WASHINGTON — The United Food and Commercial Workers Union here said it has filed a complaint with the National Labor Relations Board against 2 Sisters Food Group, the primary supplier of prepared foods for Tesco-owned Fresh & Easy Neighborhood Market, over the alleged firing of six workers. The union said the workers were fired for attending a union recruitment meeting and for complaining about managers. Jeremy Chew, a spokesman for 2 Sisters, told SN it is untrue that six employees had been fired for attending union meetings, "and although I've been in touch with the NLRB, I'm not aware that any charges have been filed." 2 Sisters is a British-based food processor that opened a facility in Southern California to supply Fresh & Easy, which is reportedly its only U.S. customer. The union said 2 Sisters management is conducting a campaign of intimidation against workers to deter union activity; the union has also attempted to meet with Fresh & Easy executives to discuss possible unionization. According to Emily Stewar, UFCW campaigns director, "In taking 2 Sisters to a labor tribunal, we are sending a signal that companies cannot come to the U.S. and ride roughshod over workers' rights and labor laws. We also challenge Tesco to take action against 2 Sisters for breaches of Tesco's own supplier standards on the fair treatment of employees."

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