Union sues Treasure Island Foods, alleges closing grocer failed to give enough notice before layoffs
Treasure Island Foods, the longtime Chicago grocery chain that announced it was closing stores by Oct. 12, is now being sued by the United Food and Commercial Workers International Union for allegedly violating a federal law that governs layoff notices.
The lawsuit, filed in federal court in Chicago on Thursday on behalf of the unions Local 1546, alleges that Treasure Island violated the Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification Act because all employees will be laid off less than 60 days after they received written notice on or about Sept. 26, according to the complaint. Under the law, employers cant order a plant closing or mass layoff until the end of a 60-day period after serving written notice to employees.
The lawsuit alleges that Treasure Islands closing of seven stores constitutes a plant closing under the definition in federal law. The unions 28 members in the bargaining unit are therefore entitled to back pay and benefits for up to 60 days, the lawsuit said.
The union also alleges in the lawsuit that Treasure Island is in violation of state law for not paying the union members for their earned but unused paid vacation time as required by the collective bargaining agreement.
Read more: http://www.chicagotribune.com/business/ct-biz-treasure-island-union-lawsuit-20181005-story.html