On Jan. 17, grocery workers at four Gourmet Garage stores in New York City joined UFCW Local 1500 for a better life.
Gourmet Garage stores have provided local chefs, restaurant buyers and New Yorkers with high quality groceries for more than 30 years, and these 98 hard-working men and women are employed as grocery, produce, dairy, meat, deli, seafood and coffee department clerks and cashiers. They voted to join our union via card check because they wanted a voice in the workplace, especially with regard to job stability, and the same wages and benefits that other unionized grocery workers in the area have. With this organizing win, all Gourmet Garage stores in New York City are now unionized.
These workers realize the benefits of belonging to our union family and are looking forward to making the most out of their first union contract.
“All we were looking for is to be equal in this industry,” said José A. Ramirez. “We wanted wage increase guarantees and benefits that companies like D’Agostino, Fairway, and ShopRite have through a union contract. We do the same work and wanted to be on the same playing field as them and that’s why we chose to unionize. Now we are proud to say that we are members of the largest grocery store worker union in New York. When we saw the union walk through our doors, we knew who they were and we are excited to work with them.”