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Vol. 72/No. 2      January 14, 2008

 
On the Picket Line
 
N.Y. grocery workers lose
union vote amid ‘migra’ threats
NEW YORK—Workers at FreshDirect, an online grocery delivery company, lost a union election December 22-23. In the weeks leading up to the vote, at least 100 workers quit or were suspended after management told them they had to come up with proper work authorization papers because Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) was going to inspect company records.

The election ballot contained choices of Teamsters Local 805, United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW) Local 348, or “no union.” The company claims that 80 percent of those voting chose “no union.” Some 900 workers at the FreshDirect warehouse were eligible to vote. Five hundred truck drivers at the company voted in 2006 to join UFCW Local 348.

Sandy Pope, president of Local 348, told the press that company lawyers might have invited ICE officials to scrutinize workers in order to weaken the union drive. ICE spokesperson Kelly Nantel said, “I would categorically deny that that’s the case.” Jim Moore, a FreshDirect spokesman, said the company was just complying with ICE regulations.

Workers rallied outside the warehouse September 28 to protest the firings of two prounion workers, Loreto Gómez and Lonnie Powell. Earlier that month, the company had handed out a flyer warning: “Be smart: Don’t sign a union authorization card.”

—Dan Fein

New Zealand store workers
protest 0% wage offer
AUCKLAND, New Zealand—Members of the National Distribution Union (NDU) at Bunnings hardware stores around the country have been protesting the company’s offer for no wage increase.

In Auckland, 30 workers and supporters picketed the Botany Downs store for two hours December 15. Holding up placards to passing motorists, they contrasted the bosses’ miserly wage proposal to the NZ$6 million paid to the CEO of Bunnings’ parent company, Wesfarmers—a 61 percent increase from last year.

The company’s only offer, reported union delegate Graham Chicken, was to raise the starting rate from NZ$11.25 [$8.60] to NZ$12.00 [$9.20] in April when that becomes the legal minimum wage. The union announced that further industrial action was planned for the start of the new year.

—Ruth Gray  
 
 
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