SCHENECTADY, N.Y. -- Golub Corp. here last week denied charges that it unfairly influenced its employees in a recent union organizing vote.
In June, the United Food & Commercial Workers Union Local 1, Utica, N.Y., lost its bid to represent approximately 600 employees at Golub-owned Price Chopper warehouses in Rotterdam, Voorheesville, Colonie and Waterford, N.Y. The workers voted the union down, 325-148.
The UFCW said it filed complaints against Golub with the National Labor Relations Board throughout the election process, claiming the company had intimidated workers into voting against the union. Earlier this month, the NLRB found merit with two of the union's nine charges: that Golub Corp. permitted the posting of anti-union information while refusing to permit the posting of pro-union information, and that Golub suspended and discriminated against an employee because he supported the union.
A Sept. 11 hearing will determine whether Golub engaged in unfair labor practices and whether the union should be allowed to offer the Price Chopper employees another vote. Joanne Gage, Golub vice president for consumer and marketing services, said the company was very pleased that most of the charges were dismissed. Gage said that Golub acted responsibly and fairly throughout the voting process. "The UFCW lost [the organizing vote] because there was a strong contingent that was pro-company. The union's allegations were unfounded. Basically, they're upset they lost the vote," she told SN.
Greg Gorea, director of organizing at Local 1, said the objections were brought against Golub because of its unfair practices, not because of the outcome of the vote. He said he hoped the hearing would compel Price Chopper to put up a posting acknowledging its actions and to let employees vote in a free election without interference from supervisors. "The [UFCW] will continue to run elections until it's done fairly," he told SN.
