Union seeks boycott of Vegas Wild Oats

Grace Leong

Friday, April 20, 2001 | 10:33 a.m.

A Westport, Conn.-based local of the United Food & Commercial Workers Union, which accused natural foods store Wild Oats Markets Inc. of unfair labor practices, said it has sent 65,000 postcards to Las Vegas residents asking them to boycott two local stores.

Brian Petronella, UFCW local 371's president, said the union is targeting the Wild Oats stores in Las Vegas because the Boulder, Colo.-based company is currently conducting a big promotion in Las Vegas.

Wild Oats, which has two Las Vegas stores each called Wild Oats Community Market with a total of 150 local workers, said it relocated one store at 6720 W. Sahara Ave. last February to a site at 7250 West Lake Mead Blvd. One other store is at 517 N. Stephanie Street in Henderson.

"Moreover, Las Vegas is a union city," Petronella said. "There are a lot of union members out there, and we are looking for their support to shop elsewhere."

He said the Las Vegas residents at the zip code areas where the local stores are located should be soon receiving the 65,000 yellow postcards.

UFCW local 711 in Las Vegas, which said it has received calls from local Wild Oats workers here, said it supports local 371's efforts but has no immediate plans to seek union elections at the local stores.

Bob Matteson, Wild Oats' regional director, said the Las Vegas stores have received a few phone calls from customers about the postcards.

"Wild Oats doesn't feel there's a need for a union. We feel it is of no benefit to the staff or the company. We have a very good line of communication with our staff and health and welfare benefits," he said. "Our wages are competitive to markets like Vons and Albertsons, from minimum prevailing wage to $15 an hour. We also offer birthday benefits and benefits for community services."

UFCW local 371, which said it organized a Westport store called "Food For Thought" last April when it was under Wild Oats' ownership, said the National Labor Relations Board in Hartford, Conn., issued a complaint on Sep. 29 against Wild Oats, alleging unfair labor practices. A hearing on the NLRB's complaint began in February.

The NLRB's complaint alleged Norwalk, Conn., Wild Oats managers harassed and interrogated its workers for their union activities and allegedly threatened them with a reduction in hours.

The complaint also said Wild Oats created an impression that the workers' union activities were under surveillance, threatened employees with store closures and allegedly discontinued their monthly profit-sharing bonus.

Matteson said the allegations are "without merit."