is essential to rebuilding our economy, but that can’t happen if workers lack the power and protection to bargain for better wages and benefits. UFCW Local 1500 urges Congress to truly honor workers this Labor Day and pass the Employee Empowerment Act.

Tony Speelman is the Secretary-Treasurer of UFCW Local 1500 representing over 23,000 grocery workers based out of Westbury, NY.

Day of Action to Support Mrs. Green's Workers Going Back to Work

This week, UFCW and UFCW/RWDSU Locals throughout Region 1 participated in a day of action on July 22, 2014 to support the eight unlawfully fired workers returning to work at Mrs. Green’s Natural Market.   The eight workers were leading union supporters in a closely contested union election in May 2013.   

Afterwards, Mrs. Green’s was federally charged for intimidating and interrogating employees.  The charges were settled after Mrs. Green’s agreed to create a safe, intimidation free atmosphere, and post a federally issued notice on workers’ right to organize.  In January 2014 the eight workers were unlawfully fired for “poor job performance”.  The workers had over 60 years combined experience, some of them worked at the store for over 13 years.  Local 1500 filed more charges, alleging the firings were in retaliation for their union support.   Workers had been on a picket line in front of the store for over six months until the company settled and agreed to return the workers with back pay, days before a federal hearing on July 24, 2014.  The day of action commemorated the workers’ victory, fighting back against a multi-national employer.     

“We're returning to work with the same fears we had in November, when we faced intimidation and threats before we were ultimately fired.  We still need protection at work and we still need your support.  The last time we worked inside the store, Mrs. Green’s illegal treatment of us led to the most difficult times in our lives, so thank you all for your support!” said Yesica Mendez, one of the eight unlawfully fired workers who returned to work on July 22.

8 Unlawfully Fired Workers Heading Back to Work with Pay at Mrs. Green's Natural Market after NLRB Settlement

After being federally charged by a NLRB Regional Director with unlawfully terminating 8 employees in January 2014 for "supporting a union," the Union has settled with Mrs. Green's, after agreeing to rehire workers with back-pay

United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW) Union Local 1500 announced it has assisted eight unlawfully fired workers from Mrs. Green's in getting their jobs back with back-pay, after a Regional Director of the National Labor Relations Board charged Mrs. Green's Natural Market with unlawfully terminating them because "they supported the Union."
"Mrs. Green's did everything possible to avoid unionization, including firing eight longtime workers who gave a combined over 50 years of service to the company," said UFCW Local 1500 President Bruce W. Both. "We joined the brave workers, along with the Mt. Kisco community, on a picket line in January, fighting for what we all deserve, respect at work, and today justice prevailed."
The settlement between the union and company comes days before a NLRB hearing in which Mrs. Green's faced federal charges for unlawfully threatening and intimidating workers, and ultimately firing workers who supported Local 1500.

"Our fight has been long, but it is not over," said David Ramirez, an unlawfully fired worker who worked at Mrs. Green's for nearly 10 years, "We ultimately want and need protection at work, so we and all our coworkers don't have to work in fear that if we ever stand up for our basic rights, we will be fired and on a picket line for 6 months, fighting for what we all should be guaranteed at work. Nobody in this country deserves that."

Union President Bruce W. Both, noted that, although the settlement has put workers back to work, their struggle is far from over. "In November 2013, Mrs. Green's agreed to cease their anti-union conduct, promising to provide a safe, intimidation-free work environment for the workers. We all witnessed how Mrs. Green's took that responsibility; they illegally fired eight loyal longtime workers and put them on the streets during a frigid winter, fighting for their jobs back. Now, we're here, 6-months later, and nothing has changed; the workers are still fighting for the protection on the job they need, want and deserve."

For months, the Union urged the company to reinstate all unlawfully fired workers and to spare the workers and community the expense and strain of a hearing. The evidence that Mrs. Green's acted in violation of the law was overwhelming and the NLRB Regional Director found that these workers were not fired for their job performance but simply for standing up for their basic rights at work. The Union also extended their appreciation to the Mt. Kisco community along with the politicians who stood with the unlawfully fired workers during their struggle.

When asked about returning to work, Ramirez said, "We're happy to return to serve the community that stood with us during our struggle. We want respect, protection and security at work once we return."

Visit www.mrsgreeds.com for more information.

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Mrs. Green's Natural Market Unlawfully Terminated Employees, Breached Settlement Agreement, NLRB Region Finds

Unlawfully terminated workers walk a picket line at Mrs. Green's

 A National Labor Relations Board Regional Director charged Mrs. Green's Natural Market with unlawfully terminating eight employees in January 2014 for "supporting a union," and set the case for trial on July 14.

After an internal investigation by a Regional Director of the National Labor Relations Board, the Director has found merit to the United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW) Union Local 1500's unfair labor practice charges alleging that Mrs. Green's Natural Market unlawfully terminated 8 employees because they supported the Union.

The Regional Director also revoked a previous settlement of unfair labor practices (November 2013) between Local 1500, the NLRB and Mrs. Green's. In that settlement, Mrs. Green's agreed to cease their anti-union conduct, promising to create a safe, intimidation-free work environment for the workers. The company also agreed to post a notice in their store for 60 days that informed all employees of their basic rights at work, including the right to form and organize a union. In a complete disrespect for the settlement with the government and workers' rights, during a one week span in January, Mrs. Green's abruptly fired 8 leading Union supporters, some of whom had met with local politicians about their campaign. The company then ripped the required notice from the walls of their store prior to the end of the 60-day period.

A Federal Labor Complaint was then issued against Mrs. Green's, alleging that Mrs. Green's violated the law when it terminated Union supporters Luis Alomoto, Helen Fuentes, Yessica Mendez, Elvia Miguel, Elena Perez, David Ramirez, Martha Urgiles, and Leoncio Naranjo. The Complaint also alleged: Mrs. Green's maintenance of unlawful confidentiality and no solicitation rules; interrogations about Union activity; creating the impression of surveillance of Union activity; threats that supporting the Union is futile; threats workers would not receive wage increases and other benefits if they supported the Union; threats the company would declare bankruptcy if the Union came in; and promises of benefits if the Union was rejected.

The trial will be heard before an Administrative Law Judge of the NLRB in July. "We're confident that we will receive justice," said David Ramirez who worked at Mrs. Green's in Mt. Kisco for nearly 10 years until he was fired this January, "We could not have gotten this far and received this decision without the support from the Union and the Mt. Kisco community, who have walked the picket line with us during a cold winter. That meant a lot to all of us and gave us support and energy to continue to hold strong and fight for our rights," said Ramirez.

The Union is urging the company to reinstate all unlawfully fired workers, "We are urging the Company to reinstate the unlawfully terminated workers immediately and spare the workers and community the expense and strain of a hearing," said UFCW Local 1500 President Bruce W. Both, "The evidence is overwhelming that these workers were not fired for performance issues, but were intimidated, threatened, and then fired for simply standing up for their basic rights at work."

UFCW Local 1500 Organizing Director, Aly Waddy, explained the fear managers instilled in the workers, "Workers were escorted out of the store when they were terminated. If you need a federal judge's order to put you back to work, it's obvious it's not what your boss wants to do, and there's an obvious fear that you're always going to have after going through something that devastating," Waddy explained. When asked about returning to work, Ramirez simply said, "We want respect, protection and security at work once we return."

Since January, the fired workers have received an outpouring of support from community and politicians who have called for a boycott of the store. The picket line remains up at 666 Lexington Ave. Mt. Kisco, NY. Last week, days after the federal complaint was issued and after 18 months on the job, Mrs. Green's parent company, Natural Market Food Group CEO Robin Michel was ousted.

Visit ufcw1500.org/greenismean for more information.

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Guest Blog: Mrs. Green's CEO Steps Down

By: Yesica Mendez, Unlawfully Terminated Worker, Mrs. Green's Natural Market

Yesterday news broke that Mrs. Green's CEO, Robin Michel, was being forced to step down from her position.  The news was reported by Food Trade News.  You can imagine the joy we all felt after we heard the news.

Under Robin Michel's leadership we all (including you) saw huge changes at the store.  Whether it was moving products to different areas in the store for no clear reason, or instituting new cold management techniques that affected the overall morale at the store.

We all watched Mrs. Green's transform from a friendly neighborhood grocery store that focused on customer service and providing a healthy environment to work in, to a strict corporate environment, where we couldn't escape stresses of minimal tasks.  That's when we decided to band together and demand change from Mrs. Green's.

Mrs. Green's unacceptable anti-worker behavior was then elevated to new heights, and was exemplified by its merciless campaign the company launched in April 2013 that instilled fear in all of us.  Fear and intimidation were the key ingredients leading to the union's narrow election defeat, and federal labor charges were then filed against the company on our behalf.

Her remorseless leadership culminated in January when the eight of us were unlawfully terminated.  Most of you had gotten to know us and build relationships with us, having 5-12 years of experience in the store.  We were left out in the cold during a frigid winter on a picket line, simply for standing up for our rights at work.

Gladly, we have had the tremendous support from you, the Mt. Kisco community, including New York State Assembly Members David Buchwald and Shelly Mayer.  We couldn't have gotten to the position we are at now without it.  We've been assured that community, labor and faith leaders will continue to stand with us, and boycott Mrs. Green's until they end their labor dispute.

Thank you for the support.  We hope the new CEO of Mrs. Green's Natural Market will take this opportunity to learn from the mistakes of the past, and respect the rights of all workers.

March Event Calendar

March 2014

Spring is almost here! Below you'll find the latest news and some upcoming events our Union is holding throughout March.

— LATEST NEWS & EVENTS — General Membership Meeting Wednesday, March 12, 20147:00 PM @ UFCW 1500 HQ Get involved at our first General Membership meeting of the year.  Have your questions on contracts, health benefits, pensions and negotiations answered by your Union Reps. and Executives. The meeting is held at UFCW Local 1500 HQ: 425 Merrick Ave. Westbury, NY 11590.   RSVP Now Emergency Blood DriveMarch 25, 20142:00- 8:00 PM @ UFCW 1500 HQ Make a difference in your community, give blood!  After a cold winter filled with blood shortages, the New York Blood Center has reached out and asked our union for help. Please donate or volunteer on March 25th, so we can help others in desperate need of blood!  RSVP is necessary, food and refreshments will be served throughout the day. Learn More Now & RSVP your time slot now! March Newsletter Now Available Online Check out the latest edition of The Register, our quarterly periodical addressing important issues our union faces each day.   Inside this issue we take a close look at our Organizing Team's fight against Mrs. Green's Natural Market in Mt. Kisco, we check-in at Whitestone Key Food, give a 2014 Political outlook and much more!  Download your copy (PDF) here! After you've read it, we'd like to know what you think!  Simply reply to this message or email info@ufcw1500.org with your comments or suggestions! UFCW International Scholarship: Apply Today - June 20, 2014! In 2014 the UFCW International will award several Scholarships, up to $8,000 each, to UFCW members or their unmarried dependents under the age of 20.  The application will be available online through June 20, 2014.   If you're unable to apply online, you may request an application by writing to: UFCW  International Union, Attn: Scholarship Program, 1775 K Street, NW, Washington, DC 20006. If you need the scholarship rules or an application in another language, please contact us at 1-800-551-4010 and we will obtain assistance for you.  Learn More Now Get social with your union:  Find us on Facebook.com/ufcw1500 and follow us @ufcw1500

Emergency Stop & Shop Strike/Lockout Update Meeting: Sunday Nov. 24th

Stop & Shop Long Island Handbill for Distribution

Get up to date on the latest info from negotiations with Stop & Shop.

With Thanksgiving approaching, we need to come together and discuss Stop & Shop's greedy demands in their contract proposals, and our next actions.

There are two meetings on Sunday, November 24, 2013, both at 7 PM

Meeting A: Long Island
7 PM Long Island Marriott Hotel
101 James Doolittle Blvd. Uniondale NY

Meeting B: Upstate
7PM Mt. Kisco Holiday Inn
One Holiday Inn Drive, Mount Kisco, NY

Please attend and spread the word to your coworkers about this emergency meeting.

Contact us for any questions you may have.

Stop & Shop Upstate Handbill for Distribution