Local grocery, retail workers' union rejects merger proposal with biggest chapter in the state

You might have noticed buttons, urging "Stand Strong 367 - Vote No," worn by some area grocery clerks at Fred Meyer and other stores.

They are among the workers represented by United Food and Commercial Workers Local 367, which this week voted on a proposed merger with UFCW 21, the largest private-sector union in the state.

On Thursday, the "no" votes won.

UFCW 367 represents grocery and retail workers, among others, in Pierce, Mason, Thurston, Pacific, Lewis and Grays Harbor counties, with about 7,000 members. UFCW 21 represents more than 46,000 grocery, retail, health-care and other industry workers in the state and in counties that overlap with UFCW 367.

The merger campaign's message had been "We Are Stronger Together," in a bid to seek more leverage in contract negotiations, along with more combined resources.

Those against the measure launched a grass-roots challenge and took to social media. Opponents of the merger cited a range of concerns with the proposal, including dilution of local representation from a bigger, merged union.

After a vote involving members of both unions over several days, the measure was rejected.

In a statement posted on UFCW 367's website late Thursday, local President Denise Jagielo said: "It is unfortunate that we will remain a separate union. The intent was to be able to build something stronger together. That didn’t happen."

Jagielo, in the statement, indicated the issue wasn't going away.

"The conversation about how we can build such a union is now in the front of many members’ minds. I look forward to moving this conversation forward."

A statement from UFCW 21 to its members, forwarded Friday afternoon to The News Tribune, said: "While the members of UFCW 21 voted overwhelmingly to approve the proposed merger with UFCW 367, the UFCW 367 membership unfortunately rejected the merger.

"For UFCW 21, we will continue to unite our members to win the strongest contracts possible and do the successful campaigns that have made us a recognized national leader in the labor movement."

This story was originally published May 25, 2018 at 3:27 PM with the headline "Local grocery, retail workers' union rejects merger proposal with biggest chapter in the state."