Real Foods anniversary action: support workers, neighbors, good business conduct

SUPPORT WORKERS, COMMUNITY, AND GOOD BUSINESS CONDUCT at an action on Labor Day weekend marking the ONE-YEAR ANNIVERSARY of the FRESH ORGANICS dba THE REAL FOOD CO. CLOSURE. Help bring an end to the STALEMATE HOLDING REAL FOODS HOSTAGE to Utah-based/Delaware-incorporated NUTRACEUTICAL INTERNATIONAL CORP. and its Mill Valley lessors, JANE and KIMBALL ALLEN.
Speakers, pickets, creative props, and a march to the gutted Real Food store are scheduled.

ONE YEAR AFTER THE ABRUPT CLOSURE OF REAL FOODS/24TH ST. AND THE FIRING OF ITS UNIONIZING WORKERS, Real Foods remains real closed while the Noe Valley community suffers as a whole. As with the December '03 launching of the Noe Valley Farmers’ Market, Noe Valley neighbors will continue their positive response to an outrageous situation maintained by Fresh Organics Inc.,
parent corporation Nutraceutical International, and Mill Valley lessors Jane and Kimball Allen. Residents, merchants, and city officials have stepped forward expressing their interest in establishing a locally-grown alternative to Nutraceutical /Fresh Organics at 3939 24th St.. Noe Valley
neighbors remain determined to work towards creating a neighborhood where where employees are treated ethically, with consideration for their rights and well-being, and where merchants relate to the greater community--as well as their potential customers--with courteousy and respect.

HISTORY:

MARCH, '02, Nutraceutical International Corp. acquires three Real Food Co. outlets ( including Real Foods/24th St. ) under its wholly-owned subsidiary, Fresh Organics Inc..

SPRING - SUMMER '03, workers at Real Foods/24th St. begin a campaign to secure a union contract. News of the effort is inadvertently leaked to management in late May. Two key organizers are fired before the end of July,
while another worker walks out in protest. In early August, one of the terminated organizers files charges with the National Labor Relations Board, stating that she was unlawfully terminated because of her union activity.
Also in early August, workers expressly inform Nutraceutical executives of their union campaign.

LABOR DAY WEEKEND, '03, Nutraceutical International Corp. abruptly closes its 24th St. outlet, firing nearly thirty employees without warning and angering Noe Valley neighbors who supported the store for over three
decades. The corporation alleges that a complete store remodel is in the works, although records at the Department of Building Inspections support no such claim. Terminated employees file multiple charges with the National
Labor Relations Board, stating that they were unlawfully terminated because of their union activity.

FALL '03 - WINTER '04, Noe Valley residents and supporters petition Nutraceutical to make amends with its former workers and the community by entering into a mediated dialogue. District 9 Supervisor Bevan Dufty stands
behind the effort and makes repeated personal appeals to the corporation. By mid-February, Nutraceutical makes it clear that it has no interest in the mediation proposal. The corporation also indicates that it is negotiating
with its Mill Valley lessors, Jane & Kimball Allen, over structural issues at the 24th St. property.

SPRING '04: Nutraceutical claims that an agreement has been reached with the Allens as far as structural issues are concerned. Noe Valley residents and supporters petition Nutraceutical to vacate its Noe Valley lease, and stage
a call-in reiterating their opposition to the corporation's conduct. The Real Food store remains gutted and idle, while community members also contact the Allens to express their outrage over the situation. The Allens are unresponsive, citing a confidentiality clause in their lease with the corporation.

SUMMER '04: The corporation again claims that an agreement with the Allens has been reached. Records at the DBI, however, show no permit applications or building plans to support the claim.

NOTE: FOLLOWING A LENGTHY INVESTIGATION, THE NATIONAL LABOR RELATIONS BOARD IS EXPECTED TO ISSUE PRELIMINARY DECISIONS ON THE REAL FOOD WORKERS' CLAIMS WITHIN THE NEXT SEVERAL WEEKS.