Bull Moose workers Unionize (1 Viewer)

[AlexNH]

Salem Bull Moose workers unionize​

• By Breanna Edelstein The Eagle-Tribune
• Sep 18, 2021

SALEM — Local Bull Moose employees who were suddenly fired, then rehired, earlier this year have officially unionized.

A statement Wednesday from United Food and Commercial Workers Local 1445 announced that the Salem retail workers voted unanimously to join the Dedham-based union of 12,000.

In May, a mass email from Bull Moose CFO Chris Brown informed the staff of 20 that their employment was terminated. Higher-ups in the company did not explain the decision to workers or the general public.

The unemployed, however, spoke up about their last conversations with company leadership, regarding a debated decision to do away with a mask mandate. Employees said at the time they were accustomed to feeling unsupported by leadership, especially in difficult situations with the Bull Moose customer base.

Union officials say they were approached by Bull Moose workers with complaints about workplace safety and harassment on the job, including racism, sexism, transphobia and homophobia.

The 419 South Broadway location was closed for several weeks with a sign seeking applicants posted on the entrance.

By mid-June, Bull Moose Founder Brett Wickard had offered everyone their jobs again, with back pay.
A statement on the company’s Facebook page read in part, “Over the last few weeks, we listened to our staff and got to work on fixing what we could, changing what needed to be changed, and demonstrating a concrete recommitment to our values.”

Wickard said the company became committed to accelerating company raises, so that all employees can earn at least $15 per hour by June 2022.
UFCW Local 1445 President Fernando Lemus said in a statement this week, “The past year has demonstrated the value of having a unionized workplace, and we know that a strong union contract will help make Bull Moose a better place for workers, customers, and our community.”

As of Wednesday the Salem location was the only one of Bull Moose’s 11 locations in Maine and New Hampshire, including Keene, to take this action. But that could change. “We all deserve to have a voice, be heard, and be treated with dignity and respect at work,” said Salem worker Whitney Villers. “We’re looking forward to seeing Bull Moose workers across New Hampshire and Maine come together and join us at the negotiating table as we secure a union contract that improves these jobs for all of us.”

The next step is contract negotiations between Bull Moose worker bargaining committee members, UFCW L1445 union representatives, and Bull Moose management.

 

[ahollis]

Well that may explain Bull Moose’s lateness on shipping.

 

[Dick]

I can well remember when Bullmoose first opened in Maine. Soon there were stores in Brunswick, Lewiston and Portland. I thought it was a pretty amazing place. That was before they expanded to the point where they had to add a warehouse in Scarborough, its inventory database connected to all their outlets. Bullmoose paid a pretty fair price for used CD's and DVD's until that happened. Now, you could probably do better at a pawnshop. Fun to browse there, though, and some of their prices are good.

 

[David Norman]

Well that may explain Bull Moose’s lateness on shipping.

Why? One ;local store and not the main warehouse was affected. I realize some stores do ship product directly, but 1 store out of 11 shouldn't make a huge difference

The more likely shipping delay is late delivery of discs from the replication factory that seems to have affected just about all the Allied Vaugn MOD lines and many new releases either arriving late/very late or late enough to cause a full delay in release date

 

[Thomas T]

GO UNION!

 

[borisfw]

Just left the Salem Bullmoose store an hour ago.

 

[AlexNH]

Bull Moose is basically saying: "We're overpaying them but they're worth it."

 

[Adam Lenhardt]

I don't see this thread staying open for long, given the inherently political nature of its topic.

Bull Moose is basically saying: "We're overpaying them but they're worth it."

If they're worth it, then the company isn't overpaying.

 

[ahollis]

What’s political?

 

[ahollis]

Why? One ;local store and not the main warehouse was affected. I realize some stores do ship product directly, but 1 store out of 11 shouldn't make a huge difference

The more likely shipping delay is late delivery of discs from the replication factory that seems to have affected just about all the Allied Vaugn MOD lines and many new releases either arriving late/very late or late enough to cause a full delay in release date

Well everyone is complaining about slow delivery.

 

[David Norman]

Well everyone is complaining about slow delivery.

Yes, but my old job frequent answer true true unrelated seems to apply.

 

[AlexNH]

I don't see this thread staying open for long, given the inherently political nature of its topic.

If they're worth it, then the company isn't overpaying.

It's a new development about a company many people post about here. One guy posted about a slow delivery (obviously a joke). No political intention from me.

 

[Robert Crawford]

It's a new development about a company many people post about here. One guy posted about a slow delivery (obviously a joke). No political intention from me.

Once it starts in that direction then this thread will be closed.

 

[cineMANIAC]

I like Bull Moose. Never had any issues with them. Their prices are reasonable and shipping is fairly expeditious. I always thought of them as a great mom & pop outfit that stand out among corporate giants like Best Buy and Amazon. That view is a little skewered now with this development. Won't make me stop supporting them but I may decide to go elsewhere for some titles.

 

[Winston T. Boogie]

I have been a regular shopper there but when I moved this year I moved farther away so don't get up there very much now. I had seen that they had temporarily closed the Salem location and wondered why but did not really follow what had happened because I was not going there. I still order from them online but not sure how often I will get to the store itself.

They did follow a mask mandate there during most of the Covid deal but dropped it when everybody else in New England dropped it. However, I had been in their Portsmouth location after mask mandates had been dropped and they were still requiring wearing a mask in their store.

The problem is that there are people that are violently against mask wearing and they go insane when you attempt to tell them they have to wear a mask. A woman I went to High School with got herself arrested at an ice cream place because they continued their mask mandate to be on their property and she threw a fit. Swore at other customers that were pointing out to her masks were required there and told staff "F you, arrest me."

So, they called the cops and she was arrested. I can see that playing out over and over and over in retail places that are just trying to protect their employees and customers.

If this was one of the issues at the Salem store I can see that being tough for ownership. Retail stores here in New England mostly have signs up saying if you are fully vaccinated masks are optional. Problem is, they can't check if you are vaccinated so it is on the honor system.

The only choice is to just tell people in our store you must wear a mask but if you do that it will infuriate some customers. Unfortunately rational and polite behavior is kind of a thing of the past. We live in the age of outrage.

 

[TravisR]

The problem is that there are people that are violently against mask wearing and they go insane when you attempt to tell them they have to wear a mask. A woman I went to High School with got herself arrested at an ice cream place because they continued their mask mandate to be on their property and she threw a fit. Swore at other customers that were pointing out to her masks were required there and told staff "F you, arrest me."

So, they called the cops and she was arrested.

Ask and ye shall receive.

 

[Winston T. Boogie]

Ask and ye shall receive.

Funny thing was she was proud of this incident and so posted about it on social media. She felt she did some great thing for our "freedoms" and really had no perspective on what happened.

What about the freedoms and rights of the business owners and the other people shopping at the business? The only important freedom she could see was her freedom not to wear a mask in someone else's store.

Basically, retail can be tough in regular times add in this madness and it just is even worse.

 

[Robert Crawford]

Okay, lets not make this another Covid and mask wearing thread.

 

[Will Krupp]

Okay, lets not make this another Covid and mask wearing thread.

I decided to sit on my hands like a good little boy because I knew you'd be along!

 

[Alan_H]

I must say I'm a bit surprised at the complaints about slow shipping. I've placed several dozen orders with Bull Moose and have almost always found their shipping speed to be excellent.