READ ABOUT WHY THIS IS NECESSARY AND WHAT IT MEANS ORCLICK HEREIF YOU'RE READY TO SIGN A UNION AUTHORIZATION CARD NOW!
The workers of The Food Co-op in Port Townsend are forming a union!We want The Food Co-op to be a place where all workers are listened to and treated with respect, and where all members feel welcome. Upper management seems to be lacking worker perspectives on the day-to-day reality inside the store, and we want to stand together in addressing a concerning trend of retaliation against workers who speak up about challenges in the workplace. It is time we establish a stronger ‘worker voice’ at our co-op!
Workers have a legal right to organize. Through our collective power and the protections of a strong union, we will negotiate for a better co-op. We are demanding a seat at the table in discussing safety issues, working conditions, better wages and benefits, and how to ensure all workers and members feel welcome in our store!
Here are some of the many reasons we feel like Port Townsend’s Food Co-op needs to Unionize:
"In my life I've seen unions demonized by fear mongering and misinformation, while we forget the powerful and rich history of the struggle for worker's rights, and the horrific pre-union conditions of our hardworking and abused ancestors. We need to continue to strengthen our unions. They lift everyone up—financially—and give us confidence. We are Stronger Together!" - Virginia, Produce
I’m excited to be a part of this group that’s so passionate about forming a union, and about the promise of better wages in the future. We live paycheck to paycheck, so any little bit to help with making ends meet would be awesome.” - Sebastian, Produce Assistant Team Lead
“There were safety and staffing issues within my department that were handled very poorly, and two staff members ended up injured. The way they dealt with that was shockingly bad. I don’t want any of my coworkers to suffer like we did. I want these issues to be taken seriously and not for people to be punished for bringing them up.” - Phil, Meat Department
“I would like the co-ops' inside to match the co-ops' outside veneer that is presented to the community. There’s been a lot of good people that have been pushed out, treated poorly or had their input scorned and disregarded unnecessarily. It doesn't need to work like that. This isn't Amazon, you know!? It's a small community co-op.” - Noelle, Food Services
“I would really like our handbook to be a contract that has some legal backing, rather than having it change a couple times a year, seemingly at random. I also want policy to protect the trans employees that has clear language--specifically about pronoun use.” - Corvus, Meat Department
“I’ve been treated very well during my time here, and for other people who have been treated exceptionally well and don’t feel like we need to unionize, I would say it’s not about the ones who have, it’s about the ones who have not. We need to protect and shore up the less supported members of our workforce and community. It’s our co-op too.” - Daniel, Grocery Stocker
“I want to unionize because there isn’t any accountability for upper management, and if you’re not their pet, you’re pretty much nothing to them.” -Jacob, Grocery
“The Co-op is so good at so many things, but the thing we're weak at is people. That's both the community – a co-op survey said 25% don’t feel welcome -- and the employees. I think becoming unionized could really help us with that: the balance between the business and the people -- and making sure that their employees in the Co-op and the community are treated right.” -George, Front End
"There is no higher expression of co-op values then to be unionized." - Steve, Float
If you have any questions, reach out to anyone quoted here or anyone else you know who is involved. Teasha of UFCW 3000 is also available to answer questions at 206-949-7600.
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There are thousands of UFCW 3000 members who work in Port Townsend! The Food Co-op would join these Port Townsend employers who are already unionized with UFCW 3000:
Jefferson County Workers including:
Juvenile Services
Community Development
Permit Center
Recreation
Superior Court
Treasurer
Prosecuting Attorney
Clerks
Administrative Assistants, Assessors, & Auditors
District Court
Facilities Maintenance
and Health and Human ServicesJefferson Healthcare Workers including:
Medical Records Office
Pro-Techs
Registered Nurses
Business Office
and Service and MaintenanceJefferson Mental Health
Jefferson Healthcare Clinics
Safeway
QFC
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One of the pillars of us becoming union is us coworkers coming together to improve our working conditions, negotiate a contract with our employer over wages, benefits, and other concerns and needs. Bosses like to talk about “the union” as if it’s a separate entity but, the union is US!
The Co-op employees and our “employer” will begin bargaining our contract after we win our election, a process that Co-op management must participate in, and what we negotiate will become legally binding contract – this is called “collective bargaining”. The people who negotiate on our behalf will be a group of us Co-op union workers and a union staffer who specializes in contract negotiation, and our starting point will be our current working standards and policies. A contract includes everything from pay and benefits, to process and protections for how staff can be disciplined.
We will decide what we want to negotiate over and prioritize improving. Once our team feels we’ve reached the best contract we can obtain, all union Co-op workers will review and vote to approve the contract offer. A majority of us need to approve the contract offer, and a contract can only be approved by us.
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The first step is to fill out a union authorization card (linked below) to show legal interest you want a union. These cards only go to the union staffer supporting us in our efforts and are never seen by management. When most of us have completed cards, we are able to file for a secret ballot election with the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB). A board agent, sworn to uphold federal law of protecting and supporting workers rights to form unions and have a just union election then works to schedule and conduct our union vote, normally taking place about a month after we file for the election. This vote will be secret ballot, conducted by the NLRB agent, normally over multiple voting times during a set day, at a secure in-person location like a breakroom at the Co-op. When the vote date/time(s) and location has been scheduled we will all be officially notified. The vote count will happen immediately after the voting poll closes and is open to any of us that want to observe. It’s a majority rule, so we should all vote and have our voices heard.
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Workers are protected under the National Labor Relations Act (NLRA) to organize a union. We are allowed to talk about our wages, working conditions, and worksite concerns, and about forming a union as long as it doesn’t distract from our work tasks. It is illegal for Co-op management to promise, interrogate, threaten, or spy. If you believe your rights have been violated, call our union staff support: Teasha 206-949-7600
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As much as we hope Co-op management will stay impartial with our choice to form a union, often bosses aren’t interested in their workers becoming unionized. Some things that workers tend to experience leading to a union vote can look like management spreading misinformation, provoking fear, or even being over attentive and “changing their ways”. Employers are legally allowed to say they think you should vote no on forming a union, and can hold meetings to discuss this and send out emails or other communications.
See attached of common phrases management says during union drives »
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While it may seem as though you need to choose between the Food Co-op and the Union, the two are in no way mutually exclusive! 16 co-op grocery stores with over 2000 workers are represented by UFCW 3000 in the state of Washington alone. All PCC Community Markets locations have become union stores, and after the ratification of their most recent contract in February, they became the highest paid meat and grocery workers in the area. Through the bargaining process, worker’s voices were also amplified in the operation of PCC—despite it being the largest co-op grocer in the country. Current employees are now guaranteed multiple seats on the board of trustees, and rank and file workers formed a committee to begin discussions with PCC about profit sharing. Unionizing a co-op grocery store is a value add that protects against ‘mission drift,’ means better protections for workers from random or retaliatory discipline, and—once a contract is bargained for—means workers gain protection from flippant policy changes that can negatively impact their daily lives.
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We will not pay any dues until our first contract is voted in and approved by us, they will be part of what we review for the contract vote and will be proportional to our pay. Would you agree to a contract that doesn’t give you more than we currently have? Dues are not a bill, they are the collective funds we bring together that runs the whole thing.
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A card is kept confidential, between us and the union staffers and the NLRB agent overseeing the election process. It is never seen by Co-op management, and they will never know how many people have even completed cards, just that we have enough to file for an election. The card is your acknowledgment that you want a union, and that you are interested in our ability to negotiate with the Co-op for a contract and rights.
