On March 18, retail workers at the Mariners Team Store ratified our Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA), which included a 30% Employee Discount, $1.50 to $3.50 raise for workers, improved full-time staff healthcare qualification, secured 4 game tickets per month, and more. Shortly after, however, the Employer took away long-standing benefits that workers had enjoyed in previous seasons—subsidized parking and promotional items. In response to this unilateral change, the union filed a Grievance and an Unfair Labor Practice (ULP) claim, alleging that the employer was retaliating against workers for their union activity.

After filing the ULP and Grievance, the union received a decertification petition that aimed to eliminate the union and representation at Mariners Team Stores. A vote was scheduled for May 30, 2023. Before the vote, our union filed a Request for Review with the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB), alleging that the decertification vote was conducted in conflict with the intent of the National Labor Relations Act (NLRA) and in conflict with decades of established NLRB precedent. The results of the vote are pending certification with the NLRB—the enforcement arm of the NLR—while the ULP and Request for Review are being resolved.

Here is where we stand:

Subsidized Parking and Promotional Items Grievance:

• Recently selected an arbitrator to hear the case and we are working to confirm a date for the arbitration.

Subsidized Parking and Promotional Items ULP:

• Currently under review with the NLRB

Decertification Election Process Request for Review:

• Currently under review with the NLRB

You and your coworkers deserve to have subsidized parking and promotional giveaways restored. It is unfortunate that the timeline for a resolution has not been quicker. The game-to-game impact of additional commute times, expensive parking, and missing out on great promotional giveaways is why we’re fighting to secure those benefits moving forward. Pending the certification of the election results, UFCW 3000 continues to represent you and your coworkers as unionized workers, and all provisions of your CBA remain in effect. One of the provisions of our CBA includes union dues deduction and collection. We are currently inquiring our International Union to see if we can delay the collection of union dues until the Election results have been determined.

If you have any questions, please feel free to reach out to your union representative Dominick Ojeda at (206) 436-6586.