Flagrant Labor Abuser Polls West Village on Thoughts of Workers, Unions...

Many customers of Mrs. Green's newest store in the West Village complained to us that they were being polled by telephone on their support of labor, workers and unions.  As reported by the NY Post this week, a resident explained how he was polled earlier in October:

"The West Village is pretty liberal,” said the resident, who did not want to be named. “The survey started out asking questions about the food options in the neighborhood and then veered towards unions.”

The real question is, why would a company found guilty of firing workers because they wanted a union, ask a community what they think about workers?

For more information and to get involved in the campaign to bring equality and rights to the men and women working at Mrs. Green's, visit mrsgreeds.com.

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.

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.