The workers of Abundance Food Co-op in Rochester, New York recently voted to form a union with Workers United following a recent National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) election.
Over 70 percent of the employees signed union authorization cards early in the process. With the guidance of seasoned organizers at Workers United, the nearly 40 workers moved quickly from there. The election was held two weeks after workers first announced their intention to organize. “[It’s] the fastest [organizing] I’ve ever encountered,” Will Westlake, an organizer with Workers United, tells Food Tank.
According to Westlake, the campaign began with a simple but meaningful conversation with a bakery shift lead. This spurred a group of committed grocery workers to begin organizing for a stronger voice in their workplace
The campaign was marked by a surprisingly supportive response from management, according to Westlake. This includes an announcement from the General Manager and President of the board that they would be stepping down to make space for new leadership and direction.
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