Union-busting at Woodman’s

BOSSES AT the Woodman's grocery chain in Wisconsin are threatening workers with a campaign to decertify their union. Owner Phil Woodman recently hired a union-busting law firm and went on the attack.

Unwilling to take the threats lying down, members of the United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW) Local 1473 held a rally May 8. Union members, officials, activists and other workers from across the state gathered at the company's headquarters in Janesville. Supporters included teachers, members of the United Auto Workers, the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers and other unions.

Many union officials as well as workers from UFCW Local 1473 spoke out against the attacks on their union. Woodman's workers have been unionized for nearly 30 years, and they plan to fight to protect their union.

The union plans to file unfair labor practices charges against the company for attempting to offer bonuses to workers who are willing to sign a petition to decertify the union, according to one worker at Madison's Woodman's store.

The gathering was just the beginning of the organizing now underway. The workers plan to mobilize other workers in the area to fight Woodman's divide-and-conquer strategy.