Labor Day, 2023. Portland, OR.

New Seasons Market is a local grocery store chain whose workers have unionized in several stores over the last two years, forming the New Seasons Labor Union (NSLU). The Red Phoenix interviewed a bargaining member of the union while supporting the Powell’s Books workers on strike.

RP: Could you introduce yourself and your involvement in the union?

Alex: Okay, I’m Alex G. and I’m a store rep at the Arbor Lodge location of New Seasons and a bargaining member on the team.

RP: How long ago did you first get involved at New Seasons?

Alex: I’ve been organizing for about a year now. We had our election in January, so we’ve been officially in the union since then.

RP: Awesome! And how long has bargaining been going now?

Alex: Since January as well, yeah.

RP: How about the walk out we saw on Saturday? What spurred that into happening?

Alex: Well, the bargaining session that we had had before that did not go very well. And we’ve been trying to get them to sign this Memorandum of Understanding to let us have the same attendance policy as the non-union stores, and non-union people at our stores. And they just keep kicking the can down the road, saying, “Oh, we’re working on it, we’re working on it.” But then they gave us their proposal that they wanted outside of the contract, and it was garbage. It was punitive, and it was worse than the one we already have. So we said, no, we’re done.

RP: What is the main message you would want to send to management right now?

Alex: Take us seriously, this is real. We will shut it down!

RP: And what are the main demands you want to see ratified in a new contract?

Alex: Well, the attendance policy has been the biggest driver for most rank-and-file members. And, just, generally we don’t want to see policy changes that get worse and worse over the years.

RP: So, today’s Labor Day, and we’re out here with the Powell’s workers on strike, and this weekend we had the Trans Day of Solidarity with the Coalition of Independent Unions. What brings NSLU out in solidarity with other unions to these events?

Alex: We’re all fighting for the same thing. We’re all here together. We couldn’t do it without them, and we want to show our support.

RP: What’s the biggest thing you want to see from the community to support NSLU?

Alex: Just keep coming to the store. Tell us hi! Tell the managers that you support union activity, and tell them to come to the table!

RP: We’re seeing a sort of wave of unionization across the US. What would you see to people who are starting to organize their workplace? Any words of advice?

Alex: Keep trucking. It’s a lot of work, and it’s worth it. Reach out for help. Be annoying! Keep going.

RP: What do you expect you’ll see in the next year in the labor movement?

Alex: I think it’s just gonna be more and more of these smaller business coming in, more and more independent unions, and just greater strength in general!

Categories: Interview, Labor, U.S. News, Workers Struggle