On the Clock is Motherboard's reporting on the organized labor movement, gig work, automation, and the future of work.
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Since at least September, HelloFresh’s branding, social media, and customer care teams have been tracking union-related posts on Twitter and Instagram using a social media marketing tool called Falcon and posting them to Slack.“Hi team, does anyone remember seeing any posts about the unionization efforts from HelloFresh employees?” a social media strategist wrote on Slack. “I remember seeing 1 or 2 claiming they were employees, but I did not verify and felt like it was the Union saying they were employees,” a branding associate responded. “Would you like us to track any posts that are Employees from here on out?” they continued. “We are seeing more ‘customer’ tweets. Again not verified but claiming they are customers who will leave or have left us bc of the Union issue.”Do you have a tip to share with us? Please get in touch with Lauren Gurley, the reporter, via email at Lauren.gurley@vice.com or on Signal 201-897-2109.
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Since the union drive at HelloFresh began, union avoidance consultants descended on HelloFresh warehouses to hold mandatory anti-union meetings. Management passed out face masks and beanies emblazoned with “Vote No” messaging, and launched an anti-union website, in English, Spanish, and Mam, an indigenous Mayan language spoken by workers at some of its facilities. In September, Motherboard reported that hundred of workers at HelloFresh facilities in Richmond, California and Aurora, Colorado, were unionizing with the hotel, casino, and food processing workers union, UNITE HERE, to address concerns about injuries, workplace safety during COVID-19, wages, benefits, and mistreatment from managers."We want to break the cycle that so many of us at HelloFresh are under," Mary Williams, a unionizing pack line worker at the Aurora site who earns $15 an hour, told Motherboard at the time. "It's a cycle of low-paying work and having to work back-to-back jobs. We believe that having a union will really change things."Roughly 400 meal kit workers began voting on whether to join UNITE HERE at the Aurora facility on October 28. Another 770 HelloFresh workers at the Richmond factory started voting on November 18. Ballots will be counted on November 22 and December 10.
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