June 26, 2015
By Jerry Cohen
Phoenix, AZ – Employees at the Gourmet Boutique West food processing plant are celebrating a victory and settlement agreement with the company this week. The tentative settlement includes the reinstatement of two unjustly-terminated workers along with back pay. The agreement has been signed off by the company’s attorney and is awaiting approval by National Labor Relations Board (NLRB).
“It has been rough for us here at the plant,” Yolanda Luna, one of the reinstated workers at the plant. “We stuck together though and with the help of the great people at UFCW Local 99, not only do I have my job back, but my coworkers and I can now work toward being part of a union and making all of our jobs better.”
Workers contacted UFCW Local 99 about joining the union to help them improve working conditions, address safety concerns, and also to be treated with respect and dignity on the job. When organizing activities began, the company responded by retaliating against pro-union workers and terminating two of them for union activity.
UFCW Local 99 then filed a series of unfair labor practice charges against Gourmet Boutique West with the NLRB. Complaints issued by the NLRB General Counsel alleged more than 70 unfair labor practice violations.
There are 50 workers at the Gourmet Boutique West food processing plant where workers prepare ready-made meals to be shipped to grocery stores. More than 18,000 workers are members of UFCW Local 99.
