Lunds Downtown St. Paul Store Closing

UFCW 1189 was informed this week that Lunds has made the decision to close their Downtown St. Paul location where 33 of our members work. Their official closing date of March 26 was announced to these members today.

We are working with the Employer to place as many of the long service members both full and part-time; however, this message does come with the difficult news that part-time employees with less than 5 years of service will be laid off. All others will be offered positions at other locations at Lunds within 1189 jurisdiction. Those transferred members will retain all previous contractual rights. We encourage any member who believes their rights are not being respected to reach out to Tami Denn-Bauer. Tami has secured an agreement with Lunds to work through this difficult situation. She will make sure your voice is heard, and your rights upheld.

Though the laid off members will no longer be Lunds employees within the jurisdiction of Local 1189, Lunds has agreed to provide opportunities in placing some of the workers in positions within the jurisdiction of Local 663. Lunds and the Union will also work with other employers within the 1189 jurisdiction to find positions for laid off members, and will advocate for their rights and benefits.

This is a difficult time for both those who are being transferred and those who will be laid off.  We would encourage anyone who has questions or is experiencing a hardship to reach out to your representative or the Local Main Office in South St. Paul at 651-451-6240. We have also reached out to TEAM for support in this difficult time. For those who are unaware, TEAM is an organization that works to provide assistance and advocacy for our members in a myriad of situations. Whether your issues are financial, physical or emotional, TEAM is an excellent resource. They can be reached at 800-634-7710 or their website at: startwithteam.com.

The Lunds members need our solidarity now more than ever. Local staff will be available at all times to answer questions or lend a hand. We would also encourage all of our membership to hold Lunds members in their hearts, and help if they can. Whether through bargaining, a stewards' conference or some other Union event, many of our members at different employers have built relationships with each other over the years. We encourage you to reach out to lend a comforting word in these difficult times. When any of us are suffering, a kind word or act of solidarity from a fellow member matters.