Workers at the Lush Cosmetics store in Lexington, Ky., recently joined UFCW Local 227 for a better life. This organizing win marks the second unit of Lush Cosmetics workers in Kentucky to join UFCW Local 227. Workers at the Lush Cosmetics store in Louisville made history by becoming the first Lush Cosmetics store in the U.S. to unionize when they voted to join UFCW Local 227 last April.
The seven employees, who are employed as Sales Ambassadors and Floor Leaders, sell vegetarian and vegan bath bombs, creams, soaps, shampoos and other products at the Lexington store. They voted to join our union family because they were concerned about insufficient wages and working conditions. They also wanted to be a part of the growing movement of Lush Cosmetics workers who are joining the UFCW for a voice in the workplace.
UFCW Local 227’s campaign to organize these workers included preparing the workers for the company’s anti-union tactics by sharing the company’s anti-union communications from the previous Lush Cosmetics campaign. The local also used the chat app GroupMe to keep in touch with the workers in real time during the campaign and met in person with the workers.
This new unit of Lush Cosmetics workers will join their colleagues at the Louisville location in their negotiations for a first union contract.
“I came to work at Lush because of what Lush stands for: ethical buying, how inclusive the products are, and how innovative they are with non-packaging and ingredients,” said Naomi Stone, who is a sales ambassador at the Lexington store.
“Despite how great the company is for customers, in my three months of working here, I have noticed a large turnover in employees and I can’t see how using company resources and time to constantly hire and train new people is efficient and sustainable,” Stone added. “A union would help create better working conditions and ensure long lasting loyal employees, which will increase the customer experience.”
In addition to the two stores in Kentucky, the UFCW also represents Lush Cosmetics workers in Friendswood, Texas, who made history by becoming the first Lush Cosmetics store in Texas to unionize by joining UFCW Local 455 last October. Lush Retail Ltd. operates over 950 stores globally, including over 200 stores in the U.S. and Canada.
