Over a dozen grocery workers at a Fred Meyers in the Portland area have come together to form a class struggle committee. The workers have been organizing together for over three months with the support of the Class Struggle Action Network. The workers are fighting increasingly unsafe work conditions and preparing to push their union to take up class demands in the upcoming UFCW contract negotiations. What follows is an interview with one of the workers lead organizers.
Why did you form the class struggle committee?
It was just a thing that came natural. I’ve been working on organizing workers in the past and leading up to joining the network. When I came to Fred Meyer, workers here had their heads down and felt like they couldn’t say anything. I wanted to empower people to find their voices. We have a Union but it wasn’t doing much. They would address small issues at their own pace. But ever since we started organizing and our new more youthful union rep came in, things have completely changed. We actively communicate and have lines of communication with the majority of our stores union members. We have a real militant group leading the way and building their fellow workers class consciousness. And we actively help each other and take each other’s grievances on as our own.
What issues are you working to address?
There were many issues. The lack of security with theft was a huge issue for multiple reasons. Corporate could use it as an excuse to not only threaten to get our store shut down as so many other workers have been experiencing, but also the more the thieves were allowed to walk in and out with no one saying two words to them, the more they got bold and actually would get aggressive towards us workers and customers (fellow workers). Meanwhile, the boss would play the workers by giving us ambiguous directives on what to do about it, often putting us in dangerous positions.
I worked to build a culture of us actively asking each department and worker what issues they face and ask about the day to day dynamic of their department. Without getting too specific. We have and continue to address what to others might seem small like hours not being paid to a single employee or protection against possibly sick customers. Or retaliation by management and their weaponizing their own incompetence while they also don’t train people on purpose to further the chaos so they can some how blame the issues of the department on the very issues they create by not doing their job. Taking countless breaks and creating unethical friendships with HR and other members of management to create this chaotic environment that so they can all thrive in doing nothing while the workers suffer and try to keep their heads above water among the reactions from customers and management gas-lighting us about these issues. That they, again create and give a shrug to when called out.
What are your demands?
Our demands so far are as follows with more coming.
- Higher wages, we will be raising the floor on what workers should expect in every aspect from the company that they give the majority of their time and life to. We create the profits that they then take and give us crumbs of the scraps that they use to give to our parents and grandparents.
- We want coverage for mental healthcare. This system puts us under great stress in countless ways. It’s time we are able to address these things that we develop as byproduct of being wage slaves.
- We want tier wages to end. Everyone should be paid the same base pay. No longer will we allow them to divide us with wage differences so that we aren’t focused on pushing for higher wages for all workers. All work is essential. We recognize that there are going to be some roles that take on more responsibilities or stresses and are wanting to push to address those but that is the for the workers to decide not in a divisive manner as the bosses and corporations wants us to.
But to fight for higher wages across the board and address the different aspects of job roles only after we as workers have addressed the tier issue. This tier issue and the issue of higher wages should be our core issue because it is at the center of every other issue.
What are some examples of collective action you have already taken together?
We have a great relationship with the customers in the neighborhood. We have used that along with collectively going to higher management to flood them with grievances. We have created a class struggle committee where we meet outside of work and speak on strategies and things needing to be addressed through out the store.
How did the committee get formed and how have you worked to bring together workers in your workplace?
It started with finding other militant workers and coming out of a struggle I had with management. They saw me organizing and used a bullshit reason to suspend me. I was brought back and they wanted to sweep it under the rug. While I was gone. With the work I had done to bring my fellow workers together. The momentum built upon itself and they were actively and vocally rooting for me to come back. When I did eventually come back it was to great celebration as they had taken it on as it were themselves going through it. They finally in my eyes saw that the struggle of one worker is the struggle of all workers. It’s only built more and more. They stand up for each other. We don’t fight among ourselves and actively refuse to dive into beef with each other. That’s a big thing bosses do. They try to feed on issues or create them amount workers in many ways. We understand that any petty or internal beef is not good for any of us. We actively meet with each other and communicate constantly. We are now focused on getting prepared for the upcoming contract negotiations. I say this now to call on all workers to not only join this network but to mobilize and find any and all ways to help each others struggles big and small. Contract negotiations/strikes obviously being the biggest. Strikes are our biggest weapon. We the workers must learn to use that muscle again like the generations before us did. That militant behavior and solidarity that the bosses and capitalist class wants us to forget.
How has the boss responded to your organizing?
They have taken notice and tried to pacify us with their equivalent of pizza party meetings. They came for my job but will never admit that was the reason. They will suddenly get tighter on ambiguous rules out of no where or take a harsher tone with us. Many subtle things but not so subtle when it’s happening. They definitely made themselves scarce a lot as well now that the power dynamic at work has shifted in favor of us workers. It’s fun to see my fellow workers recognize this and it’s like they are seeing blood in the waters. Suddenly David is chasing Goliath down because he sees him limping. It’s great to see my coworkers feel so empowered. You can see it with them walking with heads up and in their voices when they speak to managers or unruly anti worker customers.
How do you see your class struggle committee relating to your union?
I see it as a way for us workers to take the power back in the situation. We organize and take power in our work place. We organize and tell the Union what we need from them. We pay them to be a our line of defense. But we in order for the union to do what it’s supposed to do. We have to be active. We can’t just wait for the Union to present a list of demands from a poll taken or for them to tell us some shitty contract is the best they could do. While they continue to get pay checks from us.
UFCW has contract negotiations coming up, what do you all hope to see come out of that?
Higher wages, end to tier pay differences in wages, we want the contracts combined throughout the departments and other grocery stores outside our company.. We want to be negotiating together at the same time. We want the wages to be so high we can live and be able to afford rent, food, healthcare, childcare. To have the time to enjoy life and spend it with the people that we care about. Enough is enough that continue to buy this line that they can’t afford to pay us good wages. Meanwhile they hike the prices up on the customers (fellow workers) and lie that it’s because we want raises in wages or that its the theft (that they actively allow to happen and give bullshit reasons why they allow it) or the “struggling economy” that they create and rule over. Meanwhile taking in record profits year after year.
Where do you envision the committee being in the future/what do you hope to accomplish?
I want it to spread to all stores and work places. I want this to serve as not only an example but a lightening rod for workers not just here in the US but internationally. It’s time workers pick their heads up and see each other globally. It’s time we as workers stop buying into their bullshit rhetoric and washed over history. Like so many other workers I’ve heard say recently and I’ve personally been saying forever. It’s time for us to take a stand.
How can other Fred Meyer workers get involved?
They can get into this network and join the industry chat. Otherwise be on the look out for our CSAN fliers as well as anyone wearing the CSAN buttons or speaking about the Class Struggle Action Network. We will be coming through the stores and be on other workers picket lines. Like we have with the nurses at providence or the teachers in Camas. Or the Powell’s Books store workers. Speaking power into workers and getting them on board with this movement.
