Protest at Rite Aid
RAD | Quote | Chart | News | PowerRating -- Union members and workers rallied against Rite Aid on Friday, saying the East Pennsboro Twp.-retailer is trying to keep unions out and failing to negotiate with ones that are already representing workers.
Carrying a hand-made Valentine that read "Rite Aid, don't break our heart" about 20 members of unions, including the AFL-CIO, the International Longshore and Warehouse Union and AFSCME held protests at the Rite Aid on Market Street in Harrisburg and at the corporate headquarters on Hunter Lane.
The demonstrations were two of 14 demonstrations planned for Friday in Pennsylvania, Oregon, Washington and California to shed light on companies the unions believe threaten and harass workers who try to organize.
Sylvia Estrada, a warehouse worker, said she was given a three-day suspension during union organization efforts at a Rite Aid distribution center in Lancaster, Calif.
Though the workers voted in the contract with the International Longshoreman and Warehouse Union in March, Estrada said the company has still not presented a viable contract and continues to retaliate against workers.
"I came all the way from Lancaster to say stop mistreating our employees, stop firing them," Estrada said. "Respect our vote. We voted 'union yes.'"
Karen Rugen, senior vice president of corporate communications for Rite Aid, said it is bargaining in good faith with the California workers, despite wage and benefit demands that she called exorbitant.
"Despite these requests, we will continue to bargain with [the union] in good faith until we can reach an agreement that is fair to all parties," she said.
Don McGrogan, director of field operations for United Food and Commercial Workers International Local 1776, said Rite Aid was trying to get out of honoring previous contracts that would have placed workers at recently acquired Eckerd/Brooks stores under their collective bargaining agreement.
McGrogan said the issue is in arbitration, and the union expects to win.
Rugen said the company doesn't see the situation the same way.
"It's certainly not for us to decide for them," Rugen said. "They should be able to vote, just as everyone has the right to vote."
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