Potential grocery strike could mean shortage of organic foods
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SEATTLE -- A potential grocery strike could leave some local stores with some empty shelves as a shortage of organic and natural foods could result.
United Natural Foods Incorporated in Auburn is one of Washington's largest natural and organic foods distributors. But 168 drivers and warehouse workers could go on strike at any moment.
"You're going to see gaps on your shelves, you're going to see products that you'd like to see not there if they're not there to perform the work," said Brenda Wiest with Teamsters 117.
Saturday, workers rejected the company's latest contract offer and voted to strike if demands for pay, retirement security and production quotas aren't met. It means stores like Whole Foods, Safeway and Metropolitan Market would feel the impact.
The union say their decision came down not long after UNFI put up a fence around the property.
"It seems as though they are wanting to do intimidation and bullying instead of coming back to the table," Wiest said. "But we're still hopeful they'll come back to the table."
While UNFI says it has "no comment," it did confirm replacement workers were brought in.
Inside Sidecar for Pigs Peace, a non-profit vegan grocer in Seattle, shelves remain stocked up for now.
"Luckily, a huge order was just made," said Jason Farthing. "So, hopefully, with whatever negotiations are happening it will be quick and painless and everybody will get what they want out of it and it won't affect us in any way."
Although, if a strike begins and goes on for awhile, they're already thinking ahead.
"We do have plans to, if we have to, take a pick-up and go get our own stuff," Farthing said. "So although we have a great relationship with UNFI and support the drivers and whatever they want out of this, still have to keep on going."
The union says it would like to continue negotiating with UNFI.
United Natural Foods Incorporated in Auburn is one of Washington's largest natural and organic foods distributors. But 168 drivers and warehouse workers could go on strike at any moment.
"You're going to see gaps on your shelves, you're going to see products that you'd like to see not there if they're not there to perform the work," said Brenda Wiest with Teamsters 117.
Saturday, workers rejected the company's latest contract offer and voted to strike if demands for pay, retirement security and production quotas aren't met. It means stores like Whole Foods, Safeway and Metropolitan Market would feel the impact.
The union say their decision came down not long after UNFI put up a fence around the property.
"It seems as though they are wanting to do intimidation and bullying instead of coming back to the table," Wiest said. "But we're still hopeful they'll come back to the table."
While UNFI says it has "no comment," it did confirm replacement workers were brought in.
Inside Sidecar for Pigs Peace, a non-profit vegan grocer in Seattle, shelves remain stocked up for now.
"Luckily, a huge order was just made," said Jason Farthing. "So, hopefully, with whatever negotiations are happening it will be quick and painless and everybody will get what they want out of it and it won't affect us in any way."
Although, if a strike begins and goes on for awhile, they're already thinking ahead.
"We do have plans to, if we have to, take a pick-up and go get our own stuff," Farthing said. "So although we have a great relationship with UNFI and support the drivers and whatever they want out of this, still have to keep on going."
The union says it would like to continue negotiating with UNFI.
I am appalled at the lack of support and rational thought process that has been shown here....I hear alot of people talking now a day about how people who do hard laborious jobs have no right to ask for higher pay as they have no college education....I find that interesting that people think that minimum wage or slightly above should be enough to brake your back emptying your maggot filled trash cans or to pick grocery orders in a warehouse. These men and women work long hard days doing work that your pretentiousness thinks you are above and all they want is to be able to support their families. If Americans don't realize all jobs make a contribution to society and deserve a fair wage then we are in trouble. Nobody should have to work 60+ hrs a week and still be broke and behind .. but more on the topic of UNFI specifically it's more than the poor pay these guys receive, I know most of these guys have been required to work 7 days a week up to 17hrs a day for weeks straight and still expected to meet the same production standard on day 18 as day 1and they make so little that working that amount of ot just puts them in a higher tax bracket so they are making maybe a couple hundred then what they would have made working 40. These guys are exhausted, disrespected and still broke. This is corporate america at it's worst ...when are we all gonna stand up not just to this company but all of them. They are getting rich on OUR PEOPLE it's unacceptable that we allow this. Come on people this about more then money this is about humanity. Â
Hot dogs and baked beans, that's what I'm having tonight -- franks and beans.Â
@                  Why not pay a fair share? Also, other warehouses starting pay (Bottom positions) are @ $19.00/Hr. top out @ over $28.00/Hr. I submitt to you- its not so much about disparaging UNFI (or Legalized extortion).... rather social justice. The teamsters protect our regions industry from corruption and our families pocketts. As you know not every state has the same economic standards.
@ @Just_Mike you obviously know nothing about what is required for the many different jobs. There are infact well trained , certified, and educated people working at unfi. i would also add, dont work theire, ever! UNFI has a VERY, VERY HIGH turn over rate in most positions-NOT KIDDING. manager, supervisor's,, leads, doc workers, selector's, equipment operator's and Human Resources- last typicaly 6mo. to 12mo. NO JOKE!
 @insider1 You're talking about drivers and warehouse workers. I can see the drivers requiring some certification, but I'd bet lots of unemployed people hold the same certification. And education? Is there some college degree required I'm not aware of?
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Also, lots of people pay a portion of their medical insurance. Welcome to the real world. If the company is as horrible as you say it is, go work somewhere else. One of those places that pays more. Might also not want to keep disparaging your employer on a public website. That's the kind of thing that leads to the unemployment line.
the community should have a care. the greed of unfi will negativly impact our families and the price of products in the markets.
UNFI driven by greed, wants to drive down family wages in the north west, while selling overpriced organics.  The community should care about the strike. It will effect our industry standards. Or if you dont care, your kids, husbands, wife, could just live on wellfair with no hope of retirement. think about it.
United Natural Foods Inc. Has delivered some stuffed olives and bean soup that may be contaminated with Clostridium botulinum, which can cause botulism - a serious and sometimes life-threatening condition.   The firm on Wednesday recalled FoodMatch Inc. Divina Olives stuffed with feta cheese sold in 4-ounce cups with a `best by' date of Jan 11, 2012, and UPC 63172352780 distributed to Safeway Inc. It is also recalling olives stuffed with blue cheese and UPC 63172352790 distributed through Carrs, Safeway, Pavilion and Vons stores in Alaska, Washington, Oregon, California, Arizona, Nevada, South Dakota, Colorado and Wyoming.   The Providence, R.I.-based distributor is also recalling Tabatchnic Yankee Bean Soup sold in 15-ounce cups with a "best by" date of April 5, 2014 and UPC 07126229491 sold in California.
Where can I apply for a job?
And gas prices go up in Seattle.
With the way gas prices keep shooting up and the drought back East which is guaranteeing further price hikes, most people are more and more worried about how they will be able to buy ANY food, let alone overpriced organics. I already have to plan a large percentage of my meals around dried beans, potatoes, and rice.
The truckers must have seen the shortage of truckers story. If they've been wondering what to do about their beef with the company, especially in this overall job non-market, that story screamed Strike Time.
Good ploy to get the market shelves emptied out so the distributor doesn't have to take outdated stuff back. Hope it works for them.
One strike that nobody really cares about...
No shortage of organic veggies in my garden. To each his own, we've better things to argue about on this site!
I eat organic every year... Deer, Elk, Bear.
So.... it's gonna be more difficult to get overpriced, undersized produce now?Â
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http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/249848.php
 @Heisenberg You've been eating too many toxic mashers Heisenberg. Your brain is obviously too damaged to recognize mainstream media propaganda due to an impending initiative vote on GM labeling in CA. People eat organic to avoid these synapse frying pesticides that have taken over YOUR brain or maybe it's from all that meth you've been cooking. If you do your homework you will find many studies linking lower IQ's in children to pesticide exposure from food. You will also find Stanford is highly subsidized by GM farming. People CHOOSE to eat organic and can spend their money on what they want with or without the consent of low IQ trolls like you.
 @Ballardog Ballardpoodle, how typical. Conspiracy theorists never support their rants with data. The Stamford University study was not funded by 'big pesticide", the WTC buildings were NOT taken down by hidden demolitions, NASA DID land on the moon, and the holocaust DID occur. Start eating meat and feeding your brain for a change. Oh, and the people on the bus called... they want you to start using deodorant... apparently your organic banana's getting ripe. HEISENBERG OUT!    Â
 @Ballardog  @Heisenberg The point of organics is not for "healthier or more nutritious" foods. The point of organics is to eat less pesticide residue.
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God people are so freaking dumb...
 @Heisenberg
Wow, you meth or should I say mercury heads are just all over the map, let me just give a little hint for your slow synapses Heisenberg...The author of the study, Dr. Ingram Olkin, previously conducted statistical research on behalf of tobacco companies. And you know what his findings were? Wring out the mercury from those synapses for this one: cigarette smoking is perfectly safe. Yep. That's him alright. He manipulated statistics to show cigarettes are safe. This is the author of the so called scientific study on organic food you reference. Comprende?
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They gardened.
@2nd Baseman it's what food used to be - before genetically modified and full of antibiotics and hormones.Â
and chemical pesticides
Just another good reason to buy local product from Farmer Markets or just grow your own.
Organic foods are not all that good for you. Get a grip people, who cares?
Let me see here....Local 117....same reps for the overpriced GARBAGE haulers?? Now ORGANIC food....oh my the correlation seems to escape me........hmmmmmm.
I'm pretty sure those retail shoppers will do just fine on inorganic and unnatural foods for a while and save a few bucks at the same time.Â
An oldie for the youngsters out there......
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FJ--JIh8zTY
the whole foods groupies might be offended...just a heads up.
"It seems as though they are wanting to do intimidation and bullying instead of coming back to the table," Wiest said. "But we're still hopeful they'll come back to the table."
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Waaa.. da wittle Union Wep is complaining about a wittle fence.Â
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Boohoohoo. I still have a supply of "Sid's Strikomatic5000 Baseball Bats Now With Cup Holder and Fold Down Lawn-Chair" available at my website.Â
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 @Sid Vishess And what is your comment going to be when your public sector union strikes one day?
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Are you going to insult and belittle yourself?Â
 @caphillkid Always willing to answer your delightfully impish questions, cap!
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As to the possibility of a strike by my Public Sector Union in the next contract talks coming?
Not likely. Here's why;
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1) We (the Union) own the Democrats. We have pictures I am told. As long as the generous citizens of King County keep electing these grifters with suits, I am all too happy to relieve them of their excess dollars. Hey, at least I give the County some value for their cash. It's not like I am sitting on my backside, cracking wise with the public and scooping a wheelbarrow of booty every two weeks. OK, I am, but other than that...
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2) Very few in our Union are members of what I call, "The Red Brigade." Hotheads that think we need Lincoln to issue that Proclamation to free us from bondage. You know the type.
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3) Most drivers know that one week of striking pretty much negates any gains.
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4) The Public is very supportive of us. NOT wasting that good-will is essential to keeping them in the dark lest they find out about our typical $80,000 wages (w/ot) plus full Platinum Benefits. Don't want the torches and pitchforks, doncha know.
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5) Should it come to that (it won't), we can do more damage by showing up and actually adhering to all safety regulations, i.e.; speed limits, waiting til folks are in their seats, not running that yellow light. Chaos and gridlock ensues.
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So what will happen will be a bunch of labor theatrics. The Union will pound their fist and cast the County as a bunch of Simon Lagree Republicans. The County will call us unreasonable for this economy. A strike vote will be taken. It will authorize a strike. A vote on the first contract offer will be taken. It will fail. The two sides will meet over the weekend and pretend to negotiate. Then a best and final offer will be presented to the membership for a second time . That one will pass. And it won't be no 16% raise over four years like Chicago is asking.Â
 @caphillkid It's too much work to belittle and insult myself. A Public Sector Worker enjoys the privilege of having this done for him
Let's see....
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Beer? Check.
Mac-n-cheese? Check.
Frozen pizza? Check.
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Canned fruit, frozen veggies, pasta, fish, pork, beef, and chicken? Check, check, checkaroonie...
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Oh, there's milk as well. That cheap milk with all the nasty stuff I've been drinking for the last 53 years.
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And FOOTBALL!
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Life is good.Â
 @bobalouie ...you forgot to mention the bulk Oberto Beef Jerky from Costco...mandatory survival food.
Oh no, no more overpriced produce, what will Pike Place Market do, oh right!
Oh the horror.
Just came here to say:
AHHhhhh aaaaa  aaaahhHHhHHhhHHh aaaaaa OOhhhhh... Haaaaa Haaaaaa aaahhhhhahhhhahahhh....  Oh, my sides are killing me....
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I am going to crack open a bag of Doritos, snap a slim jim and sit back in my leather recliner to watch this one!
@EastSideTony - You're on the highway to hell...LOL (just kidding)
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 @n9078jk4 The secret's in the sauce!!
@LNSeveN @n9078jk4 Sous Vid makes your long pork tender.
Bacon for dinner tonight!
Reading this story made me hungry, we're eating MEAT tonight!
 @Blackwater LLC Me too!
 @Furd  @Blackwater LLC Me three! Got a meatloaf in the oven!
What will the hippy-emo-vegan community do now?
 @antiseattle Do we really care?
So.....where's the news? Who buys that overpriced nonsense anyways? Study just came out saying what we knew all along: organic food is no healthier or more nutritious than "regular" food, but it IS 5x more expensive. Just another scam at the checkout line.
 @dg54321 HELLOOOOO, the point of eating organic is to avoid pesticides, not because of any nutritional difference.
@Shelly @dg54321 - What pesticides? Me and the squirrels are doing just fine...LOL
@dg54321 You must be a republican that only sees what they want to see. Organics don't have the hormones, etc. added to a lot of foods. Maybe you like genetically modified food. I don't.
 @Klondiko  @dg54321 Yes to hormones. Gives the ladies bigger tits. Those organic ladies are normally planky.
@Romey-Rome - LOL! I might BE one of those women, hence the "Bear" moniker...LOL!!
 @Smokin Bear  @Klondiko Don't know what women you're hanging with.
@Romey-Rome @Klondiko @dg54321 - Don't forget, those extra hormones can provide beards too........enjoy. LOL!