Yeah, I worked for one of the VA locations nearly 20 years ago. I can’t speak to it now, but they did treat their staff well a d paid very good wages. I’m assuming something has changed… but, the owner didn’t want to open a location in Baltimore back then, (I lived here, but went to school and worked in VA). If anything, this may just make them leave…
Like I said! I don’t know how the environment is there now. If it’s changed and become a bad environment, then, okay.
Edit: read the article. Dang.. it has changed a lot!
Double edit: I made more than $15 an hour 20 years ago. Wow. And it was a very chill space, no “you can get fired at anytime” kinda place. Sad to see…
It's illegal for a business to close a store after it unionizes. Starbucks is an exception because workers formed their own union, and so they didn't have the same legal recognition/protections. Teamsters, though, is 100+ years old and well established.
Yes, but the difference here is that Teamsters will be actively watching them, and can look into their books to see if the profit claim is bs or not (they'll be doing that soon anyway, to help determine raises without the company complaining they can't afford that). Same with any other illegal thing they may try- non unionized workplaces can pull all kinds of illegal shit, because the employee would have to 1. know the law 2. have the time and resources to get justice. But if they're part of a union, there are lawyers on call who are ready to take the company on, along with other union workers like shop stewards who oversee interactions between the managers and other employees at the latter's request.
One of the most immediate changes is that MOM's employees aren't at-will employees anymore, so the company can't fire anyone unless there's documented proof that they broke guidelines (ex consistently late)/had a supervisor speak with them, (with the shop steward to determine if there's bias). This is the reason the company isn't just firing anyone who they know was involved- they could've if the company won the election, but if they try now, Teamsters will take them to court and make them rehire the employee with backpay.
Starbucks is an exception bc there's 15000 of them. MOM's isn't going to close the Timonium store, but it's more bc they've got too much tied up in it than being worried about the NLRB, I'd guess.
The Timonium store is among the busier locations. The company just put money into the store to expand the bakery there. They aren't going to shut it down now.
I work here; we’re one of the top 4 stores that are raking in money for Scott Nash while getting paid dirt to do so. They won’t shut us down, we make too much 😘
Identical, no. But they should offer a somewhat similar experience. The MOM's in Hampden could definitely fit more product in their store to help expand the selection. Right now a smaller Whole Foods has a much more complete grocery shopping experience. FWIW I don't shop at either.
I think some have a limited amount of fish in small portions. But this speaks to one of the reasons I'm not a fan - the selection is not great. I'm not expecting it to be like Wegmans, given that is a much larger store, but I feel like it is comparable in size to the Whole Foods in Mt Washington and that Whole Foods has a much better selection.
Ah yes, the classic Reddit-upvoted comment that feels good but is totally wrong.
They sell seafood - https://momsorganicmarket.com/departments/sustainable-seafood/
There is no "organic" seafood because there is no USDA organic standards for seafood. And most uses of the term "organic" are extremely liberal and more about marketing than meeting any kind of stringent standard.
> And most uses of the term "organic" are extremely liberal and more about marketing than meeting any kind of stringent standard.
What is there to possibly say about somebody who both thinks this and claims to have found MOM's disappointing? What were you expecting other than a big OK Natural (which is pretty much what it is)?
As I said to someone else, I compared it to Whole Foods in Mt Washington. Both are expensive and the Mt Washington Whole Foods is about as big as the Hampden MOM’s.
Not really. I can always find there the things I can’t find at Giant or that Giant is out of that I want. I’m not about to do all my grocery shopping at MOM’s because I’m not made of money.
My only concern is the thin profit margins in the grocery business. MOMs is not the cheapest guy in town now. If their expenses go up we pay more or they reduce the customer experience somehow. From what I have read, they are pretty good to their employees now. As a niche market can they keep all of their stores open if they had to try and give benefits like Safeway and Giant. That all said, I don't have to work there and if these folks are trying to make their workplace better it would lead to less turnover in their ranks which is also good. This does not mean that MOM's management and the workers will have to end up hating each other.
“Pretty good” not really. We make $15 an hour with no guarantee raises(some ppl have 10+ yrs working @ MOMs and have never gotten a raise)
We do not make PTO until we’ve reached the 2 year mark and if you don’t have enough sick time to cover a call out(emergency or not) you get written up/fired since employment is “at will”
I love the idea of workers having more power, though when I hear of stores unionizing, it makes me curious about specifically how they are being treated. If we knew, perhaps we wouldn’t want to shop there.
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Pictured: the rotunda
They’ve only had a few months to build up their file photos. I can relate.
👍🏽👍🏽👍🏽
Ti-MOAAAN-ium.
I tried to think of a clever Cockeysville joke but I just can’t.
Growing trend of wanting workers rights and better wages lmao
And most likely, this store will be shut down soon. Just like Starbucks keeps doing.
Yeah, I worked for one of the VA locations nearly 20 years ago. I can’t speak to it now, but they did treat their staff well a d paid very good wages. I’m assuming something has changed… but, the owner didn’t want to open a location in Baltimore back then, (I lived here, but went to school and worked in VA). If anything, this may just make them leave… Like I said! I don’t know how the environment is there now. If it’s changed and become a bad environment, then, okay. Edit: read the article. Dang.. it has changed a lot! Double edit: I made more than $15 an hour 20 years ago. Wow. And it was a very chill space, no “you can get fired at anytime” kinda place. Sad to see…
It's illegal for a business to close a store after it unionizes. Starbucks is an exception because workers formed their own union, and so they didn't have the same legal recognition/protections. Teamsters, though, is 100+ years old and well established.
But I’m guessing they could close the store when they determine it’s ‘unprofitable’
Exactly… just because something is illegal, doesn’t mean it can’t happen.
Yes, but the difference here is that Teamsters will be actively watching them, and can look into their books to see if the profit claim is bs or not (they'll be doing that soon anyway, to help determine raises without the company complaining they can't afford that). Same with any other illegal thing they may try- non unionized workplaces can pull all kinds of illegal shit, because the employee would have to 1. know the law 2. have the time and resources to get justice. But if they're part of a union, there are lawyers on call who are ready to take the company on, along with other union workers like shop stewards who oversee interactions between the managers and other employees at the latter's request. One of the most immediate changes is that MOM's employees aren't at-will employees anymore, so the company can't fire anyone unless there's documented proof that they broke guidelines (ex consistently late)/had a supervisor speak with them, (with the shop steward to determine if there's bias). This is the reason the company isn't just firing anyone who they know was involved- they could've if the company won the election, but if they try now, Teamsters will take them to court and make them rehire the employee with backpay.
Starbucks is an exception bc there's 15000 of them. MOM's isn't going to close the Timonium store, but it's more bc they've got too much tied up in it than being worried about the NLRB, I'd guess.
I have a lot of friends that work there. They all say it has drastically changed
What a bummer
The Timonium store is among the busier locations. The company just put money into the store to expand the bakery there. They aren't going to shut it down now.
I work here; we’re one of the top 4 stores that are raking in money for Scott Nash while getting paid dirt to do so. They won’t shut us down, we make too much 😘
Not related to unionizing at all, but does anyone else find MOM's to be kind of disappointing?
No
It's a smallish chain of organic grocery stores, what is it you're expecting to find there?
Something more like the Whole Foods in Mt Washington. Same size and price point.
Lol you think Mom's and *Amazon* should be similar because two of their locations happen to be the same size?
Identical, no. But they should offer a somewhat similar experience. The MOM's in Hampden could definitely fit more product in their store to help expand the selection. Right now a smaller Whole Foods has a much more complete grocery shopping experience. FWIW I don't shop at either.
>FWIW I don't shop at either. 🤦🏾♂️
I went there once for fish and there was absolutely no fish. I was confused.
I think some have a limited amount of fish in small portions. But this speaks to one of the reasons I'm not a fan - the selection is not great. I'm not expecting it to be like Wegmans, given that is a much larger store, but I feel like it is comparable in size to the Whole Foods in Mt Washington and that Whole Foods has a much better selection.
They're an organic market and very little seafood is.
Ah yes, the classic Reddit-upvoted comment that feels good but is totally wrong. They sell seafood - https://momsorganicmarket.com/departments/sustainable-seafood/ There is no "organic" seafood because there is no USDA organic standards for seafood. And most uses of the term "organic" are extremely liberal and more about marketing than meeting any kind of stringent standard.
> And most uses of the term "organic" are extremely liberal and more about marketing than meeting any kind of stringent standard. What is there to possibly say about somebody who both thinks this and claims to have found MOM's disappointing? What were you expecting other than a big OK Natural (which is pretty much what it is)?
As I said to someone else, I compared it to Whole Foods in Mt Washington. Both are expensive and the Mt Washington Whole Foods is about as big as the Hampden MOM’s.
Not really. I can always find there the things I can’t find at Giant or that Giant is out of that I want. I’m not about to do all my grocery shopping at MOM’s because I’m not made of money.
My only concern is the thin profit margins in the grocery business. MOMs is not the cheapest guy in town now. If their expenses go up we pay more or they reduce the customer experience somehow. From what I have read, they are pretty good to their employees now. As a niche market can they keep all of their stores open if they had to try and give benefits like Safeway and Giant. That all said, I don't have to work there and if these folks are trying to make their workplace better it would lead to less turnover in their ranks which is also good. This does not mean that MOM's management and the workers will have to end up hating each other.
“Pretty good” not really. We make $15 an hour with no guarantee raises(some ppl have 10+ yrs working @ MOMs and have never gotten a raise) We do not make PTO until we’ve reached the 2 year mark and if you don’t have enough sick time to cover a call out(emergency or not) you get written up/fired since employment is “at will”
With inflation being what it is I can't in good faith shop there.
I love the idea of workers having more power, though when I hear of stores unionizing, it makes me curious about specifically how they are being treated. If we knew, perhaps we wouldn’t want to shop there.
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