The vote got delayed due to Milton. The food distributor suspended, without pay, two of the would-be voters in the meantime.
By Johannes Werner
Original Air Date: October 18, 2024
Host: In May, 75 truckers employed at the Sarasota distribution center of United Natural Foods unanimously voted to join the Teamsters union. Now, 250 warehouse workers at the same location are scheduled to hold a vote next week. But in the run-up, the organic food distributor has been playing dirty, employees and the union say.
Johannes Werner: The vote was originally scheduled for the date Hurricane Milton hit Sarasota. And then, just as the union organizing committee was scrambling to help UNFI employees with water, food and other relief supplies, the organic food distributor suspended two employees without pay. Both are key to the union drive.
We talked to one of them, Edison Abreu. He says he did nothing wrong, and believes he is being targeted because he is an election observer.
Edison Abreu: It’s devastating because I have two kids at home… After Milton, I didn’t have power for quite a long time, about four days. Food supplies was an issue for me. I did reach out for some help with their parties like the teamsters. They helped out a lot. Right now, I’m still kind of struggling trying to get back on my feet. And for me to get suspended without pay, it’s going to take me a lot further back. And I don’t know how I’m possibly going to get back on my feet after this.
I am suspended currently, and I believe the reasoning behind it was because I was a supporter of the union Teamsters Local 79. And I was exercising my rights to fight for a union, and because I was one of the observers for the election. They targeted myself and my fellow co-worker, Rangel. I feel that they don’t care about any of the employees working at that warehouse. They only have interests and their own reasoning behind everything they’re doing. They see us just as a body, not as human beings. And there’s no level of any kind of respect. The communication is very poor.
JW: Matthew Killen is an organizer with the Teamsters’ Tampa-based Local 79. He says the list of grievances of the warehouse workers is long, and the suspensions add another one.
Matthew Killen: They called us because of the working conditions at UNFI. Originally for the drivers at UNFI, the truck drivers that make the deliveries and that kind of thing. And then the warehouse workers heard about our efforts and they told us some situations that were going on — frankly, some horror stories that were happening at UNFI.
And so we did what we could to help them facilitate their organizing of a union there. They had a lot of issues with respect, scheduling — frankly, some physical, emotional abuse that happens there. A lot of miscommunications and things like that — and at some time seems intentional — in order to kind of trip up employees so that they get written up and always feel on edge. There’s quite a bit going on there.
The workers will stage a rally at the warehouse gate on Monday.
JW: Regarding the suspension of the two workers, a spokesman for UNFI said it is a matter of policy not to comment on any specific employee matters. On hurricane relief, he said, “UNFI has been committed to support our customers, our community, and our associates, and post-Hurricane Milton, our hurricane response plans include full pay during the time our building was closed due to Hurricane Milton. And after the storm, we have provided gas, food and supplies to our associates and their families.”
The election will be held Tuesday through Thursday next week. How does he expect the vote to go? Killen, the Teamsters organizer:
MK: The company did not do themselves any favors in this election by suspending two of the most prominent figures in the movement for a union at UNFI.
JW: Meanwhile, UNFI warehouse workers and the Teamsters invite the community to join them at a rally this Monday, Oct 21, 7:30-9 pm, at the gates of the UNFI building, 6272 Macintosh Road in Sarasota.
Johannes Werner, reporting for WSLR News.
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