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Labor & Worker Rights Thu Apr 22 2010
Students, Organizers Accuse Pete's Fresh Market Management of Spying
Workers at Pete's Fresh Market claim their employer continues to harass workers involved in a union organizing drive, accusing management of spying on organizers and students at a meeting at UIC last week.
Last month, GB covered the fight between Pete's owners and pro-union workers in which former and current employees are alleging unfair labor practices, sexual harassment, and national origin discrimination, claiming multiple employees have been fired for trying to organize a union with the United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW) Local 881. Pete's denies all the claims.
Representatives from the union and and supportive community organizations gathered in front of the Southwest Side Pete's at 43rd and Pulaski today and alleged that Pete's management spied on a meeting of the Mexican Students de Aztlan (MESA) at UIC with union organizers, videotaping their meeting without their consent in order to know what the union was up to.
Antonio Boyzo, a senior at UIC and co-chair of MESA, said organizers have worked closely with his group on the campaign and came to a general meeting to give an update. One unidentified person was standing near the back of the room--Antonio said he "had his iPhone out the entire meeting."
"We didn't realize he was taping us until the end," Boyzo said
According to Boyzo and other MESA members, union representatives questioned the man, who said his name was Rodrigo, and that he lived in Argentina for 19 years but spoke no Spanish.
Organizers identified the man as Petros Dremonas, a nephew of the owner of Pete's Fresh Market. As students recounted their story, they pointed to a man exiting the store and watching the press conference, identifying him as Dremonas.
When I called Pete's and asked to speak with Dremonas, a manager who did not give his name refused, saying it "wasn't necessary" and dismissing workers' claims as "fabrications and lies, for certain entities to gain...I don't know what." The manager also said Dremonas is a nephew of the owner but is not a Pete's employee (though after calling Pete's main number, I was initially connected to him before he transferred my call).
Boyzo said there could only be one reason for the videotaping.
"He was there to spy, to see what we were up to."
Moises Zavala, organizing director of Local 881, agreed.
"They are spying on supporters because they don't want to see their employees organized," he said.
Zavala noted that Pete's is going in front of the zoning commission tomorrow to get permission to continue work on a new store on Madison and Western. He said he hopes the city will consider the alleged union-busting before granting the company their needed permits.
"Any company that is abusing the rights of workers and spying on community or student groups needs to shape up and respect the communities where they operate before they're granted permission to expand."
Maria D. Amezcua, chair of the Latino chapter of the Rainbow PUSH Coalition and the Rescue and Development Federation of Coahuila, said she'll only be back to Pete's for protests, not groceries.
"We're never returning to Pete's to buy anything. If they don't stop mistreating workers, we're going to stop supporting them," she stated.
mia / July 19, 2010 7:56 PM
This movement is so absurd, dishonest and misleading. I shop at Pete's and almost the entire staff and managers are Hispanic at the store where Your children and grandchildren will be even worse off with fewer freedoms. Don't make yourself the victim; don't be used by the leftist. How's that working out for most of the Central and South American countries under dictatorships? shop. If the Hispanics(or any other group or person)doesn't want to work where there's no labor union, then quit! Go to a business that is unionized. There's many, many people I know who would love to have their jobs. With the Chicago unemployment at approx. 13%, your motives are suspect. You should be down on your knees thanking God for your job and the opportunities the U.S. provides. Hispanics come here because their own mother country isn't providing jobs, peace, and the education they need to prosper. Shame on your government. Why aren't you protesting there and demanding your citizens rights there? Why aren't you demanding Mexico to provide you and your family with your God given rights of freedom?
If you were working at a unionized job, what would change? More security? Better pay? More opportunities? Please educate yourselves! You're being used to solidify the Progessive base. Your union dues are being used to make millionaries out of your leaders. Wake up! Be part of the American dream. If you buy in to this socialism/communism, you'll be a slave to the "state/government" forever.