6.15.2023 Union Contract Update: The 2023 Union Contract has been ratified by the membership and we have secured some of the largest financial gains ever!

The 2023 Union Contract has been ratified by the membership and we have secured some of the largest financial gains ever!

6.14.2023 Union Contract Update

RWDSU Local 1-S is excited to announce we have reached tentative agreement on a new union contract with Macy's. This agreement includes wage increases and bonuses for everyone amongst many other improvements. We are also proud to announce that in this agreement there have been no givebacks or concessions. The Union is strongly recommending that every member come out and vote YES! All details of the new agreement will be provided at your voting location tomorrow!

Local 1-S President,
Felix Ocasio

6.12.2023 Union Contract Update

6.11.2023 Union Contract Update

6.10.2023 Union Contract Update

Reopening Agreement With Macy's

The following is the result of several weeks of negotiating with the company. Every effort was made to make reopening as safe and as secure as possible for returning members while also allowing members to delay their returning to work based on personnel issues.

We’re now immediately going into contact negotiations with the company, as always our primary concern is our members.

Letter of Understanding between Macy's and Local 1-S RWDSU

Following the closure of all locations as a result of the COVID-19 situation, Macys will be implementing the following reopening guidelines for the Four Local 1-S locations – Herald Square, Queens, Parkchester, and White Plains. A tentative reopening date for White Plains has been set for, June 23, 2020.  For all other locations, the reopening dates will be determined based on state/local government guidance and the Union will be notified at least 10 days in advance of reopening.

SAFETY

Upon reopening, Macy’s will implement a series of safety measures to ensure the safety of both colleagues and customers.  These measures will include, but not limited to:

1. Four (4) reusable facial masks will be distributed monthly; masks are required to be worn at all times until further notice. The expectation is that the colleagues are responsible to care for the company issued masks. In the event the mask gets damage during the colleagues working shift, the colleague will be able to exchange the damaged mask for a replacement.

2. Distribution of gloves and/or aprons for select colleagues based on the nature of work (i.e. colleagues who are processing multiple goods or interaction with customers at high-traffic registers.)

3. Increased and expanded cleaning protocols which will be the responsibility of all colleagues to some extent.

4. Installations of plexi-glass sneeze guards at cash wrap areas.

5. Social distancing indicators will be added as part of store signage.

6. Aligned to our current company practice, colleagues can excuse themselves to leave the floor and wash their hands at any time for a reasonable amount of time; the colleague should notify their People Leader in advance to ensure there is adequate coverage to support customer needs.

7. All colleagues will be allowed to wipe down and sanitize any equipment that the colleague is being required to use. The Company will provide hand sanitizer at every register, building entrance, lounge, breakroom, or display area for colleague and/or customer use.

8. Housekeeping and store leadership teams will ensure all cleaning products and sanitizer are replenished through-out the day. Housekeeping will maintain their typical daily cleaning operations which include disinfecting.

9. The Company will provide the colleagues with the safety protocols via My Insite prior to returning to their respective store with 1:1 People Leader reinforcement, signage will be posted at all colleague and customer entrances outlining the established safety protocols and practices as per the CDC and local government.

10. Our in house Plumbers/Steamfitters will continue to perform necessary maintenance to HVAC systems inclusive of review and changing of filters as needed.

11. Macy’s will comply with New York City and New York State government guidance regarding customers wearing masks when visiting the store. The Company will have visual signage and placard that encourages personal protection equipment (PPE). Macy’s will comply with all additional government and CDC guidelines as required. This policy requiring masks will be jointly reviewed by the Company and the Union on an ongoing basis to determine the need for the length of such policy however the final decision is the company.

12. In the event a colleague is uncomfortable with servicing a customer who is not wearing a mask, as per our established practice, the colleague should contact the appropriate people leader for customer assistance such colleague will not be disciplined for contacting the appropriate People Leader to service the customer.

13. Before and after handling the phone for Macy’s Credit Services, colleagues should wipe down the phone with the appropriate disinfectant wipes and upon return of the phone the colleague should wipe the phone down before placing on the receiver.

14. Security will be required to wear and change gloves for each employee when searching colleague’s personal items and bags.

Wellness Checks

Colleagues must complete wellness checks before each shift.

• Colleagues must take their temperature at home. If the temperature is 100.4°F or higher or if the colleague is experiencing flu-like symptoms or otherwise feeling unwell, the Colleague may not work their shift. The Colleagues may use paid time off or in certain locations, available sick/safe time and may reach out to Colleague Support for assistance. In Herald Square and Queens Center, temperature checks will occur in store at the start of the colleagues shift. Colleagues who test over 100.4°F will not be allowed to work, and will be sent home. They will be entitled to PTO or sick benefits, and shall not be issued attendance points.

• For Parkchester and White Plains, Local 1-S will provide temperature checks at the colleague entrance. Local 1-S President and Macy’s Vice President, Principal Labor Strategy Leader will sidebar negotiate the details of how this will take place.

• When colleague arrives to work, a wellness check will be conducted and recorded.

• The questionnaire portion of the wellness check will be completed while the colleague is on the “on the clock”.

• The designated People Leader will ask a series of questions – known as Wellness Checks – to ensure the safety of everyone in the store (the responses to the series of questions is personal and will not be recorded).

  • Did you take your temperature before you left for work today?

  • Was your temperature below 100.4°F/38°C?

  • Are you free from all of the following symptoms: new or worsening cough, shortness of breath, sore throat, new loss of taste or smell, chills, muscle pain, headache, or runny nose?

  • Can you confirm that you have NOT had close and prolonged contact with a person who was lab-confirmed to have COVID-19 to your best knowledge? (The CDC defines close contact as being within 6 feet of someone with a confirmed case of COVID-19 for a prolonged period of time, 10 minutes or more, within the last 14 days)

If the colleague answers “yes” to all three questions, they should immediately wash or sanitize their hands, ensure they have a face mask on, and proceed to their work area. If the colleague answers no to any one of the three questions, they should be sent home and should be paid for the time it took to conduct the wellness check.  If a colleague is sent home due to the outcome of the wellness check, the colleague’s attendance will not be adversely affected. 

Required Quarantine

• Macy’s has implemented a COVID-19 Emergency Leave and Pay policy for non-furloughed colleagues. If a colleague has been diagnosed with COVID-19 or is required to quarantine by their healthcare professional, a governmental agency, or Macy’s, he/she will be eligible for up to two week’s pay.

Other Safety Measures

• Macy’s will provide face masks for each colleague on duty. Colleagues will be provided four (4) cloth (reusable) faces masks upon their return. As noted above, in the event the colleague’s mask gets damage during the colleague’s working shift, the colleague will be able to exchange the damaged mask for a replacement The masks will meet the CDC guidelines and will be worn at all times while at work.  The colleague is expected to retain, clean and reuse the masks for one month (1 mask per week).  At the beginning of the following month, the colleague will receive a new set of masks.  This process will continue until further notice. The Company will advise the Union prior to implementing the change.

• The Company in order to practice social distancing and keep associates safer plans to temporarily suspend suit-fitting and measuring services in the Men’s department. In addition, Men’s dress shirts will not be available to try on in the store.  Similarly, fitting will also be suspended in the Intimate Apparel department.

• Macy’s plans to temporarily suspend personalized shoe fittings in the Men’s and Women’s shoes departments.

HOURS OF OPERATION

• Upon initial reopening, Macy’s intends to operate its store locations Sunday through Saturday from 11am – 7pm; operating hours will continue to be evaluated. Based on the reduced operating hours, colleagues will be scheduled per the following:

• Full Time Colleagues will receive a minimum of 32 hours per week. Full Time late night contractual minimums will not be in effect for the duration of this agreement.

• Fractional Colleagues will receive a minimum of 25 hours per week.

• Grandfathered Part Time Colleagues, hired 4/1/1993 and prior, will receive a minimum of 18 hours per week

• Part Time (hired after 4/1/993) and Short Hour colleague will receive a minimum of 10 hours per week

COLLEAGUES WHO ARE RECALLED

Per Article 7 Seniority will be used in determining the order in which colleagues are recalled.  Per the contracts, Colleagues must report back to work after being recalled.  Once a colleague is recalled from furlough, Macy’s expect the colleague to return to work.  However, it is understood that colleagues may have certain personal challenges as a result of COVID-19 and may not be immediately ready to return to work.  These reasons include, but not limited to:

• No access to childcare

• Personal illness

• Fear of re-entering the workplace due to potential COVID-19 exposure

• Earning more on unemployment with company paid benefits

Contingent upon the agreement regarding scheduled hours above, Macy’s will offer the following to colleagues who may not be immediately ready to return to work:

• One-Time Pass – If a colleague is unable/unwilling to return to work when the store opens to the public and would like to be “passed” over, Macy’s will allow a one-time pass for the first request for a colleague to return to work. Only one “pass” will be allowed. The colleague will be moved to the bottom of the one-time COVID 19 recall seniority list.   The colleague will remain on furlough until their name/number comes up again.  Colleagues will not be allowed to select their own start date.  Once the colleague is up for recall the second time, the colleague will be expected to return to work, subject to Article 7  If the colleague does not return following the second recall, then Macy’s will deem the colleague as having resigned their position.

In the event there is a decision to take lay-offs, during or post this agreement time frame, the contractual provisions regarding seniority will supersede this agreement. Therefore the call back provisions as outlined in the sections within Article 7 will be adhered to.

• Personal Leave of Absence – If a colleague is unable/unwilling to return due to a personal reason, the colleague will be offered a personal leave of absence. The colleague will be returned to active status and will be granted a personal leave of absence for up to two weeks to help them transition back to work.  The two week period will begin as of the date the colleague was supposed to report to work. Following the week period, the colleague will be expected to return to work.  If the colleague does not return following the two week personal leave of absence, then Macy’s will deem the colleague as having resigned their position.

• Medical Leave of Absence – If a colleague is unable/unwilling to return due to a medical reason, the colleague may apply for a medical leave of absence. If approved (with the appropriate physician’s certification), the colleague will be returned to active status and will be granted a medical leave of absence for the time frame noted by the physician’s certification.  Following the expiration of the medical leave, the colleague will be expected to return to work.  If the colleague does not return following the medical leave of absence, then Macy’s will deem the colleague as having resigned their position.

BENEFITS

• Colleagues who are recalled/removed from furlough, whether they will be working or on Leave of Absence, will be considered active/off furlough and will resume paying the colleague portion of benefit premiums once recalled. For the colleagues who are on Leave of Absence, information will be mailed to them regarding their premiums. 

• Colleagues who are not recalled or remain on furlough will continue to receive health benefit coverage if they participate in the Macy’s, Inc. plan. Macy’s will continue to cover 100% of the premium costs through June; or until the colleague is recalled to work, whichever happens earlier. 

• Colleagues impacted by the furlough and/or who return to work with reduced schedule hours. Medical Benefits eligibility requirements (30 hours minimum work) and PTO eligibility requirements (15 hours minimum work) will be reviewed to support continued eligibility for colleagues impacted by the reduction in hours for the time period of reduced hours after the stores reopen.

MISCELLANEOUS

• For colleagues who are on a Draw vs. Commission pay plan, in the event a colleague accumulates deficit during the reduced operating hours, the Company will conduct deficit wipe off for the duration of this agreement.

• The Company will allow colleagues who return to work, but on a leave of absence (personal leave of absence or medical leave of absence) to use any accrued but unused Paid Time Off. Colleagues who choose to remain on furlough will not be able to use Paid Time Off.

All parties agree to the aforementioned as a total package. This agreement shall be non-precedent setting, and shall not alter any term or condition of employment under the collective bargaining agreements, and shall terminate in its entirety on July 5th, 2020.

Women's Wear Daily: Contract Negotiations for 4,300 Macy’s Workers Cause Debate

The following article originally appeared in Women's Wear Daily.

Union workers in four Macy’s stores will be negotiating a new contract, despite many unknowns related to the pandemic shutdown.

By Rosemary Feitelberg on May 20, 2020

Union workers at four New York area Macy’s stores will soon be negotiating a new contract despite the many unknowns caused by the coronavirus pandemic.

At issue is the contract for 4,300 Macy’s employees in four locations — Herald Square, Queens Center Mall, Parkchester in the Bronx and White Plains in Westchester County — which will expire next month, according to the Retail Wholesale and Department Store Union’s president, Stuart Appelbaum.

Their contract first expired May 1, but it had an automatic 45-day extension clause. Macy’s has since agreed to a two-week extension, which means the expiration date is June 30.

Initially union officials proposed a one-year contract extension and then a six-month one, due to the pandemic. Macy’s declined such lengthy extensions because of the number of contracts the retailer needs to negotiate next year, according to Appelbaum. A Macy’s spokeswoman did not address that specifically Wednesday.

“We are absolutely amazed that Macy’s is insisting on negotiating now,” he said. “All of the stores in New York are still closed. They don’t know when they are going to reopen. None of their employees are working. We don’t know what the stores are going to look like or how they’re going to operate when they reopen.”

The three main areas of concern are the safety of employees and union members, COVID-19/pandemic response and employee recall, the union leader said. Appelbaum said RWDSU members are worried about going back to work, based on what he alleged are “inadequate” procedures that have been put in place at other Macy’s stores that have reopened. Requiring employees to wear masks, but not requiring customers to wear them is one example, Appelbaum said.

Asked for comment, a Macy’s spokeswoman said in a statement Wednesday, “We believe that Macy’s Inc. offers a great work environment with fair pay and good benefits. We continue to request dates for bargaining with the RWDSU Local 1-S in good faith. We believe the union should come to the table on behalf of its members and remain committed to pursuing an agreement that is fair to all parties. There are always unknowns in collective bargaining negotiations. The union and Macy’s both have the obligation to forecast, as best as possible, how to resolve those unknowns and build in contingencies for future events. Macy’s is simply seeking to comply with its duty to bargain prior to the expiration of a collective bargaining agreement.”

The statement continued, “Additionally, Macy’s top priority is the safety and security of its colleagues and customers. We are following the CDC’s recommended everyday preventative measures, as well as all local and state orders, in accordance with New York State On Pause, and have continued to offer bargaining via a web-based platform of the union’s choosing, or conference call.”

Appelbaum claimed that Macy’s had proposed that the union’s 36-person negotiating committee attend an in-person meeting in Manhattan. The Macy’s spokeswoman did not address that question directly via e-mail. Appelbaum questioned the safety aspect of meeting in person, since attendees would need to use public transportation to get there and that a lot of them are “in vulnerable categories” health-wise.

From a contract standpoint, RWDSU officials and members are concerned that if older, diabetic and other vulnerable workers do not immediately return to work, when asked to, that they could lose their jobs. Appelbaum said when Macy’s needed a few workers to come back to retrieve some merchandise from the Herald Square store (due allegedly to limited merchandise in the distribution center), those workers were selected by seniority on a volunteer basis. “What we’re concerned about is that that continues as they recall people,” he said.

The union provided an update to Local 1-S members Tuesday highlighting some of the challenges it perceives would make negotiations difficult now, due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Negotiations are expected to start before the end of the month but they will not be conducted in person, the union said.

Macy’s plans to host its annual Fourth of July fireworks is another point of consternation for the RWDSU leader, even though the fireworks were strongly defended by New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio. “Wouldn’t it be nice if they spent the $6 million [the estimated expense for the fireworks] on their own workforce? That would be a much better way to show their support to New York City,” he claimed.

The Macy’s spokeswoman declined to comment regarding the Fourth of July fireworks.

Statement From RWDSU President Stuart Appelbaum On Macy's Furlough Announcement

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: March 30, 2020

Contact: Chelsea Connor | cconnor@rwdsu.org | 347-866-6259

MACY’S  STATEMENT FROM RWDSU PRESIDENT STUART APPELBAUM

“RWDSU members at Macy’s are covered under a collective bargaining agreement. Two weeks ago we negotiated historic provisions for workers that expire on April 1st. Critically it included plans to negotiate future terms, which we are still doing. Macy's needs to do much more for its employees than what they have announced so far -- and we are pushing them to do that. They will be judged in the future by how they treat their employees now," said Stuart Appelbaum, President of the Retail, Wholesale and Department Store Union (RWDSU). 

Update on Store Closure: Letter of Understanding Between The Union and Macy's

Local 1-S RWDSU has reached an agreement with Macy's on pay procedure over the next two weeks while union stores are closed due to the COVID-19 outbreak. Please read the letter below and contact us with any questions at (212) 594-6910.

A message from your union on COVID-19 virus safety

We wanted to share with you this information that was prepared by the national AFL-CIO. There is a lot of information currently out there about the COVID-19 virus, but we thought that this contained valuable information in dealing with this outbreak. Should you have any concerns, please reach out to your union representative. Our contract outlines your paid-sick time. If you have any questions, please call our office 212-594-6910.

New York Times: Macy’s and Union Have a Deal, Averting a Strike

The following story appeared in the New York Times.

Macy’s and the union representing thousands of its workers in the New York City area reached a tentative deal for a new labor contract on Thursday, avoiding what would have been the first strike at the nation’s largest department store in more than 40 years.

The president of the union hailed the four-year agreement as a “major victory” that included “substantial wage increases,” a more affordable health care plan and new scheduling rules that would not require employees to work on holidays, including Thanksgiving and Christmas.

“It raises the bar for what retail jobs can be and should be,” said the union’s president, Stuart Appelbaum. “It’s a major step forward for the entire retail industry, and it shows the importance of what our union does to empower retail workers.”

A Macy’s spokeswoman, Elina Kazan, said, “We are pleased with the outcome of our overnight negotiations.”

Macy’s and union leaders initially had until midnight Wednesday to agree on a new contract for workers at four locations in New York State, including the retailer’s flagship location in Manhattan. Talks extended beyond the deadline.

The price of health care coverage was one of the most important issues to labor organizers, said Mr. Appelbaum, who leads the Retail, Wholesale and Department Store Union, in an interview on Wednesday. He said more than three-quarters of Macy’s employees could not afford the retailer’s health insurance.

“The premiums are just too high for people,” said Mr. Appelbaum, who added that the deductible was $3,000 for an individual worker and $6,000 for a family.

The union also pushed for changes to the Macy’s commissions policy. In particular, union leaders wanted Macy’s to shrink the window during which returns of merchandise could reduce an employee’s paycheck. Under the current policy, any merchandise returned within six months can count against a worker’s sales, which are used to calculate commissions. A spike in returns over the last few years has made the issue more urgent, labor officials say.

There were no significant changes to the commission policy, according to a spokeswoman for the union, Janna Pea.

The union said it expected its workers to ratify the deal within a week.

The previous labor contract — covering nearly 5,000 employees, including sales representatives, cleaning staff and stock room workers — expired on May 1. Within weeks, workers at Macy’s stores in Manhattan, the Bronx, Queens and White Plains voted to authorize a strike if a new deal could not be reached by Wednesday.

Macy’s workers have not gone on strike in New York since 1972, according to Mr. Appelbaum.

While labor negotiations often come down to the final hours, Macy’s had shown signs that it took the threat of a strike seriously. The retailer placed ads seeking new employees, which Mr. Appelbaum viewed as a strategy to scare workers into thinking they could lose their jobs.

Ms. Kazan said in a previous email that the company had taken out similar ads during contract talks in the past and that it was a “practical solution” to be prepared in case of a strike.

Traditional department stores have struggled more than the rest of the retail industry to recover from the 2008 financial collapse.

Macy’s, Nordstrom, Kohl’s and J. C. Penney all reported weak sales last quarter. Department stores as a whole employed 1.3 million workers as of May, the smallest number in a decade and 10 percent fewer than in 2009, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Discount department stores like T. J. Maxx, Marshalls and Ross, on the other hand, have been thriving.

The retail industry as a whole employed 15.9 million people as of May, up more than 9 percent since 2009.

VIDEO: Macy's workers need good medical benefits

VIDEO: Macy's workers need good medical benefits