UNFI Statement

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In Brief: United Natural Foods, Inc. (UNFI) is a national natural foods distributor. At the northwest warehouse, located in Auburn, WA, workers and drivers were on strike for 9 week over fair contract negotiations and while The National Labor Relations Board investigated UNFI for unfair labor practices.

On February 7th the warehouse workers and drivers, represented by Teamsters Local 117, overwhelmingly voted to ratify a fully-recommended 5-year contract agreement with United Natural Foods, Inc. (UNFI). The agreement provides for the reinstatement of all workers, including the 72 who had been permanently replaced, health and welfare protections for workers, and meaningful wage increases.

Tracey A. Thompson, secretary-treasurer of Local 117, thanked the many community partners for their unwavering support:

We are also deeply grateful to all of the individuals, unions, co-ops, small grocers, and other community organizations that took actions in solidarity with the striking workers and to those who donated to the hardship fund set up to provide workers with financial relief. Your generosity has made a tremendous difference in the lives of the 160 workers and their families who have been impacted by the strike.

Dear Mr. Spinner:

The Domestic Fair Trade Association (DFTA) is a membership-based organization representing farmers, farmworkers, food system workers, retailers, manufacturers, processors, and non-governmental organizations. The DFTA s mission is to support family-scale farming, to reinforce farmer-led initiatives such as farmer co-operatives, and to bring these groups together with mission-based traders, retailers and concerned consumers to contribute to the movement for just and sustainable agriculture in North America.

Many of our member organizations are vendors or customers of United Natural Foods, Inc. As such, we are concerned by the findings of the International Labor Rights Forum (ILRF) in the report issued November 3,

2012. The report outlines numerous labor violations and unfair labor practices in two UNFI warehouses in the western United States. The National Labor Relations Board is also investigating these charges. We also understand that there has been an injunction put in place against the union.

UNFI has represented itself to the public as a company that operates according to principles of social responsibility, making these charges even more serious. The UNFI mission makes a clear commitment to their employees (associates) that includes the following statements: treating them with respect and providing competitive merit based compensation & benefits. UNFI s core values go on to promise open and honest communication with our associates, a safe and healthy work environment, and social and environmental responsibility for the health of the planet. As mission-based businesses in a largely mission-based industry, many UNFI customers have supplier policies that forbid the types of activities outlined in the ILRF report. UNFI s largest customer, Whole Foods, makes the following statement in its core values, We seek supplier partnerships that share our concern for social responsibility and the environment.

While our members appreciate the letter they recently received from your CEO Steven Spinner, they are still seeking clarity about this difficult situation, particularly the decision not to rehire workers who were previously fired. We are aware that in any conflict, there may be details at play that are not known to all. We would appreciate a response that guides our communication with not only our membership but the larger fair trade community, helping them accurately understand decisions made by UNFI.

We will continue to monitor the current situation and expect to see actions reflecting your Mission Statement.