The Co-op Moves Forward: Growth and Transition

John Tashiro, General Manager

Hello, happy summer and, wow, the month of June was a whirlwind of activity at the Co-op!

General Manager Transition

The General Manager transition has been smooth, Pat and I worked closely together throughout May and June, and I have been immersing myself in various aspects of City Market. I’m grateful for Pat’s leadership at the Co-op; he and the Board continue to make sure that this transition works well for staff, Members, vendors and the community.

Our Co-op’s rich history, Global Ends and engaged Members continue to be the foundation of our success and impact over the years. I am consistently impressed by the unbelievable dedication of our staff to anticipate and meet the needs of our Members, customers, community, farmers and vendors with such pride and passion. This collaborative work is what enables us to play such an active role in our thriving and healthy community.

New Union Contract

I am pleased to announce that our union and management teams successfully renegotiated the terms of our collective bargaining agreement. The process was inclusive, cooperative and both teams’ proposals were representative of City Market’s values. These are currently tentative agreements that the union will be taking to their members in the near future for voting and approval. I have shared the contract changes with the Board, as well, for their review and approval.

The updates to the contract offer generous investments in staff wages and benefits, but are also balanced with fiscal responsibility and sustainability. Both teams worked together to upgrade many positions throughout the store, add money to the wage scale, ensure staff earn a livable wage, and ensure that our medical coverage continues to be affordable and accessible to all employees.

Staff at all levels of the organization were clear throughout the process that they love working at the Co-op and playing an important role in our community. That was certainly evident in the discussions at the negotiating table this year and the way that the teams communicated inside and outside the store.

Second Store Plans Announced

Lastly, we hope you heard about our exciting news about some tangible second store plans! We have been working closely with Mayor Weinberger, the City of Burlington, and Pomerleau Real Estate since 2012 to find a suitable location. Earlier this month, we signed a purchase and sales agreement on the Vermont Rail Systems land at the corner of Briggs and Flynn Avenues. We are truly excited to join the growing South End community!

Our intent is to create a successful and vibrant market in the South End, alleviate some of the pressure on the current storefront and create more opportunities for community support and engagement, as well as employment with above market wages and benefits. We know there is much to do between now and an actual store opening as we engage our staff, Members and the broader community in the development of our plans. As we create these opportunities for engagement, we’ll reach out to elicit your input. In the meantime, we’ve created a special place on our website to share updates as they’re available: www.citymarket.coop/southend.

As always, thank you all for your continued support that makes City Market such a special place. I look forward to seeing you at the Coop and hope you’ll introduce yourself, if you haven’t already.