AzAN's February 28 Forum- Hungry for Respect: Fired Bashas’ Workers Speak Out
Courageous Basha's workers told their personal stories at AzAN's February Forum
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Bashas' fired warehouse workers described what happened.
Robert Smith
Meet Robert Smith: My name is Robert Smith. I worked at the Bashas’ Distribution Center in the baler department. After our jobs were outsourced to a temp agency, Bashas’ said we had the opportunity to apply for different positions in the company. When a couple coworkers and I went down to human resources to apply for different positions, we found the doors were literally locked. We looked through the window and saw people staring at us but no one would come to the door to speak with us. It seems rather deceitful for Bashas’ to give their workers hope and then strip it away from us. I was eventually placed with the temp agency that Bashas’ outsourced the department to, but was fired after two short weeks. They had no real intention of keeping me on board, it was more for show.
Meet A.C. Span: My name is AC Span.When I got hired at Bashas’ I was told that we were all part of the Bashas’ family.They even called us members rather than employees to emphasize that we were family.They also told me that Bashas’ had an open door policy and that I could raise concerns or questions whenever I needed to. I loved working for Bashas’, but I saw some things that needed to be improved and so did my coworkers. We took Bashas’ up on their open door policy and we found that it just didn’t exist. Management ignored us when we raised concerns about health and safety and we were harassed for exercising our rights in the workplace.We took management at their word that their door would be open.Instead they showed us the door.
Meet Walter Henyard: My name is Walter Henyard. I worked at the Bashas’ Distribution Center in the baler department. Being a union member in Illinois, I understood the need to unite with my coworkers to win improvements in the workplace. Ever since management found out that I supported the union, I was constantly harassed.I’ve never experienced such disrespect in my life. Management ignored us when my coworkers and I asked Bashas’ to work with us to improve workplace safety. I kept at it because I wanted management to know how serious the problems were. I continued to wear my gold UFCW t-shirt to work. I continued to talk to my coworkers about the need for change. Once Bashas’ saw that our department fully supported the union, they outsourced our jobs. Many of my coworkers were transferred to different positions, placed with the temp agency or fired. I was fired, and I believe it was because I would not stay quiet.
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