By Khalida Sarwari
Mi Pueblo Foods workers today began a two-day hunger strike in protest of what they claim is the unfair firing of hundreds of workers earlier this year.
The workers at the San Jose-based Hispanic supermarket chain say an estimated 300 employees, among them truck drivers, warehouse workers and cashiers, were abruptly fired in January, according to the Justice for Mercado Workers Coalition.
The coalition said a human resources manager told the employees they were being terminated because Mi Pueblo Foods had “low sales,” but meanwhile opened a new store in Seaside.
Perla Rodriguez, a spokeswoman for Mi Pueblo Foods, acknowledged that employees were fired in January, but said it was half of that number, and it was done out of necessity for the supermarket.
“We feel for any person who has lot their job in this economy,” Rodriguez said. “At the same time we have a responsibility to our employees and our customers to manage this business so we can be here in the long run.”
The workers are part of the United Food and Commercial Workers Local 5 union. Some of the former workers held a news conference in San Jose this morning to announce the hunger strike.