Union Files Final Board Charges against Target Corp. for Objections to Conduct of Union Election

WESTBURY, NY (06/28/2011)(readMedia)-- On Friday, June 24, 2011, United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW) Local 1500 filed objections to Target Corporation's conduct during the course of the recent union election in Valley Stream, N.Y. The charges filed on Friday were in addition to numerous unfair labor practices previously filed against the Target Corporation during the weeks leading up to the Union election in Valley Stream.

Bruce Both, President of UFCW Local 1500 explained Target could have easily held a fair & democratic election, "Instead of playing by the rules, Target showed they were willing to do whatever it took to keep their workers from attaining a basic right: respect at work." "Eighty-Five (85) courageous workers from Valley Stream should be commended for withstanding the intimidation and scare tactics Target management suffocated them with every day leading to the June 17th election. What's troubling is that Target had an opportunity to become a corporate role model and do right by their employees. Instead of helping their employees attain the American dream, they've chosen to continue to focus on their profit growth, not their employees' growth," Both concluded.

UFCW Local 1500 pledged that the campaign to "change" Target has just begun, as they announced they are seeking a rerun election at Valley Stream Target. "In addition to the laundry list of unfair labor practices already filed against Target, filing of these objections to their [Target's] conduct during the election period, shows a blatant disregard for basic democratic practices," said Assistant to the President Pat Purcell. "We are confident Target's actions will result in a new election and hopefully an opportunity for all parties to sit down and discuss a process for a new election that will better represent the democratic principles Target's workers and consumers have come to expect in a free society."

Days after the June 17th election at Valley Stream Target, the National Labor Relations Board announced proposed changes to union election process. The rule addresses a key obstacle workers face when deciding to vote on whether to form a union. "The proposed NLRB rule reinforces our statement that the process is unbalanced. Target workers at Valley Stream didn't have a fair election process," said Purcell. "The rule change would eliminate excessive delays in the vote, delays which allow companies to further their anti-union propaganda in the stores to their employees, something we all saw as recent as last week in the Target election," said Purcell. "This rule change is a step in the right direction toward giving more workers respect, a voice on the job, and rebalancing our economy," Purcell concluded.

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United Food and Commercial Workers Local 1500 represents over 22,000 supermarket workers across New York State.

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