Macy's Workers Get Ready for a Pre-Christmas Contract Negotiation

by Agueda Pacheco Flores

Retail workers across the state of Washington are getting ready to go to the bargaining table with Macy's just before Christmas and a raise isn't all they're asking for.

During Black Friday, hundreds of Macy's workers from stores at Westfield's Southcenter mall, Alderwood Mall in Lynwood, and Bellis Fair mall in Bellingham went on strike for three days. The strike was voted on by workers in early October with a 96% approval vote if Macy's didn't offer substantial improvements during their November bargaining sessions.

Aside from dollar raises, workers are asking for Macy's to do more when it comes to crime. "The one sentence we want to see is that we are able to call the police without retribution from our employer," said Liisa Luick, a union shop steward who will be at the bargaining table alongside her union, UFCW 3000, representing the interest of Macy's workers.

UFCW 3000 represents more than 50,000 workers in Washington, Oregon, and Idaho in industries that include retail, cannabis, health care, and grocery stores.

Luick has worked for Macy's as a sales associate for 16 years and was suspended for three weeks earlier this year after calling the police on a thief. She said that the suspension has created a chilling effect on the rest of the stores when it comes to calling the police, which puts workers and customers at risk.

"We need our employer to have enough staffing, barricades, hire security, and do whatever it takes and maybe this is just an arbitration and this trend will stop," Luick said. "Our employer needs to make a good faith effort to reduce this because the police can't respond to everyone, that's not realistic."

Washington State is ranked number one in the nation when it comes to the state most impacted by retail crime and shoplifting, according to a study by Forbes.

Luick said thieves are getting bolder, stealing repeatedly and without fear. So much so that workers recognize repeating offenders. She also said it's possible they know about Macy's gaps in staffing and company policy that doesn't allow workers to call police. She said solutions would include more people on the floor and armed security guards.

Macy's, workers, and the UFCW 3000 union will meet at the bargaining table again on Dec. 18.

"I'm hoping management sees the light and gives us a fair offer and takes the reality of the situation into their hearts," Luick said. "If not, we will have a strike vote … on the 20th and we're prepared to do what we need to as workers to get a fair contract."

In an email from Macy's spokesperson Allison Edheimer regarding the negotiations she wrote "At Macy's, we respect the rights of our colleagues. As always, our top priority is to ensure the safety of our colleagues and customers in-store. Our stores remain open to serve our valued customers as we continue to work through contract negotiations with the union."

Macy's employs more than 94,000 employees across the U.S. According to their most recent third-quarter report, the company saw a 7% decrease in both brick-and-mortar and digital sales compared to the third quarter of 2022.

📸 Featured Image: Macy's workers, family, and supporters rally in protest for better wages and safe working conditions in front of Macy's at the Westfield Southcenter mall on Black Friday, Nov. 24. The store and workers are set to meet for bargaining talks on Dec. 18. (Photo: Sharon Maeda)