Amy’s Kitchen area faces labor issues at its San Jose plant

By Deena Shanker | Bloomberg

Amy’s Kitchen area Inc., a maker of frozen vegetarian foods and soups, has been accused of unfair labor procedures at its plant in San Jose, California, according to problems filed Wednesday with the National Labor Relations Board.

Unite Here, a union representing about 300,000 staff in Canada and the US, says the business engaged in actions these kinds of as required attendance for anti-union meetings, disciplining employees for participation in labor things to do and the termination of two staff members for supporting a union. The group is also seeking a momentary injunction to halt the alleged procedures.

“We are calling on Amy’s management to cease retaliating towards workers, to end disciplining them, to agree to a neutral system without having threats and intimidations,” said Raquel Alvarez, president of the neighborhood chapter of Unite Below. “Workers should really be ready to fight for superior problems devoid of fear.”

Amy’s Kitchen area did not quickly answer to a request for remark following the complaints were being submitted.

The grievance arrives a lot less than two weeks after the termination of a device operator by Amy’s Kitchen area. Hector Guardado had worked at the San Jose plant for approximately a yr, he advised Bloomberg. On May well 16, he led a delegation of employees to the manager’s office environment to complain about therapy of a co-employee and weak circumstances at the facility, which include a deficiency of toilet breaks and penalties for having sick times.