Last week, Dutch workers at an Ahold distribution center in the
Netherlands organized a week of actions at to let Dutch consumers
know that Royal Ahold - owner of U.S. grocery chains like Giant, Stop and Shop, and Martin's, is not living up to its commitments to respect workers’ rights
both at home and abroad.
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Giant Food worker and UFCW Local 400 member Kayla Mock along with workers from
Ahold’s distribution center and FNV Bondgenoten union members. |
UFCW Local 400 member and Ahold worker Kayla Mock
traveled to Amsterdam to participate in the week of action.
“What I witnessed this past week is international worker
solidarity at its best,” Mock said. “If we want to change the
behavior of multinational companies like Ahold, it is important
for workers to support each other beyond national
boundaries.”
At Ahold’s Martin’s stores in Richmond, VA, workers
say the company has cultivated an anti-union culture that restrains
workers’ right to organize at its non-union stores. Meanwhile, workers at Ahold’s Albert Heijn distribution centers in the Netherlands endure
working conditions that many believe to be unsafe.
During the week of action, workers from both countries called
on the company to live up to the commitments it made in its
corporate responsibility program to respect workers’ rights
both in the Netherlands and abroad. Workers also spoke directly
to customers about Ahold’s broken promises.
Ahold’s distribution center workers are members of FNV
Bondgenoten, the largest trade union in the Netherlands with
over 470,000 members in the retail, services, industrial, metal,
agricultural, technique, and transport industries.
As part of their consumer outreach campaign, workers are
asking Ahold customers to fill out delft tiles, which will be
delivered to the company. These hand-painted tiles are popular
in Dutch culture and usually offered as gifts during special
occasions. UFCW members can click
here to fill out their own tile.
