BUFFALO, N.Y. — Another group of workers are attempting to form a union in Western New York, this time at the Lexington Co-op.
The group, called Lexington Co-op Workers United, made the announcement on social media on Wednesday.
Lexington Co-op Workers United said it sent a letter to management, providing the reasons they are looking to unionize.
"Decisions about the co-op are made collaboratively by management and member-owners, but worker voices are conspicuously absent," Hunter Schwartz, a worker at the Elmwood store, said in a statement.
"A union is the best way to ensure that the project of the co-op reflects the needs of the whole community."
Added Philip Kneitinger, a four-year employee at the Hertel store: "Co-op workers believe in the community-minded mission of the Co-op and believe that unionizing will allow us to be even more community-minded going forward."
2 On Your Side reached out to Lexington Co-op management, which said in a statement that it supported "democratic participation and education" when it comes to whether workers unionize.
The statement read:
Today, the co-op received a letter from a group of staff members announcing their desire to form a union.
The co-op strongly believes in the rights of staff to participate in organizing activities as well as their right to refrain from participating in organizing activities.
Democratic participation and education are core values of the Lexington Co-op, and coops everywhere. We believe that all staff should have an opportunity to decide whether they want to unionize as well as be informed with pertinent and accurate information to do so.
We value and appreciate the hard work, creativity, and kindness that our staff bring to the job every day. As colleagues, we work daily to build a culture of appreciation, respect, fairness, transparency, staff-development, and market-leading compensation.
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