Bestway Workers Demand Union Recognition

(Metropolitan Washington Council, AFL-CIO)On the morning of Sept. 25, in Falls Church, VA, 25 Bestway Supermarket employees stood together to present their boss with dozens of signed authorization cards, and request that UFCW Local 400 be recognized as their union. Members of UFCW Local 400, SEIU Local 512 and the Virginia New Majority joined the workers as they informed their boss they’re organizing for living wages and respect with an overwhelming majority of 98 percent of their coworkers signing cards. After calling the police, the boss reviewed the cards but refused to recognize the union. His blatant disrespect prompted new employees to sign cards on the spot.  Since the employer examined the cards, Local 400 has formally requested bargaining dates. UFCW Local 400 currently represents members at the Bestway in Silver Spring, Md. photos/collage by Karlyn Williams/UFCW 400; this report originally appeared in Local 400’s Wednesday Weekly