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CHS Pics | A New Seasons opening in Ballard ripples into the Central District

Here is a preview of 23rd and Union sometime in 2019 when the neighborhood’s newest grocery store, New Seasons, is slated to open in The East Union mixed-use development.

Protesters targeted the grand opening of the Portland-based chain’s new Ballard store Wednesday with a list of anti-labor, union-unfriendly grievances:

Employees say corporate managers retaliated against Portland workers who spoke up about working conditions, even hiring a notorious Trump Hotel union-buster to intimidate and silence them.

New Seasons is also under fire from community leaders for links to Murdock Trust, a major funder of anti-LGBTQ groups including those that advocate for gay conversion therapy and fake women’s health clinics.
The grocery chain was once known for its community values. However, since its purchase by Endeavour Capital, a private equity investment firm which also owns Aladdin Bail Bonds, employees say corporate managers have been focused on expansion and cutting costs even if it impacts customer health and worker safety.

Small protests have also targeted the coming Central District store slated to weigh in at 18,000 square feet below 144 market-rate apartments. But, despite a pullback in the grocery company’s expansion plans and some financial turmoil around the chain, developers Lake Union Partners and New Seasons ownership are moving forward with the Central District project. The coalition opposing New Seasons is now down to only the 23rd and Union project in its quest to stop the chain’s expansion into Seattle.

New Seasons has pledged to “partner with the Urban League of Metropolitan Seattle to hire 100 people from the neighborhood to work at the new Central District location” and has met with the community to try to counter the anti-worker claims.

With the intersection already home to new residents in Lake Union Partners’ The Central — and a new restaurant this summer, the area will also become home to hundred more in coming years as construction is completed on Capitol Hill Housing’s inclusively developed Liberty Bank Building and, eventually, the Africatown Community Land Trust, Capitol Hill Housing, and Lake Union Partners-developed project to transform the Midtown Center block comes to fruition.

 

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MSea
MSea
5 years ago

Great article in Seattle Weekly which provides more detail. Reports of aggressive union busting practices as well as ties to Trump and other hate groups. Please share in social media with your friends and neighbors. And kudos to CHS and Seattle Weekly for great reporting. They don’t deserve your business!

http://www.seattleweekly.com/news/new-seasons-markets-old-baggage/

Hey Kids
Hey Kids
5 years ago

Hopefully the average person can see what a bunch of BS this whole anti-New Seasons campaign is. People don’t really give a shit that they are non union. If they really cared about that they would be protesting in front of Trader Joes who is also non-union. The Union is simply afraid that New Seasons is going to continue to add stores, which cuts into their union dues. Plain and simple folks. That is all that this whole thing is about.

Fairly Obvious
Fairly Obvious
5 years ago
Reply to  Hey Kids

Trader Joes does not have a well-documented history of mistreating their employees. Nice try with your anti-union strawman though!

Tuck
Tuck
5 years ago
Reply to  Hey Kids

Blah blah unions suck blah blah. Yes, its all about the dues and those giant salaries union reps get right? Don’t make me laugh, I for one won’t be shopping there, but knock yourself out dude.

Philip Lipson
Philip Lipson
5 years ago

Its hard to claim BS on an anti-New Season campaign when its the very EMPLOYEES who are stating retaliation for even talking of joining a union and improving health benefits. The actions of New Seasons speaks for itself as well as its funding ties to anti-LGBT organizations. Those are facts and not BS.

alexheartsseattle
alexheartsseattle
5 years ago

That Seattle Weekly article was ridiculous – it appears to have been written by a high school journalist:

“management unfairly demanded emotional labor of the employees by asking them to sign a document that agreed to a positive work environment and abstinence from negative discussions about workplace conditions”

Then they post a photo of the document. All it says is to refrain from negative discussions WHILE ON THE FLOOR OF THE STORE. As in: customers don’t want to hear people whining about their jobs when they are picking out apples in the produce section. That’s called common sense. Not “worker oppression”

These left-wing ideologues have proven to better propagandists, liars and whiners than even the most extreme MAGA moron.

SG
SG
5 years ago

“Sign here (or else what?) that you will not discuss unionizing” – yeah, that doesn’t sound like attempting to prevent unionizing at all.

human
human
5 years ago
Reply to  SG

we weren’t forced to sign anything.