Joe's Foes
Union-linked nonprofit humiliates local grocer with food-spoilage allegations, and local media drops the ball completely.
By Jeremy Singer-VineArticle Tools
It would appear that Farmer Joe's and the local media just got Punk'd.
Last we checked in with Farmer Joe's Marketplace was two months ago. The National Labor Relations Board had thrown out several complaints from the United Food and Commercial Workers union alleging unfair labor practices against the new Fruitvale store, and union organizers ominously told us that this was just the beginning of problems for the mom-and-pop grocer, which operates in two Oakland locations.
That prophecy was realized last week when a group calling itself the California Healthy Communities Network held a press conference outside Alameda County's Department of Environmental Health. Spokesman Phil Tucker announced that the group would file complaints with the agency alleging that Farmer Joe's Fruitvale store had brazenly sold expired food products, and that employees had brushed off customers who attempted to return the spoiled items.
Regardless of whether the claim is true, the group's faxed press release should have raised immediate red flags: Who, exactly, was this group? And why would it single out Farmer Joe's? Apparently, neither KTVU nor the Oakland Tribune, both of which jumped on the story, asked themselves these most basic questions. The Trib identified California Healthy Communities Network as "a Martinez-based public health group" while KTVU called it "one health watchdog group," descriptions that gave the nonprofit a semblance of nonpartisanship and independence.
The group's own Web page yields evidence to the contrary: In fact, the California Healthy Communities Network was cofounded by the same union that's fighting Farmer Joe's, along with East Bay Alliance for a Sustainable Economy, a pro-labor organization, and others. Indeed, project director Tucker previously served as spokesman for United Food and Commercial Workers Local 1179.
The news outlets also failed to figure out that the food sting was the first of its kind for a group that previously worked only on labor and land issues. KTVU, meanwhile, interviewed Daniel Rush, who assisted with the sting operation. The report identifies him only as a "private investigator." While Rush is indeed a licensed private eye, the report certainly dealt the former political director of UFCW Local 120 an unearned vibe of independence.
The hive mind wasn't so complacent. Within minutes, commenters on the Trib's Web site and a pro-Farmer Joe's blog had labeled the press conference a union smear campaign. Farmer Joe's co-owner Diana Tam certainly thought so. Yet union officials insist they had no ties to the sting operation. And despite the group's obvious conflicts of interest, the Healthy Communities Network claims its actions were strictly complaint-driven, and on the behalf of consumers. The union organizers who showed up to observe the press conference would likely agree.
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way to go, nice reporting thank you
Yes, we in the neighborhood are confused also. I am a strong Union supporter and I wouldn't cross a REAL picket line. But this is a case where the union is just plain WRONG. Why? Unions might call it "Bread and Circuses" but Farmer Joe's (Joe and Diana) have been an integral part of the the Laurel, and now Dimond, community for over 12 years. They have ALWAYS donated to community events from produce to whatever is needed. I find produce there that I can't find in other stores. Well, IF I wanted to traipse over to Berkeley Bowl where I have NEVER shopped (my disabilty prevents me from parking a long way off), I might find what I need. But I prefer to shop in my neighborhood. I have never purchased anything expired or moldy. Of course, if I take it home and let it sit for 5 days, my produce can become moldy. Joe and Diana have borrowed to the hilt to create an attractive community venue from a eyesore. Opening was delayed over 6 months because of environmental issues. You SHOULD have been there last year on June 24, 2006 when ithe Grand Opening was a huge community event. The neighborhood is angry at the Union and that makes me sad. As far as I am able to discern the Union was called in when two employees were fired..for CAUSE. The neighbor hood can tell the "Healy COmmunity" group is another one of the Union shennanigans. Why doesn't the Union go picket TRADER Joe's? Or Wal-Mart. Those places don't care about the community or theie Employees. Joe and Diana do.
I am a local resident who regularly shops at Farmer Joe's. I have never purchased spoiled or out-of-date food items at the store. I have always enjoyed shopping there, and believe that the store has provided a needed service in the area. Those of us who live in East Oakland have few shopping alternatives, since many of the national chain stores have chosen to close East Oakland locations. I am a former union member myself, and I do not consider myself to be "anti-union". Rather, I am choosing to support a locally-owned and operated store that has created employment opportunities and economic development in a neighborhood that has sorely needed both for many years.
I have heard by several that there is a gentleman by the name of Rick Myers who favors and/or hires men or women for the Farmer Joes store down in Oakland(fruitvale mainly). He hires people that don't have any qualifications for the job and those that have been locked up or who aren't honest with the public.My request from you is to report this to the rest of the employees or to be rid of him. His nephew Mike Myers is one of those people who have been sent to prison. So if you do care about your company or costumers, I would definetely do something A.S.A.P Thank you
From the similarities in misspellings, it would appear that Jessica (obviously a union hack) moonlights by printing the Local 5 flyers. see: http://farmerjoes.wordpress.com/2007/08/29/theyre-back-theyre-whack/ I seriously doubt that she is a costumer OR a customer. BTW, Rick Meyers is a respected manager at the family-owned Farmer Joe's Marketplace and he works tirelessly for the employees that oppose the International UFCW Local 5 "card-check" scheme.
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