Recurring problems for employees at the Good Foods Co-op is why we want to unionize | Opinion

We, the employees of Good Foods Co-op located in Lexington, Ky., proudly announce our intent to unionize. Our Co-op family of cooperators, cultivators and coordinators are organizing as a united front to have our voices heard by management and owners of the Co-op. We are joining the United Food and Commercial Workers Union (UFCW) Local 227 and have chosen them to represent us as we move through our campaign drive and future collective bargaining efforts.

We are asking for a healthy and safe work environment and for management to prioritize the wellness of our workers and community as a whole. We love our customers at Good Foods Co-op and we ask that you support us in our desire to unionize. We’d like to take the opportunity to explain why we have come to this decision, one that was not made in haste.

In the last couple of months we’ve experienced several events that have ultimately led us to this decision. In an effort to cut labor and hours, along with the dissolution of positions, management has continually asked us to do more in less time. New hires have an extended probation period and cannot be hired at full time until they have completed that probationary period which in turn makes it difficult to keep and retain talent. We have lost several key workers since these new changes have taken effect.

Furthermore, when store conditions of significant concern are reported to management, no recourse occurs. For example, after a fire extinguisher exploded some workers engaged in the cleanup became sick. We struggle daily with equipment failures that take months to be addressed.

Most recently, after Governor Beshear declared a state of emergency due to the violent storms on Friday March 3, the safety of the employees working was not considered. Employees were afraid to leave for fear of being disciplined or losing their jobs. The store finally closed when it lost power on Friday evening. The following day, workers showed up to clock in and spent their shift in the dark (we had no power) filling our dumpsters with spoiled food and products.

Many of us have been employed during and after the pandemic and have continuously operated with a skeleton crew. We cannot provide our customers with the best possible experience when we are consistently asked to work under duress, in hazardous conditions and without fully functioning equipment. We cannot be our best selves and serve our community when our needs are not being met and our bodies and minds are unwell.

More than anything, we want a safe and equitable place to work and to continue to contribute to a community that we love. Our store has been a staple here for more than 50 years and many of us came to the Co-op because we believe in its values and principles. Management’s explicit opposition to our efforts to unionize are directly opposed to the values and mission of the Co-op.

The Cooperative Principles: Open and Voluntary Membership; Democratic Member Control; Members’ Economic Participation; Autonomy and Independence; Education, Training, and Information; Cooperation Among Cooperatives; Concern for Community

The Cooperative Values: Self-Help; Self-Responsibility; Democracy; Equality; Equity; Solidarity; Honesty; Openness; Social Responsibility; Caring for Others.

We ask that you continue to shop and support us at the Co-op. We stand for these principles and values and would like them to extend to our workers as well as members. We are for the democratic process and labor rights for our workers. We want respect. We work hard for our community and we are hopeful and optimistic that together we can create a culture and work environment that truly reflects these principles and values. Thank you for your continued support and encouragement.

Signed by The Good Foods Co-op Workers’ Union Committee.