"All We Wanted Was a Chance, And they Didn't Give it To Us." Tell Big Y to Give Laid Off A&P Workers like Russ a Chance!

All A&P workers wanted was a chance. But the Big Y grocery company bought A&P stores and is reopening them as Big Y stores in Connecticut--and has barely hired back any of the experienced, long-time A&P workers who were already working in those stores. At the same time, Big Y has laid off many of its own workers.

 

Why get rid of experienced workers from our communities? Workers with longtime careers at these stores, with families to support?

 

Please help us support workers like Russ, and fight for good middle class jobs.

With your help, we want to hold Big Y accountable--by asking Why, Big Y? Please join us in asking the tough questions on Big Y's Facebook page and Twitter feed, like:

• Why did Big Y lay off so many of its own workers, and ask others to take voluntary layoffs—when the company is expanding and hiring?

• Why did Big Y refuse to hire back most A&P workers when it re-opened old A&P stores under the Big Y banner? Why not give those workers a chance?

• Why is Big Y making these tough economic times even tougher for laid-off workers and their families?

You can find Big Y's Facebook page here: http://www.facebook.com/bigyworldclassmarket

 

And Big Y's Twitter feed is: @BigYFoods and the hashtag we'd like to use is #whybigy

 

Thank you so much for all your help on this, and please spread the word--we can't fight for good jobs at Big Y without you!

Former A&P Workers Like Joyce Need Your Help! Ask Why, Big Y?

The Big Y grocery company bought A&P stores and is reopening them as Big Y stores in Connecticut--but has barely hired back any of the experienced, long-time A&P workers who were already working in those stores. At the same time, Big Y has laid off many of its own workers.

It's terrible any time someone loses a job, but when a company is expanding--what sense does that make? Why get rid of experienced workers from our communities? Workers with longtime careers at these stores, with families to support?

We're forced to ask: Why, Big Y? What kind of a company does Big Y want to be? The kind that creates good middle class jobs in our communities, or the kind that destroys them?

Please help us support workers like Joyce and her family, and fight for good middle class jobs.


With your help, we want to hold Big Y accountable--by asking Why, Big Y? Please join us in asking the tough questions on Big Y's Facebook page and Twitter feed, like:

• Why did Big Y lay off so many of its own workers, and ask others to take voluntary layoffs—when the company is expanding and hiring?

• Why did Big Y refuse to hire back most A&P workers when it re-opened old A&P stores under the Big Y banner?

• Why is Big Y making these tough economic times even tougher for laid-off workers and their families?

You can find Big Y's Facebook page here: http://www.facebook.com/bigyworldclassmarket

And Big Y's Twitter feed is: @BigYFoods and the hashtag we'd like to use is #whybigy

Thank you so much for all your help on this, and please spread the word--we can't fight for good jobs at Big Y without you!

Former A&P Workers, UFCW Members and Staff, Supporters and Shoppers, and Even Senator-elect Blumenthal Rally for Good Jobs at Big Y!

After the rally and press conference, at which local state representatives, former A and P workers, community members, shoppers, and United Health Care Workers Local 1199 leaders and members, and UFCW Local 371 leaders and staff spoke or attended, Senator-elect Blumenthal arrived and gave the workers some very encouraging words as they leafletted customers.

Many customers were outraged at Big Y's treatment of the former A and P workers, and some even told Big Y staff at the event how they felt.



Most A and P employees were not hired back after their stores were bought by the Big Y chain and re-opened as Big Y stores—despite workers’ many years of experience, skill, and dedication to their jobs. Entire families who had worked at A and P for generations were not re-hired at Big Y, and now find themselves out of work at the worst time—during an economic downturn and over the holidays. Workers are wondering, Why, Big Y?



As Big Y opens six stores in Connecticut, these A and P workers, their customers and their supporters are asking Big Y to make a real commitment to our communities this holiday season. During tough economic times, the single most important thing that will help our communities prosper is jobs. Those at the rally asked Big Y to rehire the A&P workers that are now out of work, and to commit to providing good jobs in our communities—jobs with full-time hours if workers want them—jobs that pay a living wage and come with good benefits.

“Big Y should hire us back,” said former A and P worker Rich Johnson, who worked at A and P for 31 years. “A lot of our customers came in because of us. They’re friends, they’re family, and they come here for us. Why not keep us? It just makes good sense, for us, for our customers, and it seems like good business, too.”

A&P Workers Ask: Why, Big Y?

A&P workers and supporters--including Connecticut Attorney General and Senator-elect Blumenthal--will be rallying tomorrow in front of Big Y in West Hartford, Connecticut to ask Big Y to make a real commitment to their communities.

A&P workers lost their jobs when Big Y bought their stores--and wouldn't hire many of the former A&P employees to do their old jobs in their old stores! In addition, Big Y laid off many of its own workers as well, even when they were expanding.

Workers are wondering Why, Big Y? Are our communities best served by working families out of work this holiday season? Will Big Y do the right thing and make a real commitment to providing good jobs with real stability in our communities?

Sign the Petition: Join UFCW and Change.org and Help A&P Workers Keep their Jobs This Holiday Season

Mary Ellen Scott, former A&P worker, says
her customers are devastated that she won't
be around to do their floral arrangements.

Just in time for the holidays, Change.org has generously joined in the effort to save the jobs of laid off Big Y and A&P workers, and to hold Big Y accountable for the kind of jobs they create in our communities. As Taylor Leake of Change.org writes:

The United Food and Commercial Workers, which represents 54,000 A&P workers across the country, has launched a campaign asking Big Y some tough questions about what they are doing, starting with the simplest: Why Big Y? The campaign is asking supporters to go on to Big Y's Facebook and Twitter accounts and ask them questions directly. Questions like: Why did Big Y refuse to hire back most A&P workers when it re-opened old A & P stores under the Big Y banner? and Why won't Big Y listen to loyal A & P shoppers — who’ve asked repeatedly for Big Y to re-hire the A&P workers who customers have come to regard as family?

It is always disheartening to see a company act like this, but it is even more upsetting because of the economic shape we're in, not to mention the jobs crisis. If you don't want to see Big Y dismiss these employees for no good reason, log on to their Facebook and Twitter pages (make sure you use the #whybigy hash tag on Twitter) and ask them why they're doing it. You can also sign this petition which will send Big Y an email, asking them these tough questions and telling them they should respect their workers.

Please join Change.org members and workers around the country in signing the petition and asking the question: Why, Big Y?

TAKE ACTION! Grocery Workers Need Your Support Today!

The Big Y grocery company has been buying A&P stores and reopening them as Big Y stores in Connecticut--but has barely hired back any of the experienced, long-time A&P workers who were already working in those stores. At the same time, Big Y has laid off many of its own workers, and has encouraged full-timers to take voluntary layoffs. 

It's terrible any time someone loses a job, but when a company is expanding--what sense does that make? Why get rid of experienced workers from our communities, only to hire new ones to replace them? Full time OR part time, these grocery jobs should be good jobs--jobs that offer good wages and benefits and a path to advancement.

We're forced to ask: Why, Big Y? What kind of a company does Big Y want to be? The kind that rewards loyal, hard-working employees? Or the kind that lets them--and their customers--down? The kind that creates good middle class jobs in our communities, or the kind that destroys them? The kind that offers a real path to advancement for part-timers and full-timers alike? Or the kind that offers only low wage, dead-end jobs? 

Please help us support these laid-off workers and fight for good middle class jobs.

With your help, we want to hold Big Y accountable--by asking Why, Big Y? Please join us in asking the tough questions on Big Y's Facebook page and Twitter feed, like:

• Why did Big Y lay off so many of its own workers, and ask others to take voluntary layoffs—when the company is expanding and hiring?

• Why did Big Y refuse to hire back most A&P workers when it re-opened old A&P stores under the Big Y banner?

• Why won't Big Y listen to loyal A&P shoppers--who’ve asked repeatedly for Big Y to re-hire the A&P workers who customers have come to regard as family?
  
• Why won’t Big Y reward years of hard work and loyalty, so full-timers AND part-timers alike can have the opportunity they deserve?

• Why is Big Y making these tough economic times even tougher for laid-off workers and their families?

Or, just ask them, Why, Big Y? on Facebook or Twitter to show your solidarity with laid-off Big Y workers. 

You can find Big Y's Facebook page here: http://www.facebook.com/bigyworldclassmarket

And Big Y's Twitter feed is: @BigYFoods and the hashtag we'd like to use is #whybigy

Feel free to use the graphic above as well in any way you would like. 

Thank you so much for all your help on this, and please spread the word--we can't fight for good jobs at Big Y without you!