Organizing Update

Capital Area Food Bank

In November, more than 100 workers at the Capital Area Food Bank in Washington, D.C., filed for union recognition with the National Labor Relations Board after being denied voluntary recognition by the company. The staff, including office and warehouse workers, are advocating for fair compensation, a voice in implementing workplace policies, an end to PTO blackout periods, and a stronger relationship between warehouse and office staff.

Despite an intense anti-union campaign by the company, workers at both the D.C. office and the Lorton, Va., locations will vote on joining the Washington-Baltimore NewsGuild (TNG-CWA Local 32035) in early January. With member approval, Capital Area Food Bank will become the first union food bank on the East Coast, joining other Feeding America food bank unions at San Francisco Marin Food Bank, Alameda County Community Food Bank, and Oregon Food Bank.

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Wells Fargo

Last week, 37 conduct management investigators became the first non-branch group of workers at Wells Fargo to successfully organize with CWA. The workers cited staffing issues, a lack of transparency in policies, inconsistent training, and job security concerns as primary factors in their decision to form a union. They also are seeking to push back against the revocation of work-from-home accommodations, especially in cases where physicians have deemed them medically necessary.

“Today is a historic moment for making a real difference at Wells Fargo, one of the largest banks in the country. Myself and my colleagues are standing shoulder-to-shoulder with over 20 branches who have won union elections across the country, and we are thrilled to be the first non-branch group to join in their efforts,” said Roslynn Berkeland, Investigations Associate at Wells Fargo.

Wells Fargo Workers United-CWA workers were able to persevere despite an aggressive anti-union campaign by Wells Fargo, including the termination of 11 workers a week before the hybrid in-person and mail-in ballot vote with the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB). CWA has filed an unfair labor practice charge with the NLRB over the layoffs and sent a letter to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau’s Director Rohit Chopra.