SEATTLE — The union representing workers at Fred Meyer grocery stores is asking for shoppers to boycott the chain amid ongoing negotiation over worker pay and a new labor contract.
This comes after over 15 months of negotiations, a press release from UCFW Local 555, the union representing food and commercial workers, said.
"If Fred Meyer won't listen to workers' voices, perhaps they will listen to the sound of departments devoid of shoppers," said Jeff Anderson, secretary-treasurer of Local 555 said.
The union is asking people to boycott stores in Oregon and southwest Washington immediately while workers continue to negotiate the contract.
The press release stated that the boycott is in response to, "Fred Meyer's refusal to address livable wages for its workers, and its disinterest in closing the gender equity gap by more than a dime a year."
A list of stores the union is calling for shoppers to boycott can be found here.
Fred Meyer released the following statement in response. Read an excerpt below and the full statement at this link.
"At Fred Meyer, we know the value of a great reputation, as we have been building one for 97 years with the help of you and all our hard-working associates. We know you are the heart of the company. We are committed to an agreement that will help ensure that Fred Meyer remains a place where you choose to work and where our communities choose to shop.
We respect union representatives' efforts to obtain the best package for its members. However, we want to set the record straight on some misleading information that has been shared with you, our customers and the community."
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