Natural Grocers employees vote to form union
May 10—Natural Grocers employees in Norman voted to unionize.
On Thursday, employees voted 11-9 to join United Food and Commercial Workers Local 1000, a nonprofit that negotiates contracts on behalf of small businesses.
Joe Lee, UFCW Local 1000 organizer, said his organization represents grocery stores, chicken plants, barber shops, post offices, military commissaries and cannabis shops, among other businesses.
"We go in, and we are the go-between, so we'll help bargain a contract which workers will get to vote on, and then they'll get a chance to vote on the contract. Once the contract ratifies, they'll be full-blown union members," Lee said.
He said the union will pull a handful of employees to negotiate terms.
"That way we are bargaining for what the employees already want," Lee said. "We'll say, 'These are the things you already have said that you want. Now, rank these in order so we know what is most important.'"
He said contracts typically run for two or three years, and that dues start at $11 per week.
Bridget Burns, Natural Grocers employee, said she is thrilled at the results.
"This is the culmination of about three years of organizing and hard work, and I am really grateful that that paid off and we won," Burns said. "I think that having collective representation through the union will benefit employees a lot. I think that we will have more checks and balances for the way employees are treated."
Burns said that she has worked for eight years at the company, and for the most part, her experience has been positive. That being said, she said she has stuck through the hard times because she values its overall mission by providing quality products.
"The company has implied that this union campaign means that we don't care about the company, the workplace, and our coworkers. I really want to stress that it is the opposite. Because I care deeply about my coworkers, because I care deeply about this store, this is why I have put this work into this process," Burns said.
Katie Macarelli, Natural Grocers director of public relations, sent The Transcript a response.
"Since 1955 Natural Grocers has been a family-operated company committed to our Five Founding Principles, including 'Commitment to Community' and 'Commitment to Crew,'" Macarelli said. "We respect that 11 out of 20 eligible crew members at our store in Norman, Oklahoma voted in favor of the UFCW acting as their bargaining agent. Natural Grocers will bargain in good faith with the UFCW in support of all Norman crew members and continue to foster a culture of open communication and mutual respect.
"We continue to believe that having a direct working relationship with our crew members better serves their interests, without an intermediary in the middle."
Ricky Burris, president of UFCW Local 100, said he was thrilled at the results of the election.
"The employees of Natural Grocers — with support of customers and the community — believe that establishing a union to represent them is the best way to protect themselves and their families," Burris said. "We demand Natural Grocers respect their democratic choice to form a union and come to the bargaining table prepared to give these essential workers what they deserve."
Brian King covers education and politics for The Transcript. Reach him at bking@normantranscript.com.
