At the Olympia Finance Committee meeting on Aug. 26, several local workers spoke about their challenges with inconsistent scheduling, reduced hours, and the need for higher wages and better working conditions.
The workers advocated for stronger protections and asked the committee to support a workers' bill of rights that would cover higher wages, predictable scheduling, and other necessary protections.
Jenny Ballentine, a checker at Albertsons, expressed concerns about reduced hours impacting workers' job security and financial stability. "Since we've had a change in our director, we've been losing a ton of hours, and a lot of the people that have been there for ages are starting to lose their hours," she said. "People are feeling the crunch of having to work two people's jobs and not even a full shift."
Bryan Shanafelt, a UFWC 367 member and local grocery store worker, expressed the challenges he and other workers face due to the inconsistent scheduling and lack of predictable hours, which makes it very difficult to plan their lives and finances.
He shared examples of the inconsistent scheduling and pay he has experienced at his job in the past few weeks. The worker received paychecks of $500, $171, and then only $69, making it very difficult to plan his week and month.
Shanafelt said he had a workweek schedule of only 10.5 hours. He claimed it was hard to get consistent hours or find a second part-time job under these circumstances.
He also mentioned that the employees at the pizza place across the street from his workplace are regularly cut or sent home early when the restaurant goes over labor, leaving just one person to handle the work.
Alec Armendariz, a grocery store worker, spoke about consistently being scheduled for fewer than 40 hours per week, despite needing 40 hours of work each week to make ends meet.
Armendariz said he and his wife are thousands of dollars in debt, and with his wife set to deliver a child next month, their financial situation is becoming even more precarious.
Tyrone Moore, a political and community organizer with the United Food and Commercial Workers Local 367 union, discussed the potential for a comprehensive workers' Bill of Rights in Olympia. He mentioned the union's intention to prepare ballot initiatives in Olympia and Tacoma to address issues like higher wages, access to full-time hours, predictable schedules, and safety concerns. He noted these problems impact all service sector workers, not just the union's members.
According to Finance Committee member Clark Gilman, the committee had scheduled time on their next month's agenda to discuss minimum wage and related worker protections. He noted that it aligns with the city's Housing Action Plan and Olympia Strong economic development plan. "There's support on the council, so I hope we can make an expedited path for this."
Jim Cooper echoed the importance of worker safety and family planning, recounting a personal anecdote about a manager's last-minute shift change. "It would be impossible to have a shift change at the last minute and take care of our kids or our elders," he said, emphasizing the need for better worker protections.
Finance Committee Chair Lisa Parshley reiterated the need for workers to receive adequate wages and full-time employment, suggesting the use of the University of Washington sustainability scale to determine a living wage, rather than the HUD standard.
Parshley welcomed the opportunity to discuss the issue. "I look forward, Jim, I've been on council for over six years, to finally talk about your referral and getting some of this push forward."
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HappyOlympian
A brutal read. This industry has been tough to work in since I was young, I was in UFCW 367 long ago, exact same issues then as described here. Inconsistent hours the worst, and combined with unpredictable schedules tough on single folks, a nightmare for those with families to support.
Monday, September 2 Report this
Esther
These are not the only workers struggling. Read about the workers at Bloodworks Northwest who are trying to organize a union.
https://olywip.org/bloodworks-northwest-attempts-to-stifle-olympia-union/
Monday, September 2 Report this
jimlazar
I look forward to the union bringing such an initiative to the voters.
It's been half a century, but I too worked under these kind of conditions in retail.
The City initiative process is severely underused.
I do hope they bring it simultaneously in Olympia, Lacey, and Tumwater, so that there is no "haven" from fair working conditions in the urbanized area.
Tuesday, September 3 Report this
Southsoundguy
More unions will only make problems worse. Enough with 1960s boomer economics.
Tuesday, September 3 Report this
Kruz81
Should learned a trade or skills in demand. I love the self checkout. No incompetent checker.
Wednesday, September 4 Report this