New Seasons Market workers at 10 locations have authorized a strike that could start Dec. 17. More than three years after the first location formed the New Seasons Labor Union (NSLU), workers are still bargaining for a first contract. The strike authorization vote passed by 83%, with 80% turnout in a vote that ended Nov. 14.
NSLU and the company were scheduled for bargaining Nov. 19 and Dec. 4. Workers will vote Dec. 4 on the latest proposal — either a tentative agreement recommended by union leadership or the latest company offer. The result of that vote will determine if workers strike on Dec. 17.
“We are unbelievably overworked and understaffed during the holidays,” NSLU co-chair Ava Robins said as to why a December start date was chosen. “We don’t want to let this fight drag on into another year. It’s been too many years already that we’ve been in bargaining.”
NSLU represents around 850 workers at locations that unionized between September 2022 and December 2023.
Bargaining sticking points are wages, healthcare, and scheduling. NSLU is calling for hourly wages to start at $20, up from the current starting rate of $16.30, which is the Portland-area minimum wage.
For workers on the higher end of the pay scale, the company’s offer would raise wages around 3%.
Employees who work at least 24 hours per week are currently eligible for health insurance, but the company wants to increase eligibility to 28 hours per week. NSLU said that shift would eliminate coverage for about 50 members. The union wants to maintain the 24-hour eligibility threshold and the current cost split for health insurance premiums, which is 80%-20%, Robins said.
New Seasons has historically offered employees relatively consistent scheduling, but newer employees have been given schedules with irregular shift lengths, start times, and days of work. The union is proposing consistent schedules, guaranteed minimum weekly hours, and days off based on seniority.
On healthcare and scheduling, the union’s proposals start with preserving New Season’s past practices.
New Seasons opened its first location in 2000 and sold a majority stake to Endeavour Capital, a Portland-based private equity firm, in 2012. New Seasons never made good on claims it would become an employee or community-owned business, and squashed a unionization effort in 2017. Korean retail giant Emart purchased the company in 2019.
NSLU formed as an independent union but affiliated with United Electrical & Machine Workers of America (UE) in September, becoming UE Local 1010.
Robins said affiliating with UE was a shot in the arm for the union, which was facing fatigue after years in bargaining. The Woodstock location of New Seasons left the union in August, with NSLU co-chair Norah Rivera attributing the move to dissatisfaction over the slow progress of contract negotiations.
NSLU is asking shoppers to boycott New Seasons until the union gets a contract, even before a strike.
“If we are forced to go on strike, don’t cross the picket line,” Robins said. “And if you want to hang out on the most fun picket lines in town, please come and join us. We’d love to have you there.”
