Bellis Fair Macy’s ends boycott as union wins a contract promising better pay and safety
Employees at the Macy’s department store in Bellingham’s Bellis Fair mall, along with the other unionized employees in Washington, have accepted a contract to end strikes and boycotts.
Bellingham’s local Macy’s employees first took action last fall by striking on the busiest shopping day of the year, Black Friday. The strike across multiple store locations was a response to Macy’s “not doing enough to address shoplifting, violent shoppers, and other safety threats to workers and customers,” along with employee wages being too low for the cost of living, a news release states.
“I’ve been at the Bellis Fair Macy’s for 19 years. ... because they cut down on workers, I’m alone a lot in my department. With the threats we face from shoplifters, Macy’s needs to improve security, and we deserve better pay. The price of everything is up but my pay is not. Most of the time I can’t afford to fill up my gas tank,” Bellis Fair Macy’s employee Christina Verkist said in a news release.
After the union met at the bargaining table with the company again, Bellingham customers were asked to boycott the store as other Washington locations went on strike on Jan. 15.
On Jan. 29, over 400 employees across Washington state in the UFCW 3000 Macy’s union voted to accept the largest ratification bonus in the United States for Macy’s workers, according to a news release.
The new contract includes increased wages for employees and improved safety conditions, such as a 20% ratification bonus, the right for workers to discuss safety concerns or call 9-1-1 during a dangerous situation without retaliation by the company, and Martin Luther King Jr. Day flex paid time off.
“This was the biggest retail worker strike we have ever experienced,” Joe Mizrahi, secretary treasurer at UFCW 3000, said in the news release. “Hundreds of Macy’s workers in Washington, with the power of their union, just got a gold standard agreement. Workers will have increased wage protections and safety protocols when they face health and safety threats in the store. Our members who have worked for Macy’s for decades were not getting the respect, pay, and support that they deserve. Now they’ve got the corporation’s attention. We hope new CEO Tony Spring and the Macy’s board see the value of investing in livable wages and benefits for Macy’s workers as key to the company’s future.”
Bellingham’s Macy’s store is regularly open from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday, Friday and Saturday; 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Tuesday and Wednesday; and 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Sunday at 50 E Bellis Fair Pkwy.
