After a hard-fought campaign involving months of negotiations, over 600 workers at the Peco Foods poultry products facility in West Point, Miss., voted to join UFCW Local 1529 on August 29.
The poultry workers stood together through three elections because they were concerned about wages and respect in the workplace. The campaign to organize these workers included texting, hand billing, in-person union meetings, and home calls. In addition, member organizers from other locals volunteered to work on this campaign and helped push this effort over the finish line.
“I would like to thank staff at UFCW Local 1529 and the International for holding the employees at Peco Foods in West Point together and strong for over two years,” said UFCW Local 1529 President Lonnie Sheppard. “The employer did everything, legal and illegal, to fool their employees by lying and giving empty promises during the first election. The employees worked hard to get another opportunity to unionize, and during the second vote, they overwhelmingly voted for representation at work. However, the company refused to recognize their vote to unionize for over a year. The employees persevered and stood together for a third vote. They won the battle and now have a union and a voice in the workplace.”
“We’re so pleased to be a part of the UFCW and are looking forward to negotiating our first contract,” said Victoria Robertson, who works at the Peco Foods facility. “I am overjoyed!”