March 2021
By Jason Flynn
Poaching the Bird is a round-up of some of the union filings and news from the month. Most, if not all, of the tips we shamelessly copped from Jonah Furman’s Who Gets the Bird newsletter and changed the wording. We emailed Jonah, and he said it’s fine. Thanks, Jonah.
Colectivo Coffee Roasters workers are organizing with the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) at locations in Milwaukee, Madison, and Chicago. See more in our story “Colectivo Collective organizing union vote at Midwest coffee company”
Grocery and food service workers at Foragers Markets in New York City are organizing with United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW). Foragers’ has a combination of boutique grocery, restaurant, wine shop, and other spaces in three neighborhoods.
Warehouse workers at Twin City Foods in Pasco, WA organized with UFCW. “The efforts to unionize began last fall as COVID-19 infections spread at the plant, reportedly leading to the death of two workers, according to their fellow employees,” according to the Tri-City Herald.
Sysco drivers in Modesto, Calif. are organizing with the Teamsters.
Bakers at Orwashers Bakery in New York City are organizing with Bakery Confectionery Tobacco Workers and Grain Millers (BCTGM) union.
King Soopers supermarket workers in Loveland, Colo. voted to join UFCW. “The 24 workers, who are employed in deli, cheese and Starbucks departments in King Soopers store #74, wanted the same union contractual protections and benefits as their colleagues in the unionized meat and seafood departments,” according to UFCW.
Workers at Portland, Ore. Voodoo Doughnuts are seeking voluntary recognition with the International Workers of the World (IWW). “The union says that if the company does not officially recognize the union by Thursday, it will file for an election with the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB),” according to Eater.
Workers at Grain Craft in Ogden, Utah are organizing with BCTGM.
Tate’s Bake Shop is trying to bust a drive with the Novelty Workers Union (NWU). “‘They began threatening people based on their immigration status, telling them that if their documents are not in order and they attempted to join the labor union they would get deported,’ says Eastern States Joint Board President Cosmo Lubrano according to News 21 Long Island.
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