New Seasons Labor Union
In May 2022, employees at stores in the Portland metropolitan area began attempts towards seeking unionization, organizing separately with the newly founded independent New Seasons Labor Union and UFCW Local 555,[24] with the NSLU being founded with the intention of unionized workers being independent from the UFCW.[60] New Seasons Market in response, for the second time, hired a lawyer from Ogletree, Deakins, Nash, Smoak & Stewart. New Seasons came under criticism for the move with some commentors noting that the firm previously had experience advising businesses associated with Donald Trump. The law firm also was previously hired by the local Portland business Powell's Books during worker unionizations.[61] The Seven Corners location filed with the National Labor Relations Board under New Seasons Labor Union, and the Orenco Station location filed through the representation of the UFCW.[62][63] Workers at the Seven Corners location specifically accused New Seasons Market of "sowing distrust" amongst staff and filed unfair labor practice charges with the NLRB wherein they claimed the company was engaging in retaliatory measures with managers removing pro-union materials and with CEO Nancy Lebold sending out a letter that workers felt was "coercing employees" to not seek a union, wherein she stated that "a union is unnecessary for staff at a progressive and independent grocer like ours."[64] The company responded by stating they were "committed to collaboration" with workers on decisions to unionize.[64]
On June 23, 2022, workers at the Sellwood location filed with the NLRB under representation from the NSLU to unionize.[65] Workers at the Slabtown in downtown Portland location also filed on August 15.[66][67] On September 1, 2022, workers represented by the UFCW lost the union election at the Orenco Station store in Hillsboro by a vote of 60 to 37.[68]
On September 7, 2022, workers represented by the NSLU won the union election at the Seven Corners store, marking the first ever New Seasons Market to vote to unionize, by a vote of 62 to 15.[69][70][71][72][73] Just a day later, workers at the Sellwood location represented by the NSLU lost their union election by a vote of 33 to 29.[74] On September 16, 2022, workers under the NSLU at the Woodstock location filed to unionize,[75][76] and in October 2022 staff represented by the NSLU at the Concordia and Grant Park locations also filed.[77]
On October 14, 2022, representatives from the United Food and Commercial Workers filed unfair labor practice complaints with the National Labor Relations Board alleging that New Seasons Market engaged in retaliatory tactics and fired an employee at the Orenco Station location that was involved in unionizing workers.[79] On October 20, 2022, workers at the Slabtown location under the NSLU voted to unionize by a vote of 62–14.[80][81][82] On November 15, 2022, workers at the Arbor Lodge location filed to unionize,[83] and by November 28, 2022, over half of all New Seasons Market stores had filed to unionize, with 10 of 19 filing with the National Labor Relations Board, with workers at the Cedar Hills location in Beaverton, Oregon, filing to unionize under the NSLU on that same day.[84][85][86]
On December 9, 2022, workers under the NSLU at the Woodstock location voted to unionize by a vote of 80–18, and on December 13, 2022, the Grant Park location voted to unionize by a vote of 72–22, and as of December 2023, 11 locations were unionized.[87] One of the early external organizers to help the New Seasons Labor Union was the organization Jobs with Justice, the founder of which, Mark Medina, formerly worked for Burgerville and engaged in efforts to unionize Burgerville workers under the Burgerville Workers Union.[88]
On January 13, 2023, it was found by the National Labor Relations Board that New Seasons Market engaged in unfair labor practices in regard to their attempts to stop union activities at the Orenco Station store. According to a union representative, the company threatened employees based on benefits availability in regard to unionizing. New Seasons Market released a statement disagreeing with the National Labor Relations Board findings.[4] The company and union settled on a rerun, which took place in February 2024, and staff once again voted against UFCW Local 555 representation.[27]
The following September, workers at the 10 of the 11 unionized locations staged a one-day unfair labor practice strike, which happened concurrently with a week long strike at Portland Fred Meyer locations.[89][90][91]
Workers at all 11 stores unionized under the NSLU voted to strike on November 27, 2024, the day before Thanksgiving, and called for customers to boycott the company until a "fair contract could be reached," citing the 2 years it has taken for a union contract to be negotiated with the company, also accusing the company of proposing "non-starter" ideas during bargaining sessions. Workers pointed to the company proposing to cut wages to $20 an hour for all union workers and cutting health insurance benefits in response to demands for "living wages" based around $27 per hour. New Seasons Market countered by referencing the three-year period it took for Burgerville workers to reach a contract, releasing a statement saying the company is "committed to finding common ground."[92][93][94]
The Collective Bargaining Agreement of the New Seasons Labor Union guarantees "reasonable seating" for cashiers, which is "defined as a seat that permits the safe performance of a task from a seated position."[95]
