Dear Editor,
I am writing to strongly request that Mrs. Green’s Natural Market REHIRE the nine long term employees that it has fired for attempting to gain union representation. These nine workers have been employed by Mrs. Green’s for between 4 and 12 years and clearly have not just begun to exhibit ‘poor customer service’ – as management claims. Although union representation was voted down by the workers, the company’s tactic of intimidation and threats of deportation was clearly a chilling factor for this mainly Latino workforce. How hypocritical in view of their ‘Fair Trade’ image!
My family and I have shopped at Mrs. Green’s since it opened in our neighborhood in Mt Kisco 12 years ago. We were thrilled to have fresh, natural food available to us virtually around the corner in a store that was easy to navigate, staffed by workers who were unfailingly friendly and helpful.
We first heard about the illegal firings from our neighbors in our Lawrence Farms neighborhood association who have been sharing updates as well as their disappointment over the behavior of this neighborhood amenity. Most have said that, like our family, they plan to boycott the store.
It was gratifying to hear that the National Labor Relations Board has now required the company to post an “Unfair Labor Practice (ULP)” sign in the store and cease their intimidation of workers.
If Mrs. Green’s doesn’t rehire the fired workers, we will continue to shop elsewhere and encourage our neighbors to join this boycott. Although not as convenient, there are certainly alternatives to Mrs. Green’s within a short distance. We do not need to support a business that abuses workers and assumes that there will be no repercussions.
Jackie Mann
