Minneapolis, MN – On Thursday, June 27, 25 workers gathered to hear a panel of rank-and-file union members share their experience of bringing Palestine solidarity to the workplace, followed by practical discussions of how attendees can take action to support the Palestine struggle for liberation on the shop floor.

Co-emcees David Gilbert-Pederson, a longtime labor organizer and member of Minnesota Workers United, and Meredith Aby-Keirsted, a union educator and leader in the anti-war movement in the Twin Cities, introduced the lineup of panelists, who included Anthony Taylor-Gouge, a former member of UFCW 663 and organizer with AFSCME 3800 at the University of Minnesota; Natasha Dockter, first vice-president of MFT Local 59, and Revmira, a member of Starbucks Workers United.

“In my view, there are three kinds of organizing in the workplace: institutional, relational and personal,” said Dockter. Institutional organizing, she described, included the passage of a Pro-Palestine resolution shortly after October 7. The resolution angered Zionist groups, which aggressively lobbied union members to vote to repeal the resolution and release a counter-statement condemning the Palestinian resistance. The vote to repeal the Pro-Palestine statement failed. However, a counter-statement was passed.

“We learned from this experience, we needed to do more relational organizing to mobilize union members to vote against the counter statement. One-on-one conversations in the workplace are critical,” stated Dockter.

Members of MFT Local 59 have their pensions managed by the Minnesota State Board of Investments (SBI), which invests public sector union workers pensions in companies complicit in Israeli apartheid and genocide, as well as direct Israel bonds. Members of the local have been mobilized to speak at SBI meetings to demand divestment from Israel, “I don’t know of a single teacher that wants their money being used to kill and harm children and families. We do our jobs because we care about kids, and not just our own,” said Dockter.

A barista and member of Starbucks Workers United spoke about the contradicting realities within their workplace, stating, “The majority of our co-workers are very progressive, and very pro-Palestine,” the Starbucks corporation, however ,is one of the highest profile boycott targets for their support of the Israeli occupation. Starbucks Workers United faces legal barriers to supporting the boycott, but they were able to pass a pro-Palestine resolution, and many wear legally protected union pins displaying the Palestinian flag.

Not all unions or labor organizations release statements or take similar institutional steps. Anthony Taylor-Gouge worked at Seward Co-op in South Minneapolis for eight years and was an organizer with UFCW Local 663. During his time there, only weeks before October 7, the workers at Seward Co-op had the highest strike authorization vote percentage in local UFCW history, they won a contract the next day.

Taylor-Gouge described how this militant environment was very useful once the Palestine solidarity movement took off. Workers at Seward Co-op wore Pro-Palestine union pins, drawing criticism from their union, as UFCW has broadly not taken a stance against the genocide in Palestine. This contradiction demonstrates the importance of a militant rank and file in a union. There are times when members have to get their union to say no, and fight union bureaucracy when it goes against the wishes of its members.

In the discussion after panelists speeches, attendees were split up into three groups: members of private sector unions, public sector unions, and unorganized workers. Groups discussed how their workplaces and unions have related to Palestine solidarity work and discussed strategies to start or continue to build militant action in their workplace to support the Palestine solidarity movement and Palestinian resistance.

#MinneapolisMN #MNWorkersUnited #UFCW663 #AFSCME3800 #MFT #StarbucksWorkersUnited #Palestine

Minneapolis, MN – On Wednesday September 27, workers at Seward Co-op in South Minneapolis reached a tentative agreement on their next union contract. The agreement comes only one day after a strong majority of the co-op workers voted to authorize a strike by a near unanimous majority of ballots cast. The co-op workers are represented by Local 663 of the United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW 663) union.

In the tentative agreement, the workers won a minimum of $5 raises for every worker with some workers we spoke to saying they will receive $6.50 over the three years. They also won language to address concerns held by multi departmental clerks, who previously could be sent all over the store, leading to issues at work. Under new language those workers will be able to go to the job knowing there are no more than two areas in which any given person can be made to work. Additionally new language was won to protect staffing levels when self-check-out machines are used. For workers who are hired in at the bottom of the scale with no experience, this agreement will move them from as little as $15.50 per hour, up to a new minimum of $20.50 per hour.

Olivia Crull is a facilities assistant at Seward Co-op, said, “We’re coming out of this with a TA that will raise standards across the grocery store industry. Grocery store workers deserve a livable wage and respect, and through collective action and bringing everyone into the fight, we were able to win what we were owed by co-op management and more. We’ve built our union tremendously in this fight, and we will continue to grow it and exercise our solidarity in the workplace, so that nobody is left behind.”

The contract still needs to be voted on in order to go into effect. That vote is scheduled for a quick turnaround time, with workers voting on Monday, October 2.

#MinneapolisMN #SewardCoop #UFCW663 #UFCW

Minneapolis, MN – On Tuesday, September 26, United Food and Commercial Workers Local 663 members at Seward Community Co-op voted by an overwhelming majority to authorize an Unfair Labor Practice strike as they head towards their September 27 bargaining session with management. This vote comes as a result of management’s harassment and intimidation of workers over the past three weeks after the expiration of the previous contract on August 22, which took with it the right to arbitration following grievance procedures.

Bargaining between UFCW and Seward has been ongoing since early August and has been a difficult struggle on the shop floor and at the bargaining table. While tentative agreements have been reached on issues ranging from parental leave to autonomy over the use of unpaid time off, as well as progress on wage equity, the company’s wage proposals still fall short of what workers are demanding. An increase of $1.50 was most recent company offer, which may sound decent if it were not for the fact that the base starting wage for employees is only $15.50, far less than the cost of living in Minneapolis.

With a powerful strike threat in hand, workers at Seward are declaring that they are ready and willing to fight for their needs. How Co-op management will respond to this remains to be seen. What is already known is that workers from Minnesota Workers United and unions in the Twin Cities have already pledged their support for the UFCW members, whether they end up striking or not, and that the solidarity of Seward workers is still standing strong in the face of management’s intimidation tactics.

#MinneapolisMN #UFCW663 #Strike #UFCW

Minneapolis, MN – On Monday, September 25, United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW) Local 663 members at Seward Community Co-op are set to take an authorization vote for an Unfair Labor Practice strike. This follows several weeks of bargaining and struggle on the shop floor on several issues between workers and management.

Management’s proposals fall short

Bargaining between Seward Co-op and UFCW has been ongoing since early August, and while tentative agreements have been reached on most issues – such as increased autonomy over use of unpaid time off – and a general agreement (not yet a tentative agreement) on wage equity, with the specifics still being worked out. However, the company’s proposals on wage increases have continued to fall short. Seward is offering an immediate $1.50 per hour pay bump, but the current low employee wages, this would still fail to meet the cost of living in Minneapolis and make up for inflation.

The bargaining process has been difficult, as management walked out of the room during the last two bargaining sessions – including one where a federal mediator was present. In response, workers leafletted and spoke with customers as they entered the stores about management's refusal to bargain. Customers were asked to call Seward in support of workers and tell them to return to the table, many of them doing so. In between bargaining, management's harassment and retaliation against workers has not let up, forcing some workers to quit, and rank-and-filers decided to take action again.

Workers walk out

On September 15, union songs played over the store speakers of the Seward Community Co-op's Franklin Avenue location as workers, fed up with management's retaliatory tactics now that the right to arbitration was lost with the previous contract’s expiration, prepared to stage a walkout. At noon and 5 p.m., Seward workers walked out to chants of “Who are we? 663!” And gathered outside of the Franklin Avenue and 38th Street Friendship locations, with yellow and blue UFCW signs carried all throughout the crowd. The solidarity in force was powerful and both stores reported virtually total participation of employees in the actions.

“Workers were feeling a bit demoralized by the intimidation tactics from the bosses the past two weeks,” said Anthony Taylor-Gougé, a UFCW 663 member at Seward and part of the union bargaining team. “But after our walkouts last Friday, we are feeling energized and ready to fight for one another. It showed all of us that we are not alone, and when we stand together, we can accomplish great things. We are collectively prepared to stand up to the bosses and assert that we deserve better.”

Management in reaction has started on its own PR campaign to turn the community against a possible strike. This campaign however is already proving to be ineffective, as community members and other nearby businesses have already voiced support for the workers.

A possible strike

With an expired contract, and management's continued intimidation tactics, the union's Unfair Labor Practice strike vote is fast approaching. If the vote succeeds, the union bargaining team will be going into the September 27 session with a powerful strike threat in hand. How management will respond to that remains to be seen. The solidarity of UFCW workers so far has been strong; workers know they make the co-op run. Whether management wants to learn that the easy way or the hard way is their decision.

#MinneapolisMN #UFCW663