Image provided by: University of Oregon Libraries; Eugene, OR
About Northwest labor press. (Portland , Ore.) 1987-current | View Entire Issue (Dec. 1, 2017)
NORTHWEST LABOR PRESS | Raymond Thomas CAN WE SPEAK TO THE MANAGER? The union and the community are still waiting for the CEO’s response to New Seasons Workers United, Jean Eilers of Portland Jobs with Justice tells a manager at the Seven Corners store. Cynthia Newton James Coon Chris Frost ...New Seasons union From Page 1 rectly with me, with your man- agement team, or with anyone in HR,” Collie wrote. [Just not as a group, apparently, or not as New Seasons Workers United.] In its letter to Collie, New Seasons Workers United asked that New Seasons sign a five- part proposed code of conduct: ■ Sit down with us, discuss our concerns, and begin to map a shared path forward ■ Publicly commit to respect workers’ right to organize and not oppose these efforts ■ Publicly commit to not hire “union busting” firms whose purpose is to undermine our efforts ■ Comply with all labor laws ■ Rehire with full back pay any worker terminated because of their involvement in worker-led efforts to improve standards at New Seasons That last item wasn’t hypo- thetical. In charges filed Nov. 17 with the National Labor Rela- tions Board (NLRB), Local 555 alleges that New Seasons unlaw- fully terminated a worker for supporting a union campaign. Adrian Mendoza, a deli worker at the North Williams New Seasons store, heard about the union effort over the summer and became an enthusiastic sup- porter, talking with co-workers and getting more than 20 of them to sign a petition. Then on Sept. 21, CEO Collie and New Sea- sons “Chief People Officer” Kristi McFarland met with Men- doza personally at his workplace and heard his concerns about the company. Less than two weeks later, he was terminated. Men- doza says he was told he was fired for having created a hostile work environment, and because his presence was making co- workers uncomfortable. “I’ve always been very vocal at work,” Mendoza says. Presumably New Seasons will argue, when the NLRB pursues its investigation, that Mendoza was terminated for reasons other than union involvement. By mid-November, store managers were pulling workers in one by one to present another letter from the CEO, describing Local 555 as “an outside organi- zation.” “This union would seek to speak, act, and make decisions on your behalf,” Collie wrote. “We always want our conversa- tions to be directly with you.” New Seasons also always wants to be transparent, Collie said in the letter — yet the com- pany’s designated media contact would neither confirm nor deny that New Seasons has hired the union avoidance consultants Cruz & Associates — the same firm that Oregon window manu- facturer Jeld-Wen hired last year to bust a union campaign by the Machinists union. On Nov. 21, small delegations of pro-union workers, joined by union and community support- ers, visited four New Seasons stores and asked to speak with store managers. “Portland is a strong union community,” Laborers Local 483 representative Ted Bryan told the manager of the Seven Corners store. “The community is going to be paying attention to how New Seasons responds to their workers.” “At this point all we’re asking the CEO to do is call and set up a meeting,” said Marty Hen- dark, an employee at the Hawthorne Boulevard New Seasons. “We’re asking that they live up to the ‘speak-up’ culture she proudly touts.” HOW TO SHOW SOLIDARITY New Seasons Workers United is asking supporters to call New Seasons CEO Wendy Collie at 503-473-8720 and ask her not to retaliate against work- ers for organizing a union. Melissa Haggerty Sydney Montanaro Why is it that a worker injured on the job is made to feel like they are now "the accused" who did something wrong? Good question! Don’t let them add insult to your injury! 820 SW Second Ave., Suite 200, Portland, OR 97204 Scott Sell Chris Thomas www.tcnf.legal SHOP LOCAL. AND BUY UNION AND AMERICAN-MADE! December 1, 2017 | PAGE 3
