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.

Working for Workers: NYC Politicians Send a Message to Mrs. Green's Natural Market

Last month, NYC politicians sent a letter to Mrs. Green's Natural Market expressing their concern for their labor practices.  The company was federally charged earlier this year for unlawfully firing 8 workers who supported United Food and Commercial Workers Local 1500.  The workers had no prior records and were combined working at the company for over 50 years.  Workers were on a picket line for over 6 months until the company folded to public pressure settling the charges and rehiring workers with back pay.  

Although the company tried to "spin" the story and say they welcomed the workers back, if it wasn't for the tremendous community support, along with NLRB charges, workers would still be out on the picket line.

Mrs. Green's planned on opening a store in New York's West Village this Spring 2014, but there have been numerous delays.  The store is still not open (September 2014) and New York's West Village politicians want to ensure their new neighbor won't be restricting the rights of their workers like they have in their other stores.   Thanks to NY Senator Brad Hoylman, Assembly Member Deborah Glick and Council Member Corey Johnson,  for sending a letter to the Senior Vice President and Chief Human Resources Office of Mrs. Green’s Natural Market and standing up for retail workers.

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As Mrs. Green's Announces NYC Expansion Plans, Illegally Fired Workers Head to City for May Day Support

United Food and Commercial Workers (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Fired Workers to Educate Community, Public and Elected Officials on Mrs. Green's Natural Market Employment Practices

United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW) Local 1500, New York State's largest grocery workers union, will be celebrating May Day in New York City with workers from Mrs. Green's Natural Market who were illegally fired in January for supporting the union.

The gourmet "natural" market, Mrs. Green's, recently announced its plans to open their first New York City store in Manhattan's West Village, touting its natural, "amazing local organic products" would be a perfect fit with the "progressive foodies" of the West Village.
UFCW Local 1500 stated that Mrs. Green's characterization of the West Village overlooks a key attribute, "New York City communities, especially the West Village, aren't just progressive foodies, they're progressive communities," said Union President Bruce W. Both, "They will not stand for a company that abolishes rights from its workers, and will demand more than natural, local products from company that has a track record of violating their workers' rights," said Union President Bruce W. Both.

Mrs. Green's Natural Market was federally charged in 2013 with violating its workers rights and intimidating workers during a union election at its Mt. Kisco store. The charges were settled in November and Mrs. Green's agreed to create an intimidation free work environment for their employees. Two months later in January 2014, Mrs. Green's Natural Market fired 9 longtime employees who supported the union, after some met with local elected officials on their federally protected rights, which include organizing a union. Some employees had been working with the company for over a decade, and a majority of them had been employed for over six years.
Since the firings workers have been on a picket line in front of the Mt. Kisco store, and have received an outpour of support from the Mt. Kisco community, including local New York State Assembly Members David Buchwald and Shelly Mayer. Federal charges have been filed against the company and a response from the National Labor Relations Board is expected very shortly.

On May Day, the International Day for Workers, the illegally fired workers from Mrs. Green's Natural Market in Mt. Kisco will be joining hundreds of workers throughout Manhattan at numerous rallies, marches and actions, to educate the public, politicians and the West Village community on how Mrs. Green's treats and views its workers.

"We're excited to get the support from workers across New York," said David Ramirez, a former Mrs. Green's worker for over 10 years, who was fired in January, "When they hear what happened to us, they tell us to stay strong and we are with you, it's very powerful and emotional to hear that," Ramirez said. UFCW Local 1500 is calling for the fired workers to be put back to work.

For more on the campaign visit: http://www.ufcw1500.org/organize/mrs-greens-is-mean