On Oct. 29, workers at the Lush Cosmetics store at the St. Louis Galleria Mall in St. Louis joined UFCW Local 655. This organizing win marks the first Lush Cosmetics store in Missouri to unionize.
These workers joined our union family for a voice in the workplace. Their decision reflects the belief that forming a union is in their best interest and aligns with the company’s stated corporate values.
“Lush is very open about supporting animal rights, environmental justice, and human rights,” said Harshini Abbaraju, a Lush Cosmetics employee who has worked for the company in three states and is now employed at the St. Louis Galleria Mall. “Now they need to put their money where their mouth is and recognize our union, because there are no human rights without workers’ rights.”
“That’s their ethos,” Abbaraju added. “Because that’s their ethos, and because our union will allow us to assert our dignity in the workplace, the company should have no problem working with us to get a strong, first contract.”
“We look forward to meeting with the employees to get their concerns and bargaining with Lush management to get a contract that addresses those concerns,” said UFCW Local 655 President David Cook.
In addition to the new Lush Cosmetics unit in St. Louis, the UFCW also represents Lush Cosmetics workers in Louisville and Lexington, Ky., who are members of UFCW Local 227, and Lush Cosmetics workers in Friendswood, Texas, who are members of UFCW Local 455.