Support Fred Meyer workers in Sumner who want a union

On April 19, show your solidarity with workers unionizing with UFCW 367 who are facing a union-busting campaign

SUMNER, Wash. — About 70 workers in the General Merchandise department of the Fred Meyer store in Sumner are coming together to form a union with UFCW Local 367. But they say that their efforts have been hampered by bullying, intimidation, and captive-audience meetings by the store’s management.

This is happening at a time that unions representing grocery store workers are decrying the proposed merger of Kroger and Albertsons. In Washington state, Kroger operates as Fred Meyer and QFC, and Albertsons also operates as Safeway.

“Kroger CEO Rodney McMullen went before a Senate hearing regarding the proposed Kroger-Albertson’s merger and painted a picture of labor peace,” said UFCW Local 367 President Michael Hines. “Nothing could be further from the truth. This is a company known for running anti-union campaigns. This is a harbinger of what’s to come, across the country, if our communities allow this behavior to go unchecked.”

TAKE A STAND — All union members and supporters are invited to show their solidarity with Fred Meyer workers at 2:30 p.m. on Wednesday, April 19 outside the store at 1201 Valley Ave. in Sumner. Let’s send Fred Meyer management a message that they need to do the right thing and recognize their employees’ decision to form a union.

The UFCW 367 contract that covers Fred Meyer/QFC workers in Pierce County includes “accretion language” that states that if a majority of workers in any store department sign union cards requesting to join together in a union, the company must recognize the union and bring that new bargaining unit into the existing contract.

But so far, managers at the Fred Meyer in Sumner have refused to adhere to that contract language, and instead have subjected the General Merchandise employees to captive-audience meetings where they have erroneously claimed workers will lose vacation time if they unionize and spread other misinformation about union dues.

“Fred Meyer/QFC has recently recognized and honored the accretion language with four ClickList (online order) units at their stores, including the one in Sumner, and also at a fuel center,” said UFCW 367 Organizer Zaid Velasco. “But this time they are dragging their feet and telling lies about what will happen if these workers unionize.”

The union is inviting their supporters to join them outside the Sumner store on Wednesday to show that the community has their backs as they fight for their union.

UFCW 367 has more than 8,000 members in grocery and retail in Pierce, Mason, Thurston, Grays Harbor, Pacific and Lewis counties. It is part of UFCW International, the largest private sector union in the United States, representing 1.3 million professionals and their families in healthcare, grocery stores, meatpacking, food processing, retail shops and other industries. Our members serve our communities in all 50 states, Canada, and Puerto Rico. Learn more about the UFCW at ufcw.org.