NYC Council Members Ferreras and Dromm Demand Trade Fairs in Queens to Bring Back Locked Out Workers

Council Speaker Christine Quinn also Releases Statement in Support of Workers
 
QUEENS, N.Y. - March 25, 2013 - PRLog -- Queens, New York- On March 25th, Council Members Julissa Ferreras and Daniel Dromm rallied alongside a crowd of more than 50 meat department members of United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW) Local 342 in front of an East Elmhurst Trade Fair, located at 99-10 Astoria Blvd., to demand fair labor practices and an end to a lockout that has spanned nearly two weeks.

After sending a message of strength and unity with an initial strike, which took place on March 13th, the workers offered an unconditional return to their jobs only a few hours later, but management refused, setting the stage for the current lockout. The workers have since been maintaining daily 24-hour picket lines at all nine stores throughout Queens.

“These proud union workers need to be returned to their jobs so that they can support their families,” Ferreras said in front of the supermarket. “No worker should be punished for standing up to workplace abuse, and I immediately call upon the management of Trade Fair to end this lockout and begin to treat these workers with the respect and dignity that they deserve.”

Presently, a total of nearly 100 United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW) Local 342 meat department members have been in a Borough-wide lock out from each Trade Fair location since March 13th.

The United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW) Local 342, a labor organization that represents nearly 10,000 members working in supermarkets as well as a variety of other food industries in the area, has filed several Unfair Labor Practice (ULP) charges with the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) against the company. Charges include intimidation, threats of termination, harassment, assault and coercing of union workers and representatives for exercising their rights as union members.

“We believe Trade Fair’s behavior, including actions related to disrespectful treatment of union members, and harassment of locked out workers on the picket line, are not only unacceptable, but an embarrassment to the Queens community,” Union Spokesperson Kate Meckler said.  “We will continue to explore every legal venue to ensure that these members are returned to work, and treated fairly under the law.”

Dromm, who originally came out in full support of the workers during a press conference and store visit held in Jackson Heights at 75-07 37th Ave. on March 12th, joined Ferreras in urging Trade Fair’s management to end the lockout.

“Trade Fair is known to be a bad neighbor and now it has become a bad employer. Trade Fair’s owner, Frank Jaber, may think that he is above the law but we will use every legal recourse to make him abide by the law,” Dromm said. “Prior to locking out his employees, Mr. Jaber used bullying tactics to try to intimidate his staff. We will not tolerate this type of behavior from anyone in our community. These workers deserve a fair contract and they deserve it now.”

Also advocating on behalf of the locked-out workers, Jack Caffey Jr., the director of Local 338, as well as several community members, including concerned resident Robert Butts and Community Board 3 Members Ed Westley and Pat Thorpe, attended the rally and called upon neighbors to support the workers.

“I support the workers,” Butts said as he addressed fellow residents of the neighborhood. “As long as you go into the store, you are killing the workers. Call up your friends on the phone and say ‘We’re not shopping at Trade Fair until the problem is resolved.’”

Echoing the sentiments of Council Members Ferreras and Dromm, Council Speaker Christine Quinn released a statement of support shortly after the rally.

“Trade Fair Supermarket is jeopardizing the livelihood of nearly 100 workers by unfairly locking them out. No one should be penalized for standing up for his or her own rights, and I join Council Members Ferreras and Dromm in calling upon the management of Trade Fair to immediately end this lockout,” Quinn said, in a statement. “We urge all parties to negotiate in good faith and respect the collective bargaining process.  These jobs are an important part of what makes New York City a vibrant and attractive place where people want to make their homes and raise their families.”
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