Wedge
Community Co-op workers voted last November to join United Food and Commercial
Workers Local 1189, seeking higher wages, an equitable process for dealing with
management and a voice in decisions that affect the co-op’s culture and working
environment.
In
negotiations described by Local 1189 as “fairly smooth,” Wedge workers made
real progress on those issues.
Organizing
Director Abraham Wangnoo said the new contract includes raises, contract
language to prevent favoritism and elimination of a cap on workers’ wages. And
having a collective voice, he added, provides workers with a “long-term
solution in keeping the core co-op values in tact as the industry adopts a more
corporate model to stay competitive in the natural retail food industry.”
Jennifer
Christensen, Local 1189’s secretary-treasurer, helped negotiate the agreement;
she credited the Wedge for coming to the table with a genuine interest in
settling a fair contract.
“The
Wedge’s willingness to honor their workers’ desire to have a union and a fair
union contract sets them apart from all other co-ops in the state,” Christensen
said. “Sustainability is not just about the food we eat, but also the workers
who provide that food to us.
“Unlike
Whole Foods, Trader Joe’s and their ilk, who masquerade as conscientious
employers, the Wedge is the real deal, and the union contract proves it.
A local, ethical, responsible employer, the Wedge and its Union workers deserve
your support.”
The new
contract covers about 140 in-store workers; 76 percent of those casting ballots
voted to approve the agreement.
Local 1189
also represents workers at the Wedge’s warehouse, Co-op Partners Warehouse, who
organized in 2012 and, by negotiating a neutrality agreement with their
employer, paved the way for retail workers to follow suit last November.
>> The article above was written by Michael Moore, and is reprinted from the Minneapolis Union Advocate.
No comments:
Post a Comment