Associated Attitude

An Associated Supermarket in Springfield Gardens wont be earning a grade A marking any time soon. From unhappy employees and spoiled food to rude owners, this Rochdale Mall establishment has got it all, but customers arent buying it and they dont want to take it anymore.
"They tell you that theyre making a change," said Bobi Brooks, a Springfield Gardens community activist. "They make the changes for a little while but it seems like soon the bad things are happening again."
For two years, community members have been lodging complaints with the Department of Agriculture and Markets. Inspections and violations have been issued. These have to do with cleanliness of cutting and cooking equipment, cooking practices and safety issues.
"An inspector came last year, twice in July, and issued violations. In August, they passed the inspection and since then, the owners claim the supermarket has been sold, but the same family is still there," Books said.
The family, comprised of Leo and Anna Fernandez and their daughter Maria, apparently sold the business but are on the premises day after day.
A man who identified himself as a manager over the phone declined to give any comment other than "dont believe everything you hear."
Concerned about the health and safety of other consumers, Brooks has repeatedly called the office of Yvonne Reddick, executive director of Community Board 12, but has received no callbacks regarding her numerous complaints.
"Ive smelled foul odors," said Brooks. "It looks like some parts are clean and other parts are very dirty. People purchase items with current dates and then bring them home to find the product is no good. This has happened to several people in the neighborhood.
One shopper, who preferred to remain anonymous, expressed concern for those people who have no choice but to shop at the supermarket.
"The personnel are rude to people and the merchandise is not of good quality," she said. "I dont mind that as much as their attitude toward the community. I can shop elsewhere but seniors and other less mobile people might have nowhere else to go. If they want our patronage, theyll have to do better, but its business as usual."
She went on to say that they sell old merchandise that has been redated, and described an incident in which she inadvertently purchased a bag of three-month-old potato chips. When she opened the chips, they were stale and mealy, but Associated doesnt take returns and Rochdale Malls management hasnt responded.
But thats just the food.
For eight months, employees from the store have been striking on and off, while waiting for the owner of the location to conclude negotiations.
"These members came to us to have union representation. They werent getting any medical benefits, they werent getting overtime, and they had no holidays or vacations," said Cathy Garcia, the union representative for UFCW Local 342. "From then on its been a struggle just to get the owner to come to the table and negotiate."
According to Garcia, Leo Fernandez had agreed to attend meeting after meeting, but then canceled each time. Workers were forced to strike twice before he finally met with representatives to agree upon a contract, only to ignore the correct negotiation procedures. The third strike lasted 11 days before he finally completed negotiations and the contract could be drawn up and ratified. But when Fernandez was called upon to sign the contract, he refused.
"During that time, we filed various charges with the labor board against him for bargaining in bad faith," said Garcia. "Also, three employees had been fired for nothing more than union activity. We filed charges on their behalf."
Fernandez told the union that he would sign the contract when all the charges against him had been dropped. For more than 20 days since then, employees have stood outside the supermarket from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m., signs in hand, waiting. Garcia is not sure how long the strike will last.
"Weve been through the negotiations, its time for his signature and we can talk about the charges later and come to an agreement," she said. "Whether or not those individuals come back to work or they get some settlement, whatever is done, we can talk about it and the charges will be dropped at that time."
It remains to be seen whether the Fernandez family will take the strikers and multiple violations to heart. Brooks says that she bears no ill will toward the supermarket; she just wants to see them clean up their act. And their shelves. And their business practices.