FRIENDS–I would like to let all of you know that your concerns about the workers losing their jobs, as per the sudden news of the Pittsburgh Macy’s September 2015 store closing, are well appreciated. At this time, …”we could use your help and your hands, and your hugs, and all of your support, and also your prayers…”*, as we work to adjust to this new and uncertain situation.
Personally, I’ve actually lost my appetite, but the workers seem to be taking this bad news fairly well. Most of us seemed to know that a store closing or plant closing could very well happen. Our local union, our joint board, and our parent union are doing all that we can to protect our membership with severance pay, unemployment comp. issues…etc. Some workers here are non-union. I believe all of the Macy’s mall stores in the Pittsburgh Region, which will remain open, are staffed by non-union sales and sales support personnel. I think about five percent of Macy’s stores nationwide are unionized.
My understanding is that all of the union members at UFCW-RWDSU Local 101 at the store, and the union members at UFCW Local 23 at the store, as well as the non-union personnel, will be gone by late September of 2015. It’s already a done deal.
Thank you for all of your concerns and I hope that all of you will visit w us, and shop at the store these last several weeks. Please share your years of union experience and solidarity with us on your lunch hours, etc., and correspond with us whenever you can. We can’t always make the monthly SWPAALF meeting at the Pgh Federation Of Teachers, although Tom Scheid, Local 101 Staff Rep., and I, enjoy making those meetings.
Thank you all very much.
Respectfully, Dale Adams, President, RWDSU Local 101.
