New Seasons Market has cut 95 jobs across the Portland area, representing less than 5% of its store workforce, following about a year of bargaining with the New Seasons Labor Union. The union called the layoffs outrageous, and affected workers plan to seek recall rights, while the company says it will provide short-term pay and benefits as the situation is resolved.
Company ties cuts to contract, offers brief cushion
In a statement to KGW, New Seasons said it is offering four weeks of pay and six weeks of continued health coverage to employees who were let go. The company linked the reductions to last year’s bargaining agreement and the resulting wage increases across the chain, and reiterated that the 95 layoffs represent less than 5% of its current store staff.
Union leans on contract wins and recall rules
The New Seasons Labor Union says the agreement members ratified in December covers 853 workers at 10 Portland-area stores and raised starting pay, including a $19 minimum rate for new hires. More than 95% of members moved above $20 an hour, according to New Seasons Labor Union. The union’s collective bargaining agreement also spells out layoff procedures that place laid-off workers on a "Recall List" and give hiring priority by seniority, language in the New Seasons Labor Union contract that union leaders insist must be honored as workers seek to return.
What is next for workers and stores
The union has labeled the layoffs "outrageous" and says workers at union locations who lose their jobs will be placed on recall lists and should get first shot at rehire opportunities as positions reopen. New Seasons did not identify which stores were affected when contacted, KGW reported, and the company has not yet provided details on how long recalls might take. For now, store managers and union representatives are expected to work through the seniority and job posting rules laid out in the contract.
Background
The cuts follow months of bargaining and a strike authorization that helped push New Seasons and the union to a deal late last year, according to reporting from the Northwest Labor Press. Community members and shoppers who watched last year's boycott and contract fight are now likely to be watching just as closely to see whether the company restores the eliminated roles or how rehiring unfolds under the new agreement.
