Fresh & Green's Workers Ratify Contract; Former SuperFresh Opens in DC

(Metropolitan Washington Council, AFL-CIO)Former SuperFresh workers represented by United Food & Commercial Workers (UFCW) Local 400 ratified a new contract last night and went to work as their old store in Washington reopened under the Fresh & Green’s banner as a unique, natural foods supermarket/restaurant hybrid. “I couldn’t be more pleased that our members will stay employed, keep their health benefits, maintain their retirement security, and continue to be empowered through union representation,” said UFCW Local 400 President Tom McNutt. “This win-win agreement demonstrates that Washington, D.C., remains a union supermarket city,” McNutt added. The facility, located at 4330 48th Street, N.W., was purchased by Natural Market Restaurants Corporation of Toronto, Canada, under A&P bankruptcy proceedings, It is believed to be the first U.S. store owned by the company to operate as a union shop. McNutt urged support for Fresh & Green’s, saying that “Our members provide unparalleled customer service and I believe shoppers will find Fresh & Green’s far superior to non-union competitors like Whole Foods. In addition, their purchases will support the kind of quality retail jobs Washington needs, giving the city’s economy a boost."