UNFI drivers vote to join Florida Teamsters

Drivers at United Natural Foods, Inc. (UNFI) have unanimously voted to join Teamsters Local 79 in Tampa, Fla. 

The 80-worker group had recently taken a case to the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) to secure a union election and push back on efforts from UNFI to outsource their jobs to nonunion transportation and logistics company J.B. Hunt, based in Lowell, Ark.

The group is seeking a “strong Teamsters contract” to address what they say is “years of concerns and mismanagement” at UNFI’s Sarasota facility. Key issues include wages, health care and retirement benefits, job security, and working conditions.

A spokesperson from UNFI said this in a statement: 
 
“UNFI offers competitive pay and benefits and safe working conditions to all associates. Where our associates are represented, UNFI maintains constructive relationships with those unions, and we bargain with our union partners in good faith to reach agreements that are fair to both sides. In these agreements, we address wages and benefits, other terms and conditions of employment, and the need for operating flexibility to satisfy customer demands regarding the delivery of our products.” 

On March 14, the NLRB ruled in favor of holding an election for UNFI drivers. Now, the board is continuing to investigate whether UNFI also committed unfair labor practices because it claims it subcontracted driving jobs to J.B. Hunt.

The organizing move follows recent Teamsters organizing moves at UNFI in Arizona, California, Connecticut, Georgia, Iowa, Pennsylvania, and Washington. The Teamsters represent more than 4,000 members at UNFI across the U.S.