PRESS RELEASE: Unfair Labor Practice Charges Filed Against Ashland Food Co-Op

For immediate release:

Ashland, OR- An unfair labor practice (ULP) was filed against the Ashland Food Co-op (AFC) on Tuesday. The charges were filed with the National Labor Relations Board by UFCW Local 555 on behalf of workers engaged in a campaign to organize a union in their workplace.  Workers at AFC want to organize because they believe in the responsibility of community leadership rooted in the values of social justice and workers' rights. As members and owners of a co-operative organization they seek to fully participate in the creation of policies that govern working conditions under which they work.

Ashland Food Co-op employees that support forming a union were seeking to increase the transparency and sense of democracy at their work place. They had hoped, after engaging in respectful dialogue with their co-workers, they would be able to choose a solution supported by the majority of co-workers with the best interest of all employees, the AFC, as well as the community and customers.

Unfortunately, instead of peaceful conversation held between the people who would be affected by having a union; the management of AFC has created such divide that a fair election now seems impossible.

As a result of long deliberation unfair labor charges were filed touching on a variety of issues facing union supporters at Ashland food Co-op, including instances of surveillance and intimidation through coercion. 
Dan Clay UFCW 555 president states "We support every worker in their freedom to organize, we at UFCW 555 believe the workers voices deserve to be heard and respected and look forward to working with Ashland Food Co-op employees to ensure demorcracy is protected."