Hunts Point Market union workers strike
BY JASON COHEN
The employees in the
Hunts Point Produce Market
have showed up to work
throughout the pandemic
and done their job. Yet, they
are being treated like second
class citizens.
Fed up with management
only offering them a 30 cent
raise, they went on strike on
Sunday.
The 1,400 members of
Teamster Local 202 kept New
Yorkers fed during COVID-19,
with an average base salary
between $18 and $21 an hour.
However, employers in the
market, who collectively bill
billions of dollars in annual
sales, received more than
$15 million in forgivable PPP
loans during the pandemic.
On Jan. 14, the Teamsters
were joined by elected offi -
cials as they demanded suffi
cient monetary compensation.
“For too long our society
has over valued some work
and undervalued others,” exclaimed
Danny Kane, president
of Teamsters 202. “I was
raised to believe all work has
value.”
According to Kane, management
told them they are
lucky to have jobs and that
the line of people to replace
them would stretch around
the block.
Management should be
thanking them for coming
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in every day during the pandemic,
he stressed. Instead
they are showing them disrespect.
“The workers in this place
are some of the hardest workers
in this country,” he exclaimed.
“They scratch out
a living to make sure every
day the food gets delivered to
where it needs to be. I believe
our members deserve more
than that dollar. How about
paying them a decent wage so
they can feed their families.”
Among the elected offi -
cials who voiced their support
for the Teamsters were
Assemblywomen Amanda
Septimo and Nathalia Fernandez
and Council Members
Vanessa Gibson and Rafael
Salamanca.
Teamsters 202 has a special
place in the heart for Salamanca,
as his father Rafael
Salamanca Sr., worker there
for 18 years. The councilman
is disgusted with how the
management is treating its
employees.
“It’s unacceptable during
these times to say we’re only
going to offer you 30 cents,”
he said. “A dollar is not a lot
to ask for. As New Yorkers,
as Bronxites, we must stand
behind them and make sure
they get paid their wages.”
Septimo shared his sentiments.
“We’re all here to demand
an essential wage for essential
workers,” she said. “To
exploit high unemployment
numbers and suggest these
workers can be replaced is
immoral. They are not fi ghting
this fi ght alone. Elected
offi cials will be fi ghting with
them.”
Danny Kane, president of Teamsters 202, speaks about the need for fair wages for the employees.
Photos by Jason Cohen
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