Vol. 77/No. 3      January 28, 2013

The previous agreement expired Feb. 29, 2012. An extension ended last August.

In face of the company’s refusal to negotiate a contract, the workers went on strike for three days in December and then return to work in an offer of good faith bargaining. The company responded by firing 72 union members, prompting the union to resume its strike.

In a Jan. 11 media announcement, United Natural Foods spokeswoman Lisa Madsen said the company was disappointed workers rejected its offer. “After a bargaining session with the union last week and after several discussions with the union’s leadership leading up to today’s vote, UNFI was optimistic a contract would be ratified,” she said.

The bosses’ conditions were unacceptable to the overwhelming majority of the workers, union organizer Brenda Wiest said in a phone interview. “The company refused to bring back all of the fired workers. It also asked the union to withdraw all unfair labor practice charges as well as all grievances currently under review. They also asked us to agree to a termination of one of the union members who the company claimed had committed misconduct on the picket line.”

“In addition,” Wiest said, “they asked us to agree not to discipline any of our members who had crossed the picket line.”

“I was one of the 72 who was not on the list to return,” Berta Faaui told the Militant. “I appreciate it that those not on the list agreed to support their brothers and sisters until we all got our jobs back.”

Jeremy Ray said the bosses wanted to eliminate the 10 percent cap on medical insurance, which was in the expired contract. “They want to be able to raise the amount we pay any time they feel like it,” he said.

“The company said it would take back all of the fired workers except for 15 of us, and that they could get back in three months,” said Ray. “We can’t accept that.”

“They’re trying to break the union,” said Tyrone Elliott. “We do all the work, but we don’t reap any of the fruits of the profits they make.”

Picket lines are up 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Donations for the strikers can be made at the Teamsters 117 website: www.teamsters117.org. Go to the “hardship fund” link.

A 10 a.m. community meeting to support the strike has been called for Jan. 19 at the Teamsters hall in Tukwila.
 
 
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