On Aug. 3, Food wholesalers United Natural Foods, Inc. (UNFI) issued the following statement regarding the long-term labor agreement that it reached with Teamsters Local 414 in Fort Wayne, IN.
“We’re very pleased that Teamsters Local 414 has ratified a new long-term labor agreement for our distribution center in Fort Wayne, IN. UNFI’s four-year contract with Local 414 maintains competitive benefit and wage terms in line with other facilities in the Midwest. The contract also includes language updates that afford UNFI the flexibility it needs to operate and succeed as a competitive distribution business in today’s landscape,” said Jill Sutton, UNFI’s chief legal officer, general counsel and corporate secretary. We believe this resolution is a positive development for UNFI, our valued associates in Fort Wayne and our customers.
“UNFI intends to continue pursuing fair, workable labor agreements that address our associates’ needs while allowing us to effectively serve customers and thrive in the modern food distribution environment. We owe it to all of our stakeholders—ranging from associates to customers to shareholders—to reach agreements that position us to adapt and remain nimble. This emphasis on flexibility is one of the main reasons why UNFI was able to quickly implement industry-leading safety and risk management practices tailored to our operations across North America as the COVID-19 pandemic began. Similarly, our focus on associates’ well-being drove the decision to institute a $2-per-hour State of Emergency bonus early in the crisis, even as many other businesses were furloughing or letting go of employees. UNFI’s commitment to maintaining best-in-class safety and risk practices across our distribution network will continue to be universal for the benefit of all associates.”
Supermarket News had reported that on July 23, approximately 160 drivers, warehouse workers and maintenance workers would be taking part in a work stoppage. The union, which represents 2,500 Teamsters members in Fort Wayne and northeastern Indiana, had claimed that UNFI engaged in unfair labor practices by arbitrarily firing two of its members. Further, Local said UNFI employee members had been working without a contract “for many months,” despite collective bargaining for almost a year.
