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Grocery companies and retailers that get unionized for the first time often stop making pay increases, benefits changes, and other things that employees rely on until a union contract is negotiated. It is called “status quo” and it means existing pay and benefits must stay the same during contract negotiations.
Due to status quo rules, unionized Starbucks workers were not included in wage increase and benefits improvements the company offered to all workers nationwide*. Today, many unionized Starbucks workers still do not have a collective bargaining agreement.
*Bloomberg Law, “Starbucks Again Omits Unionized Workers from Benefits Bumps” (11/6/2023)
Election
No. It is does not cost anything to vote in the election and anyone who tells you otherwise is not telling the truth. The election will be decided by a majority of votes cast. It is important for everyone to vote.
Everyone can vote except: Store Directors, Store Administrators, Assistant Store Directors, Second Assistant Store Directors, MSB Sales Associates, District Trainers & Customer Service.
Reminder: There is no cost to vote.
Unions
No! Your vote is not controlled by any past promises, pledges, signatures, or actions. You are free to vote any way you wish, no matter what someone may tell you. Even if you signed a card, or told someone you would vote for the union, you can still vote NO. The vote is by secret ballot. No one will know how you vote unless you tell them.
If the union wins the election, it will be speaking for all team members in the bargaining unit as a group, regardless of how an individual team member voted. You could be forced to pay fees to keep your job even if you don’t officially join the union. The rules in the labor contract will still apply to you.
Yes. Be sure to vote in the election and encourage others to do the same. Remember, the election will be decided by a majority of those who actually vote. That means if only 1,000 out of 2,000 team members vote, and 501 vote for the union, the union is elected and represents all 2,000 team members, including those who voted against the union and those who didn’t vote at all.
Be careful if someone tells you “just don’t vote if you don’t want the union.” If you do not vote, you are allowing someone else to make this important decision for you. Everyone will be bound by the results, whether they voted or not.
Yes. Union organizers can make promises and “guarantees” to team members during organizing drives, but they do not have the power to fulfill these promises or guarantees without the consent of the company during contract negotiations. Tony’s Fresh Market is prohibited by law from making promises and guarantees during union organizing drives, even though the union can.
Yes. You have the right to speak out against the union if you do not want it to represent you. You have a right, today, to speak out against whatever you feel is unjust or will have a negative impact on you or your co-workers. If you feel that being forced into a union agreement is unjust, you have the right to act now. Just as those supporting unionization have the ability to advocate for it, you have the power to defend your right to continue to represent yourself. You have the same right to express your beliefs as those who support the union, and you should take advantage of that.
Dues
Team members pay dues on a monthly (or per paycheck) basis to belong to a union. Dues vary in amount but can add up to more than $500 annually for some team members. The union has the legal right to increase dues at its own discretion. Dues are not negotiated between the union and an employer.
UFCW Local 881 dues range from $24 to $44 a month. The union’s fees for new members range from $50 to $150.
Union organizers can make promises they don’t have to guarantee. When a union is voted in all pay and benefits are subject to negotiation and there are no guarantees. No one, including union organizers, knows until the contract is negotiated what the final outcome will be. First contracts also may take a long time to negotiate, and during negotiations employers may be limited in giving any pay increases.
Collective Bargaining
If the union won an election to represent team members, Tony’s Fresh Market would be required to meet with union representatives to discuss proposals in good faith in an attempt to reach a contract agreement.
The law does not require Tony’s Fresh Market to agree to any union demands that it does not believe are in the best interests of Tony’s Fresh Market or its team members. It is important to understand that the law does not currently set a deadline for reaching a contract. There is no way to predict the results of negotiations.
The union will select its negotiators. Rules for this process may be spelled out in its constitution and by-laws. The union may award positions on the negotiating team to team members who most actively supported unionization and invite other recently unionized employees to “participate” in bargaining, which generally is meant to provide support.
Unions write their own by-laws and constitution, which are the rules for members that you are inquiring about. You should ask the UFCW for a copy of its by-laws and constitution. Such union documents generally include an oath members take and specify the rules members are expected to follow. They also cover how union stewards are selected, how dues can be increased, and the process for union decisions.