NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) – Local grocery shelves may not fill up anytime soon, as most workers at the Hunts Point Terminal Market in the Bronx are now on strike.
Workers say the dispute with their bosses is raising more than $ 1 an hour, CBS2’s John Dias reported Sunday.
Direct demand comes from more than 1,400 of New York’s essential workers.
“Fight for our rights and for better pay,” said truck driver Wilford Alexander.
Every member of Teamsters Local 202 at the Hunts Point Terminal Produce Market is now on a full strike after the market rejected their request for a $ 1 per hour increase.
The counter-offer from the market was an increase of 32 cents an hour.
“It’s not good enough to applaud them and say they are essential. If they asked for a decent pay rise, a decent number, they should be told, ‘Yes, you can, and thank you,’ ”said Danny Kane, president of Teamsters Local 202.
From warehouse workers to truck drivers, these are the men and women who helped the Tri-State Area during the coronavirus pandemic with a base salary of $ 40,000 a year, according to the Teamsters union.
“They can’t telecommute, they can’t call. They have to show up,” Kane said. “We finally realize that these people did not become essential during the pandemic. They have always been essential. “
Most workers say they need the raise to help their families.
Jimmy Morales, a dock worker, said he is in it ten hours a day, six days a week.
“We come here, work in the cold, rain, heat,” said Morales.
Many of them pay a price to work through the global health crisis.
“Infected, many, many were infected. I want to say 300 to 400 people are infected, ”said Teamsters Local 202 VP Leonardo Servedio.
According to Servedio, six union workers have died of COVID-19.
‘Very angry that they are not sorry. They don’t care, ”he said.
The Hunts Point Terminal Market is the largest wholesale market in the world. It caters for 22 million people in 49 states.
The union said that without these workers to sort and deliver the products, the food supply of the Tri-State Area will be greatly affected.
The union has not staged a strike in almost 35 years. Employees said they will not return to work until they receive the full pay raise.
No one from the Hunts Point Produce Market Cooperative would talk to CBS2 on camera.
In a statement, it said the market is still open for business and is disappointed that the union walked off the negotiating table more than a week ago.
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