UFCW 3000 Member Story: Allison Smith

Allison Smith at the Issaquah PCC during the recent contract vote meetings. It’s pretty clear where she stands on the offer that was voted down.

Allison Smith has worked for PCC as a meat cutter since 2013, and is currently home-stored at the Issaquah store, which has been great for her as it is close to home.

During Allison’s time at PCC, she has stepped up to become a leader, including currently serving on the bargaining team for the new PCC contract. She knows that to win a fair contract, bargaining team members not only have to represent coworkers in negotiation sessions with management but also have to be organizing on the shop floor. Allison not only keeps her Issaquah meat and grocery coworkers informed and ready to take action, she also reaches out to other meat departments in the area to make sure that PCC management knows it isn’t just the bargaining committee at the table, it is all PCC workers collectively fighting together!

Petitions, fliering customers outside the store, and info picket lines aren’t done by activists. It is the rank-and-file union members standing together in solidarity that advance a contract campaign. Recently PCC members voted to reject their employer’s latest contract offer, and held info pickets just ahead of the Holidays. There will be more actions to come unless PCC offers a fair union contract to its workers, and it will be shop stewards like Allison leading the way.

Organizing to fight for better working conditions, wages, and safety is as much of a full-time job as the job that our employers hired us for. Allison’s coworkers are lucky to have such a dedicated activist representing them at the PCC bargaining table!