Head’s Up! Co-op is under construction. We are restoring our siding and windows after 20+ years of ware. We will be closed on Thursday 8/15/24. We’ll be open during the rest of construction. You may experience some noise/dust. Quiet hours are 6-9pm. Poppy’s will be closed from 8/13-8/19. Thanks for you patience and support!. People’s Food Co-op. (Pictured is a photo of the Co-op building under construction during it’s expansion, 2002)
Myth Busters--People’s Food Co-op Board of Directors Edition
Myth Busters--People’s Food Co-op Board of Directors Edition
By Marc Brown, Director
Myth #1: I don’t have the skills needed to serve on the board.
Truth #1: Everyone has the skills needed to serve on the board of People’s! The only requirement is that you are a Member-Owner of People’s Food Co-op (if you’re not sure if you are, or would like to become one, email us here). The Board’s strength comes from the diversity of skills that the board members bring to it. Everyone has skills and those skills add to the diversity and strength of the Board.
Myth #2: I do not know anything about running a cooperative grocery store or running any grocery store for that matter, so I shouldn’t run for the Board.
Truth #2: Very few directors on the Board know anything about running a grocery store or any store. The Board of People’s is a governance board and not an operational board. That means that the Board is not involved in the day-to-day operations of the store. People’s has an excellent and dedicated collectively managed staff that knows how to run the store. The Board governs the cooperative corporation through policies. The Board governs by ensuring that the Board and staff are meeting board policies.
Myth #3: You mentioned policies. I hear that you use a system called Policy Governance. I have no idea what that means and so I cannot be a director.
Truth #3: The Board trains every new director on Policy Governance. Very few individuals know anything about Policy Governance when they begin to serve on the Board. But within a year, the new directors are Policy Governance experts, a handy skill they carry on beyond their term on the Board.
Myth #4: I previously served on the board of a non-profit and it was very challenging with many heated discussions about how the group could best advocate. I don’t want to sign up for more stress like that.
Truth #4: People’s Food Cooperative is not a non-profit. It is a cooperatively owned corporation which runs a for-profit business—our grocery store. Each Member-Owner owns one share of the co-operative corporation and with that one share, each Member-Owner has one vote. The directors represent the owners much like any corporate board of a company like Apple or Pepsi or Columbia Sportswear, but the big difference is that WE OWN IT. It is our corporation. Additionally, the Board of People’s uses a consensus model of decision-making. Rather than voting to make decisions, we hold discussions to hear everyone’s point of view, find a happy medium or compromise and then move forward together. This seems to reduce much of the tension and animosity that is sometimes experienced on boards that operate on a majority rules model.
Myth #5: I do not have the time to serve on the Board.
Truth #5: It is true that serving on the Board does take time. Probably a minimum of 6 hours a month. Some directors put in additional time on projects and committees. However, much of that time is spent working with and around interesting people who are passionate about food access, social justice, human rights, equity and equality, and economic opportunities. And, all directors get a 15% discount on their purchases at People’s for their efforts.
The Living Wage Question
This report was first published in People’s 2022 Annual Report.
Our Living Wage Fund is live! Your monthly contribution to our Living Wage Fund supports getting all co-op workers closer to a living wage!
The Living Wage Question
By People’s Living Wage Working Group
Introduction
We sometimes get inquiries from Member-Owners and customers about the rate of pay at the co-op, and whether People’s workers are paid a living wage. In addition, we, as both Collective Managers and employees, have become concerned that People’s current wage scale does not meet the needs of its workers or the needs of the co-op as an enterprise. At the same time, we are constrained by the mandate to operate a financially responsible business which does not create an unsustainable wage structure, given the level of sales possible with our current store. The purpose of this report is to answer some of these questions for Member-Owners, and to share information regarding our dilemmas and concerns regarding the living wage question.
What is a living wage?
A living wage is the theoretical amount of income required for individuals or households to be able to afford adequate shelter, food and other necessities.
There are different ways to calculate a living wage, and, for the purpose of this report, we are using the 2023 living wages calculator for Multnomah County presented by MIT (note: the living wages calculator at the link will now display the present day’s living wage calculation). The additional background information regarding historical living wage calculations in the Portland area is provided by Multnomah County Living Wage Calculator, archived data.
The amount that constitutes a living wage is different for single individuals, households with multiple incomes, households with dependent children, and single individuals with dependents; but for simplicity, in this report, we will refer to the living wage calculated for a single person with no dependents.
For a single person with no dependents, living in Multnomah County in 2023, a living wage is currently calculated to be $21.85/hr. Note: as of March 2024, the Multnomah County living wage for a single person with no dependents is now calculated to be $26.45/hour.
Although all workers at People’s are paid by hourly-wage, rather than by salary, it may be helpful to understand that for a full-time schedule of 35 hours per week, this amounts to yearly gross pay of $39,767 ($48,139 in 2024).
It’s also important to note that for families with children, the amount considered to be a living wage is higher, calculated at $39.70/hr. For single households with one dependent child, the calculated living wage is: $40.94/hr ($48.23/hr in 2024). These factors can make employment at People’s very difficult for people who have, or who want to have, children; they make it nearly impossible for anyone who is a single parent or solo care provider to be able to work at People’s.
Do we currently pay a living wage to workers?
Our current starting wage is $17.68, which is a little more than $4/hour less than Multnomah County’s living wage of $21.85. Note: as of March 2024, our starting wage is $8.77/hour less than the Multnomah County’s living wage of $26.45.
Currently, only 5 out of our 33 workers are paid at an hourly rate at or above living wage, due to their longer tenure at People’s. (Note: as of March 2024, only 1 out of 33 workers is paid at or above living wage). This means that 28 workers – all of the employees who have been at People’s for less than seven years – are not currently paid a living wage. (Note: as of March 2024, 32 workers are now making less than a living wage.)
The last time People’s paid what was considered a living wage as starting pay for a single person with no dependents, was 2019, when we paid $14.75 as a starting wage, with Multnomah County living wage calculated just a bit lower, at $14.59.
What is People’s history with payment of a living wage?
Looking back, People’s has traditionally paid workers well for our industry. Going back 10 years, in 2012 we paid a starting wage of $12.58 – $3.16 higher than what the living wage was calculated to be at the time: $9.42 for a single person with no dependents.
Here, you can see how People’s pay scale has changed over time and has not kept up with the living wage (we’ve skipped several years for clarity):
As shown in the information above, in years before 2020, workers would start out with a pay rate that was several dollars higher than the calculated living wage at the time. In 2020, workers at People’s would reach living wage within their first year of employment.
But since 2020, the rising cost of living has made it impossible for People’s Collective Management to continue to pay a living wage while also holding to the commitment to keep the co-op sustainable and profitable.
In 2020, our starting wage was $15, just 16 cents lower than the calculated living wage at the time. Then, in 2021, when the living wage went up with the cost of living to $18.86, our starting wage at People’s remained at $15.
In 2021, the Collective Management worked hard to calculate and implement a wage adjustment, raising starting wages to $17/hr while making sure to offset this by careful sales projections. This decision by the Collective Management enabled many of our current newer staff and collective managers to apply and accept positions at People’s, which would have been much less feasible at a starting rate of $15/hr. However, in this same year, the cost of living went up again, and the living wage was re-calculated to $21.60, which put co-op wages behind once again.
In late 2022, the Collective Management agreed to a Cost of Living Adjustment (COLA) for 2023, as per our wages policy. This adjustment helped to offset some amount of inflation, but did not bring us significantly closer to a living wage.
It should also be noted that the Collective Management has continued to prioritize fringe benefits, including the provision of health insurance, which matches or surpasses that of our competitors and many employers in other fields.
What do our policies say about a Living Wage?
In 2010, People’s Collective Management created our current Living Wage Policy, that includes the following text:
People's is committed to providing a living-wage to all staff. In 2007 we implemented our full living-wage and benefits package. Staffing expenses comprise the highest cost to the co-op after the cost of goods. The natural foods industry is a highly competitive market with a slim profit margin; because of this, strict monitoring of labor benchmarks is an important part of maintaining a sustainable benefits package for staff while ensuring a healthy business. In addition, the CM may revise the Living Wage Policy on an annual basis in order to balance the dual priorities of fairly compensating our staff and maintaining healthy financial standing.
Who Makes How Much, When?
A. The wage scale shall be the same for all staff, regardless of number of dependents.
B. All full-time and co-management staff shall be paid at least a living wage for a single person by their 1-year anniversary.
C. All staff shall be paid a starting wage that is no less than 90% of a living wage for a single person.
Also relevant, in a general sense, are People’s Ends, which describe the co-op as “A passionate community working together for sustainability, progressive land and animal stewardship, human rights, social and economic justice.”
Why don’t we pay a living wage right now at People’s?
The financial challenge of paying a living wage to workers is not unique to People’s; the sudden, sharp increases in the cost of living, as well as rapid increases to the cost of grocery goods, affects co-ops and other grocery stores across the industry. At People’s, we have been working diligently to make sure our wages are comparable to those of other grocery stores in our region– which have fallen well below current living wage standards in recent years.
As Collective Managers, we have conflicting policies that require us to balance the commitment to pay workers a living wage and the directive to ensure that the co-op is profitable and sustainable. During these challenging years of the pandemic, out of necessity, we have prioritized the sustainability and profitability of the co-op.
However, at a time when the cost of living for workers is skyrocketing due to inflation and high housing costs, continuing to pay People’s workers less than a living wage is proving unsustainable over the long-term.
What are some impacts of not paying a living wage?
The effects of failing to pay a living wage extend beyond the individuals who comprise our staff. Wage deficiency also impacts the well-being and sustainability of the co-op itself.
The serious impacts of paying most collective managers and staff a less than living wage include:
High turnover
Difficulty in recruitment and retention
Loss of institutional knowledge
Loss of experienced and skilled workers
Some collective managers and staff require second jobs to meet basic needs, impacting their availability and energy for People’s
Absence or limited presence of workers who support families
Negative impact on workers who are also parents or who are caring for dependents
Difficulty in meeting goals of creating and sustaining an inclusive and diverse workforce when wages paid are not able to keep up with the cost of living.
What’s the gap cost in dollars?
In a recent calculation, we have estimated that the deficit in the labor budget for one year (strictly in terms of dollars) that prevents People’s Food Co-op from paying all workers a living wage is approximately $200,000.00.*
*This calculation was made in early 2023.
This figure may not include all associated costs of raising wages for all People’s workers.
What is the impact on co-op staff?
Looking strictly at dollars in our annual labor budget, we can assume that this budget gap of $200,000 is currently being borne by the 33 co-op staff (as of summer 2023, 21 Collective Managers and 12 substitute staff).
This same number of $200,000, when spread across 33 workers amounts to an average of $6,060 per worker. This is the financial impact of the wage gap on workers at the co-op.
How can we get People’s workers back to a living wage?
This is the challenging question we, as a community, are presented with.
Until now, the approach of the Collective Management in addressing this living wage gap has been to work as hard and as strategically as possible to increase sales, to try to keep the sales-per-labor-hour within an optimal range, and to continue to improve the profit margin of the co-op so that we can then responsibly raise worker wages.
However, with current high rates of inflation and costs of housing in Multnomah County, we are realizing that it is not possible to raise pay to a living wage for all workers using this traditional equation, at least not with the size of our current location. While the cost of living has drastically increased, we are not able, given the physical reality of our store, to increase profits to match those increases. In other words, the numbers simply don’t work, in our current location, for the foreseeable future.
For this reason, we need to think outside the box in order to bring the wage scale at People’s back towards a level that is sustainable over the long term for the Collective Management, staff and for the well-being of the co-op itself. This means thinking creatively to develop a plan to bring workers back to a living wage.
Conclusion
We hope that Member-Owners will help us think through these questions, and we welcome support from Member-Owners in helping to bring People’s Food Co-op back into alignment with our values of paying all workers fairly, and with our policy that makes a commitment to pay all workers a living wage.
We look forward to discussion with you in conversations beyond.
People’s Living Wage Working Group emerged from a series of Worker Well-Being Conversations with the Collective Management (CM) in late 2022 and early 2023, and convened recently at our CM Confluence in May, 2023. At this gathering, we made a commitment to identify the challenges that currently prevent the co-op from paying a living wage to all workers, and to generate discussion among collective managers and member-owners about what might be done to reduce the financial burden of this on workers and the CM who staff the co-op.
Staff Last-Minute Gift Guide
Shop Community-Owned This Season
This gifting season, consider shopping locally at People’s. Your dollars go much farther here than larger corporations. Our income goes towards our community-owned Co-op and our employees, and when we have a profitable year we give dividends back to all Member-Owners. We purchase our product from small local businesses whenever possible. In short, shopping at People’s means your money stays in Portland and benefits the local community. Remember, you can use your quarterly 10% Member-Owner coupon and 5% Food For All discounts on gifts!
Last-Minute Gift Picks
For the Co-op Obsessed
People’s Beanie - $20
People’s Klean Kanteen Water Bottle - $24.99
People’s Klean Kanteen Camp Mug - $21.99
People’s Patch - $5.00
People’s Tote - $12.00
Give the gift of good food, give a People’s gift card!
Membership to the Co-op - $30/year or $180 for life!
For the Foodie
Finnriver Black Currant Apply Brandy (local) - $22.49
Mon P’tit Pithon French Red Blend - $19.49
Vital Leaf Maple Crunch Chocolate Bar (local) - $8.79
HU Hazelnut Butter Chocolate Bar - $3.79
Mitoku’s Ume-Su pickled plum juice and Umeboshi Plum Paste - $5.99/lb (juice), $5.99 (paste)
Thai Home Num Prik Pao Sweet Chili Paste (local) - $11.29
Laurel Hazelnut Oil (local) - $13.99
Culinary Breeding Network Radicchio Zine (local) - $10
Co-op Collab Honey (local) - $11.99
Roseline Coffee (local) - $14.99 - $20.00
Chai Me Home Masala Chai Blend (local) -
Cloudforest Magic Cacao, Hazelnut, Dates Spread (local) - $16.59
Barnacle Foods Kelp Serrano Hot Sauce - $6.99
Jacobsen Co Salty Caramels (local) - $6.19
Gifts for Hosts
Co-op Collab Spiced Pear Kombucha (local) - 2 for $6
Accompani Vermouth (local) - $24.99
Cooper Mountain Vineyards Willamette Valley Pinot Noir (local) - $22.99
Raw Cider Co Pet Nat (local) - $19.99
Holiday Wreath*(local) - $55
Shoofly Vegan Pie (local) - $25
Rigel Paper cards - $5/each
Cultured Kindness Vegan Cashew Cheese (local) - $11.49
Point Reyes Toma Truffle Cheese - $8.29
Cheers to the Land Common Ale Buoy Beer Co (local) - $3.49
Baraka Ceramic Herb jar - $14.99
Self-Care
Little Moon Essentials Themed Unwinding Kit $24.99
Kit includes face/body mist, lotion, bath salts, exfoliant
Mushroom Candles by Guinevere’s Candles (various sizes) $9.99 - $23.99
Fat & the Moon All Cream – $16- $36
Camamu Swagger Toner and Aftershave (local) – $9.99
Wild Carrot Mountain Cypress Lotion – $19.99
Silver Facial Mud Mask - 9.99
Hemlock Toiletry bag - $23.99
Sea o Salt jovial sun soaking salt (local) – $9.99
Fat and the Moon perfumes – $47
Little Moon - Shine on Sugar body exfoliant – $16.99
Camamu Unrepentant Rose Soap (local) – $6.99
For Those Seeking Hygge
Young Mountain Teas tea sampler – $9.69
Healing Earth Mushroom Hot Chocolate (local) – $6.99
Maggie’s Infinity Scarf – $37.99
Maggie’s Leg Warmers - $30
Stirs the Soul Chocolate Bars (local) – $3.69 ea
Maggie’s Snuggle Socks – $14.99
Ceramic Beeswax Candles by Sunbeam - $21.99
Portland Beeswax Candle Company - (local)- $8.00 - $30.00
Great River Farm beeswax candles (local) - $3.99-$7.99
Melchamy Elderberry Mead (local) - $23.99
Maggie’s Rainbow Mittens - $30
Holiday wreaths* are made by Mujeres Luchadoras Progresistas, an organization of farmworker women associated with PCUN in Woodburn, OR. MLP is an organisation for and led by farmworker women who organize for better living and working conditions. During the off-season, MLP employs women to make wreaths to provide income during the slowest part of the Oregon farming season and to fundraise for their year-round work.
Thank you for supporting your neighborhood co-op!
Support Indigenous Communities This Season
This time of year holds holidays like columbus day and thanksgiving, which promote misleading and harmful narratives about the “discovery” and european settler-colonization of this continent. As a community-owned grocery store doing business on the stolen land of Chinook, Cowlitz, and Clackamas peoples, we believe it’s important and necessary for us to give some of the wealth and resources we collectively accumulate back to Indigenous organizations and communities.
In addition to supporting Indigenous organizations and businesses, we encourage our community to also educate yourselves about the land you’re on, the people it was stolen from, the history of colonization, and the ways you can support Indigenous survivance and resistance.
Find out whose land you’re on here!
Here are some links to some Indigenous organizations you can learn about, donate to, and tell the people in your life about this season:
Native American Youth and Family Center (NAYA)
Founded by the community, for the community, NAYA is a family of numerous tribes and voices who are rooted in sustaining tradition and building cultural wealth. We provide culturally-specific programs and services that guide our people in the direction of personal success and balance through cultural empowerment. Our continuum of lifetime services create a wraparound, holistic healthy environment that is Youth Centered, Family Driven, Elder Guided.
The Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs is experiencing a water crisis. Donations to this fund directly benefit the Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs as they work to restore their access and infrastructure for clean water.
“The Chinook Nation consists of the five western most Tribes of Chinookan peoples. Our history and constitution define us as being Lower Chinook, Clatsop, Willapa, Wahkiakum and Kathlamet. We have always resided in the lower Columbia River region and always will. We are proud of our heritage and inheritance and ask you to join us in celebrating our rich history and bright future.”
“We are an Indigenous women-led organization dedicated to the ongoing regeneration of Indigenous communities. Through grantmaking, capacity-building and community-based intergenerational programming, we seek transformative change by supporting culturally grounded leadership and organizing.
“Focused on Indigenous Ecology, Food Sovereignty, and Wise Action, we work to advance climate and gender justice, while creating healthy pathways towards self-determination and movement-building.”
“Wisdom of the Elders, Inc. records and preserves traditional cultural values, oral history, prophesy and other messages of guidance from indigenous elders in order to regenerate the greatness of culture among today’s and future generations of native peoples. As First Peoples, we are humbled by the wisdom of our elders and the deep connection they share with Great Spirit, the world of nature and family. We regard our elders as rapidly vanishing, irreplaceable keepers of oral history, tradition and environment. Values they extol represent an ancient legacy of knowledge which has become as endangered as many disappearing species in our fragile ecosystem.”
“40% of Navajo still don’t have a sink or a toilet. So we bring clean, hot and cold running water to families across New Mexico, Utah and Arizona.”
Missing & Murdered Indigenous Women USA
“MMIW USA’s number one mission is to bring our missing home and help the families of the murdered cope and support them through the process of grief. We give them hands-on support and guidance and if we don’t have the answers, we get the answers so that these families do not feel abandoned and alone in this struggle like so many have before them. Our broader goal is to eradicate this problem so that the future generations thrive. We are doing that through education of the threats that they face and self-defense. We just started a monthly program to do just that. It is called Staying Sacred and we educate and have self-defense lessons at every meeting. Our strength lies in the fact that every single one of the staff and volunteers have been assaulted or trafficked and our passion is to be the kind of organization that we needed growing up and beyond.”
“The Mitakuye Foundation was created in 2010 as a direct response to the teen suicide epidemic on Pine Ridge. Many of the difficulties that the modern day Lakota deal with – like suicide, alcoholism, poverty, and teen pregnancy – are not inherently part of Lakota culture. They are the terrible by-products of colonization, oppression, and genocide. We create programs and support programs that not only help the youth to survive – but to thrive. All of our programming is geared towards students fortifying their cultural identities so they can turn to their traditions to tackle the difficult issues they face.”
Native Businesses to Support
Indigenous Marketplace directory - Visit this directory to connect with dozens of Indigenous artists and entrepreneurs.
Mercatus Buy Native Guide - Find Native-owned local businesses of all kinds to support!
Holiday Markets Showcasing Native Businesses
Portland Indigenous Marketplace - 11/8-12/8 2023
My People’s Market - 12/2-12/3 2023
NAYA Native Made Winter Marketplace - 12/9-12/10 2023
Reading & Education
Understanding Thanksgiving from Our Side of the Table (firstnations.org)
9 Ways to Decolonize and Honor Native Peoples on Thanksgiving (Cultural Survival)
Unlearning with CoFed: Decolonization [Cooperative Food Empowerment Directive]
Native American Community Events, Museums, and Resources from Travel Portland
Invest in Your Co-op Share and Get a Free Gift!
Happy National Co-op Month! Every October, co-ops around the nation celebrate and spread awareness about our community-owned, community-centered business model. This year’s theme,“Owning Our Identity,” (National Cooperative Business Association, NCBA CLUSA) encourages us to celebrate and reflect on what makes cooperative businesses unique and resilient. “Guided by a set of shared principles and values—among them democracy, equity and solidarity—co-ops are hardwired for economic and societal transformation.” (NCBA CLUSA) Co-op Month is a great time to invest in your People’s share, enjoy special Co-op events, and encourage others to support People’s.
Invest $30 in your share and get a special gift bag containing goodies from Silver Falls Sustainability Co, Culinary Breeding Network, and People’s!
You can also get the gift if you donate $30+ to our Pay It Forward fund!
The Pay It Forward Membership Fund helps provide free Co-op memberships to community members who cannot afford the investment, as well as support for existing members who cannot afford to keep up with their upcoming member payments. This program is funded by People’s Member-Owners to expand access to Co-op membership benefits, including discounts, patronage dividends, and the ability to participate in the Co-op’s democratic processes.
Share Your Favorite Recipes for a $25 Gift Card to the Co-op
We need recipes and we know you have good ones. Everyone is welcome to submit recipes to our marketing team. If we publish your recipe, we will give you a $25 gift card to the Co-op!
Recipe Criteria:
We are looking for original vegetarian/vegan recipes with photographs. Original recipes include favorite recipes that you’ve created, significantly adapted, or recipes passed to you by friends/family. We love when recipes are accompanied by stories, photographs, tips, song recs, and drink pairings. We also love when recipes reference products that we sell at the Co-op or Farmers’ Market. Recipes can be sweet, savory, snacks, full meals, drinks… anything as long as they’re vegan or vegetarian!
We are currently looking for recipes that contain one (or more) of the following ingredients/attributes:
great for transitional, cool weather
Holiday hacks, holiday meals
local, seasonal fruit/veg:
pears, apples, pumpkin, kabocha, butternut squash, delicata squash, parsnips, chard, peppers, ginger, carrots, cabbage, cantaloupe, brussels sprouts, cranberries, radicchio, kale
Please email recipes and attachments to marketing@peoples.coop. Winning recipes will be distributed via newsletter, social media, blog post, and/or printed recipe card.
Roles and Responsibilities of Our Board
Written by Marc Brown, Director
Edited by Charlotte Clement, Director and Collective Manager
When it comes up in casual conversation that I am on the Board of Directors of People’s Food Cooperative, the reaction is often one of surprise. “People’s is a nonprofit?” is often the response. While it is true that nonprofits have directors and many of us are most familiar with the role of a director in a nonprofit, all corporations are required to have a board of directors consisting of owners who are elected by the owners to oversee the corporation. We often think of directors of a corporation as wealthy investors in some large multinational corporation. The Carl Ichan’s of the world. However, People’s, as a cooperative corporation, has a board of directors in the same way that Apple or General Motors have boards of directors.
As the conversation continues, the question arises about what a director of People’s Food Cooperative does in that role. The answer is that a director at People’s has a very similar role to a director at Apple or General Motors. The one significant difference has more to do with People’s nonhierarchical management structure. In a traditional hierarchical corporation, the CEO, manager, or executive director is the link between the directors and the operation. In other words, the directors are not involved in the day-to-day operations of the business. Instead, they rely on the expertise of the CEO.
At People’s, which is collectively managed, the Directors have delegated the authority of the manager to the Collective Management or CM. In our model, the CM chooses one of its members to be the “Link” between the operations and the directors.
Often, when describing what People’s Board of Directors do, it is easiest to begin with what the Directors do not do. A Director does not directly oversee the daily operations of the store. For example, if a Director is in the store and notices that the Co-op no longer stocks their favorite chocolate bars, that Director does not have the authority, as a director, to order the Collective Management to resume stocking that chocolate bar. As an individual Owner, that Director could make a request that People’s resume stocking that item but that Director is not acting under their authority as a Director but as an Owner and customer. A director also does not have the authority to act on their own without a Board vote to authorize them to do so. The authority of the Board of Directors is as a whole and not as individuals.
Having explained what the Directors of People’s do not do, what is it that they do? First and foremost, the Directors represent the interest of the Member-Owners. It is ultimately the owners who have elected the Directors and they empower the Board of Directors to act on their behalf. The Board has three primary roles: provide a long-range vision for People’s, engage the owners, and ensure that People’s acts within the law.
The Directors provide long-range vision primarily through its Ends statements. The Ends statements are the aspirational goals of People’s, or the point on the horizon towards which we steer. The Ends statements, created by the Board of Directors, is:
A passionate community working together for sustainability, progressive land and animal stewardship, human rights, and social and economic justice.
1. Thriving Cooperative and Local Economies
2. A safe welcoming community where all are valued
3. Democratic workplace where all workers’ voices are valued
4. Access to healthful foods our customers can trust
Every action that the board takes should further these Ends. If People’s is operating in a manner that goes against one of those Ends, the Board’s role is to use its authority to redirect that particular action to align with the Ends. For example, if the Board of Directors is informed that a person felt like they experienced discrimination while shopping at People’s, the Board asks the Collective Management, through the Collective Management link, to investigate the complaint and report back to the Board.
Additionally, the Board has created a number of policies to guide the Collective Management. These policies do two things. First, the policies ensure that the Cooperative is operating within the law and in a financially prudent manner. At the start of each year, the Board sets out a schedule for the Collective Management to report on each policy. The Directors review the reports to ensure that the Collective Management is following the policies. Second, the policies guide the activities of the Board by providing procedures within which the Board operates. The Board can modify, delete, or add policies as it deems necessary.
The second role of the Directors is Owner-Member engagement. The Directors are elected by the Member-Owners and represent the interest of the Owners. Each Director is an Owner. To keep the owners informed about People’s, the Directors seek opportunities to engage the Owners in conversation around People’s. This may be in the form of a book club on a topic related to People’s or a presentation sponsored by the Directors or staffing a table at the Farmer’s Market and any of a number of creative ways to engage with the Owners.
Finally, the Directors are responsible for ensuring that People’s is operating within the law and in a financially responsible manner. Oregon has specific laws that apply to cooperative corporations. In essence, those laws require the Directors to act in the best interest of the Cooperative, and to avoid conflicts of interest. Additionally, the Board, by the corporate bylaws and policies, requires the CM to get approval from the board prior to committing People’s to certain financial liabilities.
That all sounds like a lot of work. Why would a Member-Owner decide to become a Director? If asked, each Director likely has their own reasons. For me, it stems from an interest in working with a diverse group of creative and dynamic individuals; Directors and the CM. I am also a strong believer in the cooperative economy and being a Director allows me to engage in ways to build upon the success of People’s as a consumer-owned cooperative. Finally, I believe it is critical for each owner to step up and serve as a Director. Over People’s 53-year history, the Board has been critical to People’s continued viability and, for People’s to continue its viability for another 53 years, it needs creative, dynamic, and enthusiastic Owners to take on the responsibilities of a Director. And, as a bonus, each Director gets a 15% discount on all store purchases.
Over the next few weeks, you will see Directors at the Farmer’s Market and in the courtyard. Stop by and ask them why they decided to step up and become a Director. Perhaps their answers will resonate with you. If so, you can ask them about becoming a Director. The election season is upon us.
Learn more about the Board and fill out an application today! Board applications are due by April 23rd. Apply online or in person at the Co-op.
Celebrate Earth Day at our Farmers Market!
Celebrate Earth Day at our Farmers Market
Wednesday, April 19th from 2-7p at the Co-op
Farmers:
This list will grow and change. Check back here for updates!
Gales Meadow (vegetable starts)
MC Family Farms (flowers, veggies)
Farmageddon (flowers, starts, vegetables, dried chillies & much more)
Empowered Flowers (vegetables, sauces & much more)
Gee Creek Farm (bread, spreads, micro greens, grains, nut butters)
Great River Farm (vegetables, honey, candles, gifts, sauces)
Mushroomery (mushrooms)
Vendors:
This list will grow and change. Check back here for updates!
Sara’s Tamales (prepared Oaxacan cuisine: tamales, tacos, burritos, agua fresca, and more)
Vtopian (vegan cheese)
Ona Yogurt (vegan yogurt)
Community Booths:
Master Gardiners
Oregon Bee Atlas
Master Recyclers
People’s Food Co-op Board of Directors
Crafts:
Make your own garden starts using up-cycled egg cartons!
Giveaways:
Sunflower starts from Lil’ Starts Farm
Free Raffle: Bulk Starter Packs and more!
Entertainment:
This list may change. Check back here for updates!
Live music
Goats thanks to Fraga Farm!
March 2023 COVID Update
March 2023 COVID Update:
Masks Recommended, not required, for customers starting Thursday, 3/16
Mask-Required shopping available 9am-11am daily
This March marks the 3rd year of the COVID-19 pandemic, and the 3rd year of the Co-op’s Collective Management thoughtfully navigating how to continue to serve our communities while keeping our staff and shoppers safe.
In 2020, the Collective Management decided that masks would be required for all shoppers and staff inside the Co-op. We’ve continued to uphold the mask requirement – even after most businesses have dropped theirs – to maintain the safest-possible environment for staff and shoppers, especially those who are immune-compromised.
After careful consideration and much discussion, our Collective Management has decided to shift our policy to Masks Recommended for customers, instead of required, starting on Thursday, March 16th. However, to make sure that safer shopping options are available, we will reserve 9am-11am daily for Masks-Required Shopping.
This means that masks will be required for customers only between 9am-11am daily, and that masks will be recommended, not required, from 11am-9pm.
The Curbside Pickup program will still be available as a safer shopping option.
Thank you for understanding. Please email questions and concerns to info@peoples.coop.
Why are you making this change?
Oregon Health Authority will lift mask mandates in health care settings in early April. With this in mind, the Collective Management decided that after 3 years of upholding this policy, we need to shift our energy toward our own safety, the store itself, and our other means of providing a safer shopping experience. This was a challenging decision to make, especially with our immune-compromised community members in mind. This is why we will continue to have Mask-Required hours at the beginning of the day, when the air and surfaces are fully refreshed. The CM made this decision through our consensus decision-making process, which makes space for clarity, thoughtful discussion, and for all co-managers’ voices to be heard.
What's Up With Eggs?
Isaac Tertel, Perishable Buyer
Charlotte Clement, Marketing Manager
Have you noticed that egg prices skyrocketed over the last couple months? Its because of the Avian Flu. Avian flu outbreaks at conventional egg production facilities (hens living in cages) have significantly reduced egg production. In 2022, over 50 million chickens in the US were slaughtered to prevent the spread of Avian Flu. (Funk, 2022)
Because we do not carry any “conventional” eggs, our supply has not been affected by this shortage. As we see egg prices go up in other stores, ours have remained about the same. However, increased demand may begin to drive up our egg prices soon. One of many great reasons to support small, local, and ethical egg farms is that none of our producers have (yet) been affected by this outbreak.
Ultimately, the egg "crisis" has been demonstrative of the ethical and safety issues associated with commercial farming. Things seem to be going back to normal in larger grocery stores as the egg supply strain is healing, but nothing has changed about the practices and conditions in major egg production facilities.
As long as conventional farms continue to prioritize profit and output above all else, their supply will be particularly susceptible to outbreaks and other disasters. Consider buying local to source ethically produced eggs, mitigate the environmental impact of eating animal products, and support your farmer!
Little Labels, Big Impact
Celebrate Little Labels with Fairtrade Americaand the Non-GMO Project
If you’re like many shoppers, you want to know how the food you buy affects people and the planet, including how it was grown, harvested and produced. You seek out greater transparency from stores like ours, as well as from your favorite brands and the companies who produce your food.
We, too, believe you have a right to know if what you’re buying aligns with your values! That’s where third-party certifications play a big role. When you see the little labels by independent third-party certifiers on your food, you know that product underwent a rigorous evaluation to ensure it met a set of strict standards.
To highlight the positive impacts these labels make, this January we’re celebrating Little Labels, Big Impact all month – honoring Fairtrade America, Marine Stewardship Council and the Non-GMO Project! By looking for the Non-GMO Project Butterfly, Fairtrade America and Marine Stewardship Council labels, you can shop sustainably throughout our store! Read on to learn how they are driving big, meaningful change in our food system!
What is Non-GMO Project Verified?
GMOs (or genetically modified organisms) are living organisms whose genetic material has been manipulated in a laboratory through genetic engineering, creating combinations of plant, animal, bacteria, and/or virus genes that do not occur in nature or through traditional crossbreeding methods.
Non-GMO Project verification means that a product is compliant with the Non-GMO Project Standard, the most rigorous third-party standard for GMO avoidance, which includes stringent provisions for ingredient testing and traceability and the most up-to-date definitions around new GMO techniques.
What is Fairtrade America?
Every day, we enjoy products planted, grown, harvested and transported by farmers and workers around the world. . These farmers and workers often do not earn enough to have a decent living — that is, to eat nutritious food, send their kids to school, have adequate shelter and weather a crisis (like COVID-19). Many live on less than $2 per day.
The Fairtrade Mark works towards rebalancing trade. By choosing Fairtrade, you are choosing to prioritize the farmers and workers behind our everyday purchases. You are choosing products that are certified to meet the rigorous standards developed in partnership with producers.
A Tale of Two Stores
Global Supply Chain Crisis or Thriving Local Economies Crisis?
Global Supply Chain Crisis or Thriving Local Economies Crisis?
by Marc Brown, Director, People’s Food Co-op Board
November 2022
Lately, I have been thinking about shoes. Stick with me on this one. Before the industrial revolution, every town had a cordwainer, a person who made shoes (most people mistakenly call a shoemaker a cobbler but, in fact, a cobbler is someone who repairs shoes). The cordwainer had a small shop in town where they made and sold shoes. They were likely assisted by family members and apprentices and likely lived in a small apartment above the shop. The cordwainer bought leather from a local farmer and nails and tools from a local blacksmith. After the industrial revolution, cordwainers disappeared and “shoe manufacturers” appeared. Shoe factories were built throughout the country and, eventually, the manufacturing moved overseas.
People’s Food Cooperative has a “Global End” statement as part of our policies. The Global End statement is our aspirational goal, the place on the horizon towards which we navigate:
“A passionate community working together for sustainability, progressive land and animal stewardship, human rights, and social and economic justice.”
A subpart of our Global End is, “Thriving Cooperative and Local Economies.” By supporting and encouraging cooperative and local economies, we move towards that point on the horizon. But what does it mean to support and encourage thriving, cooperative and local economies?
People’s is a grocery store--our grocery store. We, the owners, have instructed the Collective Management, the collective of staff who operate our store, to support cooperative and local economies by nestling these words in our Global End. But why does that matter? In this age of online commerce, when someone with a device can order nearly anything from anywhere and have it appear on their doorstep within a few days, why does it even matter if we have a local economy?
Throughout the past two and a half years, we have seen the ugly effects of the global economy. During the first year of the pandemic, we saw families understandably turning to online retailers to purchase good that had previously been purchased from local businesses, to safeguard their health. The result was the loss of many locally run establishments, some of which had been in business for decades. Suddenly, as we emerge from our pandemic bunkers, we notice many empty storefronts where our favorite stores had been located. Now, the only places to purchase those goods are through online retailers who, in turn, purchase goods from far away manufacturers. A direct result is that that money does not become re-circulated in the local economy, but is dispersed across a supply chain across multiple continents.
Then, we saw the crisis in global shipping. Because demand for goods from across vast oceans was so great in the United States, our ports could no longer handle the volume. Massive ships packed with thousands of shipping containers (the average container ship can hold 15,000 shipping containers and some up to 60,000 containers) waited for weeks in harbors for a spot in the port to unload their goods.
Overall, this has been called the “global supply chain crisis.” However, a more accurate term is the “Thriving Local Economy Crisis.” The global supply chain deteriorates thriving, local, and cooperative businesses. If our local economies were thriving, whether the global supply chain was in crisis would not have such a dramatic and noticeable effect on us.
This, of course, brings us back to our little grocery store. The Collective Management strives to purchase as much of the goods it sells from local producers. Of course, “local” is a relative term and necessarily so. I have not seen a grapefruit tree in the Portland area (although the way things are moving, in a hundred years or so we may yet see a thriving local grapefruit crop). But much of the produce carried by People’s is from our local “foodshed.” In 2021, they sourced farm-direct from 33 farms in Oregon and Washington, representing 26% of the co-op’s produce sales for the year. Produce sourced from our local food-shed (Oregon and Washington) accounted for 57% of total produce sales in 2021. Produce from Oregon farms alone accounted for 68% of local food-shed produce sales and 39% of total produce sales. Much of the dairy products People’s sells are from the region, the tofu is produced by Ota Tofu located a few miles away from the store, and really anything that our store sells that is grown or manufactured in the region is purchased locally or regionally. For example, People’s Product Selection Guidelines for produce department states, “People’s produce buyers endeavor to promote local, sustainable farming by maintaining a network of growers who sell produce directly to the co-op.” In fact, nearly every department includes local products as a criteria whenever possible.
Sourcing directly from local farmers and food-makers is one of the reasons why People’s, unlike many large grocery stores, has not seen empty shelves over the past year. By supporting local businesses, our store is helping to ensure that our community is not as reliant upon the global supply chain. We are fortunate to live in a region of abundance. And, while it is true that many items we purchase are not produced in our country, we can build up our local economy. People’s places that purpose front and center of everything we do. Our little grocery store does what it can to be a bridge between local producers and local consumers.
Which brings us back to the cordwainer. Oregon does still have a few cordwainers but the days of a thriving local shoemaking economy is long gone. If we want shoes, we can no longer purchase locally produced shoes. However, we can ensure that the thriving local economy continues to thrive, we can strive to support parts of our local economy that are struggling, and, perhaps, we can look to rebuild the lost local economies. When that happens, our region will no longer be as reliant upon the global supply chain as we are today. That is why “Thriving Cooperative and Local Economies” is something we, the owners of People’s Food Cooperative, aspire to sustain.
We Own It!
“We own it.”
Written by Marc Brown, Board Member
Edited by Brion Oliver, Board Treasurer
“We own it,” is a favorite statement at People’s. It is a simple sentence, a noun (we) a verb (own) and an object (it). But that simple sentence goes to the heart of cooperative corporations like People’s. The sentence begins with “we.” That pronoun, in itself, is foundational for the cooperative movement. It means a collection of individuals with a shared vision or interest. The coming together of individuals to have more power as a collective unit rather than as individuals. The next word is “own.” Webster’s online dictionary defines that term to mean, “to have or hold as property: possess.” And then the last word, “it.” For those of you who recall 8th grade grammar, that is the direct object of the sentence. What do we own? We own “it.” Of course, that is vague. “It” is a pronoun and can be anything without context. But in the context of People’s, the term “it” refers to the cooperative corporation known as People’s Food Cooperative, a cooperative corporation first registered with the Oregon Secretary of State in 2000, registry number 090904-16 (a bit of People’s trivia: “People’s Food Store,” the predecessor to “People’s Food Cooperative'' was incorporated as a nonprofit corporation on September 29, 1970 and reincorporated as a cooperative corporation on November 1, 2000). So, when we say, “we own it,” we are saying that each of us is an owner of the cooperative corporation known as People’s Food Cooperative. In other words, “we” have pooled our resources and invested in a small grocery store. That small grocery store is ours. It is not owned by a multinational corporation with the sole interest of making as much money as possible. It is not owned by an online behemoth seeking to control every aspect of commerce. You, me, and approximately 5,000 other individuals are the owners.
Cooperatives have a long history. In fact, since the days of the hunter-gatherer, humans have been cooperating in one form or another. In a way, cooperation is the foundation to any society. However, for our purposes, there are, broadly speaking, three categories of cooperative corporations: worker cooperatives, producer cooperatives, and consumer cooperatives. A worker cooperative is a corporation that is owned by its workers. These cooperatives are often referred to as “employee-owned businesses.” A producer cooperative is a cooperative corporation owned by producers. Producer cooperatives are generally associated with agriculture. For example, several wheat farmers may get together and form a cooperative to build, operate, and maintain buildings to store grain (grain silos).
People’s is a consumer cooperative; a cooperative corporation owned by the consumers, you and me. Consumer cooperatives trace their history back to the Rochdale Pioneers in the north of England. The industrial revolution impoverished many skilled tradespersons by forcing former independent producers to work for large companies. Often, the workers were housed in a company town and were paid in company scrip that could only be used in the company store. This allowed the companies to exploit workers both as producers and consumers. In 1844, twenty-eight men formed the Rochdale Society of Equitable Pioneers. In doing so, each pledged to pay £1 towards a fund to open a store. They envisioned a store in which they, the consumers, could control the price of food and other supplies. Within four months, they raised £10 to rent a building. On December 21, 1844, the Rochdale Pioneers opened their store with a small selection of butter, sugar, flour, oatmeal, and a few candles to light the space. Within three months, they added tea and tobacco and were soon known for selling high quality, unadulterated goods. By the end of their first year, the Rochdale Pioneers had 80 members and £182 in capital.
One hundred twenty six years later, People’s opened its doors as part of the “New Wave” cooperative movement. Although coming from a different place, the new wave cooperatives, primarily food cooperatives, shared an important foundation with Rochdale, the desire to take back control from large corporations bent on making as much money as possible. Like many of the new wave food cooperatives, People’s began as a “food conspiracy” (“SE Food Conspiracy”). The goal was to conspire (“to act in harmony toward a common end”) to subvert the food industry. Although a cooperative in name, People’s was actually a non-profit. While People’s had a membership fee, it did not have owners. Not until November 1, 2000, did People’s become a true cooperative by changing its corporate status from non-profit to cooperative. Which brings us back to “we own it.” Since the date of reincorporation, People’s has owners, us. Each owner holds one share. No more and no less. As such, People’s is a democratic operation. Each owner has one vote. That vote entitles them to vote for directors to serve on the board of directors (or to run for a seat on the board of directors) and to vote for any bylaw change. That share in People’s allows each of us to have a say in how our store operates but no owner has a greater say than any other owner.
When you are shopping at People’s next time, look around for signs that say “We Own It,” and think about what that means in this time of growing corporate dominance in the food industry. It means that this is our store, yours and mine and the thousands of other owners. Be proud of the fact that you are an owner of a cooperative corporation that is following the vision of impoverished weavers in a small northern English town in 1844. Like us, they decided to pool their resources and create a store that was theirs. We own it.
We own it.
Four Ways You Can Support the Co-op!
Happy Co-op Month! Here are four ways you can support the Co-op during Co-op Month and beyond.
Shop at People’s first.
The Co-op is your store now, and the nest way to support your investment is to shop here! Member-Owners are the heart of the cooperative. As a part owner of a food cooperative, you (along with several thousand others) share the responsibility to help our business thrive.
The amount that you spend at the Co-op directly affects the Co-op’s success and its ability to provide for its member-owners with both excellent food and other products. Additionally, the more you (and the membership and a whole) shop at the Co-op, the more likely it is that you will see a financial return on your investment as part owner of this business. In 2021, the Board paid out over $57,000 to the Member-Owners (as patronage dividends) for their purchases in 2020.
Lastly, shopping at the Co-op means you are supporting your local economy by putting your dollars into the pockets of local farmers, producers, and your neighbors. Check out our buying guidelines for details.
Give us feedback.
Want us to carry a specific product? Have an idea for how People’s can better serve your needs? Fill out a comment card in the store or get in touch at info@peoples.coop. We will also share our biennial customer survey next week. Filling our our survey is a great way to give us concrete, constructive feedback.
Show up to events and spread the word.
Consider participating in the many events we host at People’s. Events include our weekly farmers market, special market days, film screenings, our Annual Meeting, courtyard tastings, and much more. The success of these events hinges on your participation!
Your network is powerful, please use it! You too can help the Co-op by spreading the word, encouraging friends and neighbors to shop at the Co-op, participate in events, and even become members. Follow and share our posts on social media, too!
Invest in your share. If you are fully invested, then support future members by contributing to the Pay It Forward Fund.
October is the best time to invest in your People’s share! Those who become Member-Owners or reinvest in their share get a special Co-op beanie. If you are fully invested but still want to show support (and get a beanie) then donate to the Pay It Forward Fund*.
The Pay It Forward Membership Fund (PIF) helps provide free Co-op memberships to community members who cannot afford this investment. This program is funded by People’s Member Owners to expand access to Co-op membership benefits, including discounts, patronage dividends, and the ability to participate in the Co-op’s democratic processes.
Folks who want to become a Member-Owner but are financially unable to invest in a share can apply for a PIF Membership. This is also open to folks who have been Member-Owners but are unable to continue due to the cost. Applications will be available online and at the register very soon! PIF recipients will be selected at random, and will be granted memberships when funds are available.
If you donate $30+ to the PIF fund in one transaction, you are able to get a People’s Co-op Month beanie!
*This promotion is only available to those who invest in October.
The Board is Starting a Book Club
Join the People's Board of Directors' Book Club! The Board of Directors' Book Club focuses on books that explore topics related to our Co-op's Ends Statement, and everyone is welcome!
This year, the Board is uplifting this End: "Thriving cooperative and local economies." All the books we'll read this year will relate to this End, and the first book we're reading is Grocery Story: The Promise of Food Co-ops in the Age of Grocery Giants by Jon Steinman.
This book is an excellent start to the book club as it truly identifies the power and potential of co-ops as an alternative grocer, and “shows how co-ops spur the creation of local food-based economies and enhance low-income food access.” (Steinman) Steinman visited us on August 13th for an author talk and workshop for our Co-op Board, Collective Management, and wider community.
Our first Book Club meeting will be on Thursday, August 25th at 6:00pm via Zoom.
There's no need to bring the book to this first meeting, but come prepared to meet new folks and to help select future meeting dates.
You can purchase a physical copy Grocery Story from our neighbors at Third Eye Books by placing a special order or choosing their store on bookshop.org. Or you can support them by selecting their store when buying the audiobook on libro.fm. Options to purchase the book directly from Jon are available on the book's website.
RSVP and receive the Zoom link by emailing bod@peoples.coop. If you're one of the first to RSVP, you could win a free copy of Grocery Story!*
Please join us! We're excited to co-create this book club with you, our community.
*While supplies last. Winners will be notified via email.
Store Reopening Celebrations at the Farmers Market
After a 9 day closure, we will reopen starting tomorrow, August 3rd, at 9 am. We refinished the floors, repainted our walls, installed some new shelving, and rearranged some things! We are excited to show off the beautiful, bright, and refreshed Co-op. Our staff have been quite busy building, prepping, and painting areas of the building.
Join us for a reopening celebration tomorrow at the Co-op! We will hand out special coupons, treats, and exhibit information about our renovation in the Courtyard and the Farmers Market. Follow the schedule below for specific giveaways and doorbuster deals.
11a - 12p in the Courtyard
Complimentary coffee, tea, and breakfast treats
Coupon giveaway (only 30 available, 1st come 1st serve)
2p - 3p in the Courtyard
Free Ice Queen popsicles (limited supply, first come first serve)
Coupon giveaway (only 30 available, 1st come 1st serve)
2p - 3:30p at the Farmers Market
Live music by Dumpster Joe
3:30p - 5:30p at the Farmers Market
Live music by Gabe Kreb
4:30p - 5:30p in the Courtyard
Happy Hour! Free homemade agua fresca by Sara Tamales
Coupon giveaway (only 30 available, 1st come 1st serve)
5:30p - 7p at the Farmers Market
Live music by Manzanita Joe
6p - 7p in the Courtyard
Free Rawdacious vegan/gluten free cheesecake
Coupon giveaway (only 30 available, 1st come 1st serve)
How to Compost in an Apartment
People’s Food Co-op was recently featured in a Redfin article about composting in an apartment.
Jamie Forbes weaves together tips from many other like-minded businesses, including The Worm Farm Portland, Co-opportunity Market of LA, and Make Food Not Waste of Detroit. The article is rich with tips from worm composting to avoiding unwanted smells.
At People’s, we recommend re-using your containers and shopping in bulk departments to minimize your general waste. With this strategy, the compost bin will become one of your most important waste receptacles. In order to eliminate food waste, we like to consider what waste can be used before it ends up in the compost bin. For example, we set aside carrot tops for employees with rabbits (there are quite a few!), coffee grounds for gardeners, and overly ripened produce for folks making smoothies or sauces. As you examine what you are throwing into your compost bin, ask yourself if any of these ingredients can still be consumed; they might even make your recipes better!
Next time you are in the Co-op be sure to check out our discounted produce section! Slightly damaged and bruised produce are heavily discounted, as we believe they are still valuable in dishes! We also have a section specifically for juicing apples which are also heavily discounted.
For additional discounts don’t forget to apply your Double Up Food Bucks or Food For All!
See the article we were featured in!
Clean and Green: Here's How to Compost in an Apartment
We stand with the workers of Amy’s Kitchen
If you haven't already heard, the workers at the Amy's Kitchen Santa Rosa factory have called for a boycott of Amy's Kitchen products due to unsafe working conditions, union busting, denial of bathroom breaks, and not providing access to drinking water.
People’s Food Co-op’s buyers adhere to a strict set of buying guidelines so that we only stock the most ethically sourced products that we can find. Workers everywhere deserve safe working conditions, access to bathroom breaks and clean drinking water, good healthcare, good wages, and more. Until Amy’s Kitchen can meet their workers’ demands, People’s will not stock their products on our shelves.
As the Boycott evolves, we will post updates via this blog post. We have had contact with both the union, Teamsters, that is working with Amy’s employees, as well as representatives from Amy’s. We have also begun to stock comparable alternatives to the Amy’s products that we have carried. This includes Upton’s Naturals soups and Tofurky frozen pockets . We are in the process of connecting with and supporting other co-ops who are involved with/interested in the boycott. This includes our frequent collaborators, the Alberta Co-op.
You can support Amy’s Kitchen workers by signing their petition. You can also support Amy’s Kitchen workers by boycotting their products and asking other grocers to do the same.
Thank you for your support, patience, and understanding. Please reach out to info@peoples.coop if you have any questions. Our staff are available to assist if you need recommendations for alternative products!
FAQs
Who called for the Amy’s Boycott?
The Food Empowerment Project and Veggie Mijas were in conversation with workers at Amy’s Kitchen about their experiences there, and supported them in officially calling for the boycott. After the boycott was called, the Teamsters Union got involved and backed the boycott as well.
What exactly are the workers’ demands?
The workers are calling on CEO Andy Berliner to meet with them and their advocates, Teamsters Local 665. They want to discuss
a) how to put an end to needless injuries and the implementation of safeguards so that these workers have guarantees that these workplace issues don't happen again, and
b) allow the unionization process to play out without the interference of management or outside anti-union consultants.
What kinds of conditions are the Amy’s workers facing?
Unsafe Working Conditions
Repetitive motions causing multiple injuries
Fast pace. Workers have to roll 12-14 burritos a minute.
Over $100,000 fines in OSHA violations and current/ongoing OSHA investigation
Unlivable wages
Workers make under $20/hr. In 2017 living wage in Sonoma County was $23.17/hr
Unaffordable Health Care that has minimal coverage and costs upwards of $750/month for family coverage. Many of the workers and their families have to depend on MediCal – California’s state medical plan.
