Pearson Foods: Workers demand respect in Grand Rapids, MI
Grand Rapids, MI – Members and staff of United Food and Commercial Workers Local 951 are picketing the entrance to Pearson Foods on July 6. Pearson is in violation of fair labor practices and is interfering with workers’ union membership. UFCW filed unfair labor practice charges against Pearson Foods.
Some of the issues are: Pearson is refusing to sign a union contract overwhelmingly ratified by workers; Pearson is refusing to implement a wage increase agreed to in negotiations, and that Pearson is refusing union representatives’ access to meet with union workers.
The Republican majority in the state capitol effectively curtailed the power of unions in Michigan four years ago. Now companies feel free to ignore and even violate union contracts. It will take a new labor movement that uses job actions and strikes to gain the respect that working people want.