Nick Spoto- ShopRite #110, Staten Island - Nick Spoto is a well-spoken, 21 year old part-time deli clerk who has been a member of Local 342 and an employee of Shoprite #110 in Staten Island for 2 years. When Nick is away from his job, he enjoys playing basketball and rooting for his beloved New York Yankees. Besides his sporting interests, Nick also takes his education and future career prospects very seriously. Currently, Nick is participating in a two year radiology program at New York Methodist Hospital Bartone School of Radiography, which he hopes will lead to him becoming an X-Ray Technician.

Although Nick does not plan on making a career out of his job as a deli clerk at Shoprite, the importance of being a member of Local 342 for as long as he remains an employee there has not been lost on him. Nick realizes that he would not be able to pay his bills or further his education without the money he makes from his part-time job. He also recognizes that having Local 342 there with him every step of the way gives him job security, benefits, and satisfactory working conditions.

Nick learns more about the perks of being a Local 342 member every day, and he was surprised and excited to hear about Local 342’s Tuition Reimbursement program, which is designed to help our members pay for their education. Nick is looking forward to getting involved in all of the programs and events Local 342 has to offer, and he had this message to send to his fellow Part-Timers: “No matter how long you plan on staying at your job, get to know about your Union. You will be surprised about all the great things they can offer you.”

Lori Finizio- ShopRite #801, Bay Shore - Lori Finizio is a considerate, 21 year old part-time deli clerk who has been a member of Local 342 and an employee of Shoprite #801 in Bay Shore for just over 1 year. When Lori is not loyally serving customers in her deli department, she enjoys going to the movies, working out at the gym, and watching stand-up comedy. Outside of her job, Lori has also proven herself to be a dedicated family member, as she voluntarily babysits her little cousins whenever she is needed. Lori’s selfless attitude and willingness to help others makes her a perfect match for Local 342, who also strives to positively affect the lives of its members on a daily basis.

In her interview, Lori admitted that she had heard horror stories about non-union workers in the past, but she also sheepishly claimed that she never took the time to think about how significant it is to belong to a Union herself despite the struggles of others. Once Lori was given an explanation regarding some of the many positives Local 342 provides for its members, a big smile came across her face. She was particularly interested in hearing about Local 342’s Tuition Reimbursement programs because she is hoping to come up with enough money to attend a Business or Culinary Arts school in the near future. For Lori, receiving an extra few dollars toward her education could ultimately change the course of her entire life. In the end, Lori was thankful for her interview experience because it allowed her to learn about Local 342 and view the concept of Labor Unions in an entirely new light. As for her fellow Part-Timers, Lori had this message to send: “Take the time to learn about Local 342 and become involved with them because there are many different ways it can benefit you in the end.”

Jessy Chamberlain- Pathmark #625, Seaford - Jessy Chamberlain is a caring, 20 year old part-time deli clerk who has been a member of Local 342 and an employee of Pathmark #625 in Seaford for over 2 years. When Jessy is not working behind the deli counter, she enjoys spending her free time writing poetry, and playing with her 4 dogs. For Jessy however, there is usually little time for her to relax as she unselfishly takes care of her sick mother, and also attends Sanford-Brown Institute, which is a trade school that specializes in medical certification programs. Jessy’s goal is to one day become a Sonogram Technician, and she appears to be well on her way to accomplishing this feat by confidently working her way through the 2 year program.

It is obvious that Jessy’s determination, drive, and commitment to her family have allowed her to be successful in school, at work, and in her personal life. Union members who display characteristics and core values as strong as Jessy’s are all the motivation Local 342 needs when helping its members preserve the rights, entitlements and working conditions they deserve. Jessy is a fine representative of the Union spirit, and it is people like her that make Local 342 thoroughly enjoy positively influencing the lives of as many members at it can on a daily basis. Conversely, Jessy made it clear that she is proud to be associated with Local 342 as well, and although she does not have much time available to attend Union activities and events, she vowed to visit our website and get involved in any way she can in the near future. Her message to fellow Part-Timers was simply this: “Take the time to learn about Local 342 and all of its programs so that you can take advantage of everything it has to offer.”

Rich Condon- Pathmark #171, Staten Island Rich Condon is an athletic, 21 year old part-time meat wrapper who has been a member of Local 342 and an employee of Pathmark #171 on Staten Island for 6 months. When Rich is not working hard and enjoying the company of his fellow Union members in the Meat Department, some of his hobbies include playing sports, watching the New York Giants, and listening to music. Rich also pays great attention to his education, as he is currently attending college at St. John’s University. He is a Communications major there, and he is hoping to one day go to law school and study to become a Corporate Attorney.

Although Rich has only been a member of Local 342 for a short period of time, he is already a regular down at his local Union hall on Monday nights. For him, being part of a Union is a special experience. He appreciates how friendly his fellow Union members are to him, and how willing Local 342’s representatives and staff are to help out if he ever has any questions. Rich is looking forward to experiencing some of the events and activities Local 342 has to offer, and he already has a life-long appreciation for what Unions do for their members. As Rich said, for as long as he remains in his current job, it will be “Good to know that dedicated people who care about you are always there to protect your back.”

Will Diaz- Food Emporium #732, Manhattan Will Diaz is a prideful, down-to-earth, part-time seafood clerk who has been a member of Local 342 for 9 years, and is currently an employee at Food Emporium #732 in Manhattan. Outside of his job environment, Will likes to relax, and watch all of the action involving his local sports teams. Will describes himself as a “New York” sports fan, and roots for all of the local teams despite the perceived rivalries amongst them. Within the confines of his job, Will enjoys getting creative with his seafood case displays, and is generally considered one of the best “set up” men in the entire Food Emporium banner. However, despite the fact that Will is often complimented by Food Emporium management for his unique case displays, he still has been undeservingly harassed and suspended by them on more than one occasion. For this reason alone, Will has personal knowledge as to why it is important to belong to a Union such as Local 342.

During his interview, Will expressed a genuine belief that he probably would be out of his job if it were not for Local 342. Will recalled two instances in which he had been suspended by management, including one time that a possible termination was discussed. On both of these occasions, Will immediately spoke to his Local 342 Union Representative and received satisfactory results. Regarding both of Will’s suspensions, Local 342 was able to prove to Food Emporium that the punishments he received were frivolous. As a result of this, Will was able to immediately return to his job with back pay for time lost. Will is thankful that he has Local 342 to back him up in times of need, and he appreciates the amount of effort put forth by his Union each passing day. That being said, Will had this message for his fellow part-time Union members: “If there was no Union, we would have nobody to protect us from managers harassing us. This is why we should be strong for our Union and help them whenever they ask.”

Neil Hodge - Shoprite #218, Brooklyn Neil Hodge is an intelligent, 19 year old part-time meat wrapper who has been a member of Local 342 and an employee of Shoprite #218 in Brooklyn for just under one year. In his spare time, Neil enjoys writing, reading Dan Brown novels, and playing cricket. The third item is particularly interesting because one does not usually associate cricket with a sport that is played in the United States very often. However, Neil revealed that there are quite a few cricket leagues that take place in Prospect Park during the summer, and he enjoys playing there several days a week. In his non-leisure time away from Shoprite, Neil has a second job as a Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA). Neil has a great passion for nursing, and he has set his sights on becoming a full-time Registered Nurse (RN) in the near future. In this regard, Neil has already been accepted to a 2 year program at Hunter College, so he appears to be well on his way to accomplishing this goal.

Despite Neil’s lofty expectations for the future, it was clear from his interview that he appreciates being a part of Local 342 in his current job. In fact, just a few months into his tenure, Neil had a first-hand experience which displayed to him why it is important for a worker to belong to a Union such as Local 342. When Neil was originally hired by Shoprite, he was placed in the deli department as a part-time clerk. Unfortunately, after only a short period of time there, Neil had a misunderstanding with a co-worker that led the company to suspend him, and also consider termination. However, once Local 342 was called upon the scene, all of this changed. Instead of being suspended or terminated, Local 342 helped orchestrate a compromise which called for Neil to be transferred from the deli department to the meat department. Since this compromise was put into effect, all parties have been thrilled with the results. At the conclusion of his interview, Neil expressed his gratitude to Local 342 and had this message to send to his fellow part-timers: “Local 342 always has your best interests at heart. If it wasn’t for them, many workers in our industry would unfairly lose their jobs. Next time you see Local 342 in your store, try to show them the same love and respect they give to you.”

Kathryn Locke- Pathmark #625, Seaford Kathryn Locke is a free-spirited, 26 year old part-time meat wrapper who has been a member of Local 342 and an employee of Pathmark #625 in Seaford for just over 1 year. Outside the confines of the meat room, Kathryn enjoys styling hair, training dogs, and going on long motorcycle rides with her boyfriend. In general, Kathryn is still trying to settle into her new life, as she just recently moved to New York from Arizona. Given the fact that Kathryn has now lived and worked in both states within the last two years, she has been able to gather great insight regarding Union versus Non-Union jobs since she has experienced unionized jobs in New York and non-unionized jobs in Arizona. As far as Kathryn is concerned, she truly believes that the grass is greener on the side of unionized jobs.

When Kathryn lived in Arizona, a state which is known for having a low percentage of Union membership, she consistently observed and heard about co-workers being disciplined or fired for no apparent reason other than the fact that the company wanted to do so. Once she came to New York and became a part of a unionized environment, Kathryn said that she no longer witnessed any of her co-workers being wronged in ways she had previously seen in Arizona. To her, it was clear that Local 342 was the main reason why her fellow employees were able to enjoy good benefits, guaranteed wage increases, and safe working conditions. However, despite the positive impact Local 342 seemingly has on its Part-Time members, Kathryn said she still gets an odd vibe from some of the Part-Timers in her store concerning the Union. Kathryn’s belief is that many Part-Timers know very little about Local 342, and therefore they become worried when they see Union Representatives in their departments. She thinks that they are wrongfully identifying Local 342 as another group of bosses who are watching over them, as opposed to an organization that is there to help them. Because of this misguided thought process, Kathryn had this message to send to her fellow Part-Timers: “Leave any negative ideas you have about Local 342 behind you. If you take the time to understand what they do, you will begin to love them, and your trust for them will grow!”

Clarence Gadsden - Pathmark #603, Manhattan - Clarence Gadsden is a hard-working, part-time meat wrapper who has been a member of Local 342 for 11 years, and is currently an employee at Pathmark #603 in Harlem. When Clarence is not putting in his 20 hours at the meat department, he spends a large portion of his time enjoying the exciting world of athletics. In his interview, Clarence happily admitted that he is a long time sports fanatic, who loves playing and watching all types of sports. However, Clarence made it clear that he particularly likes to focus on baseball and football. Clarence stated that he is a big fan of the Yankees and Giants, and he tunes into their games whenever they are on television. When his favorite teams are not on the tube, Clarence revealed that he does his own competing, as he participates in hardball and touch-tackle football leagues as a prime source of entertainment.

Clarence’s lively spirit and willingness to compete are excellent qualities to have as a Union member. Just as Local 342 “goes to bat” and fights for its members on a daily basis, Clarence takes on a similar attitude each time he walks on the baseball diamond or the football field. As a long standing part-time member, Clarence understands that he, as well as his fellow part-time Union members must come together and stand behind Local 342 if they desire to achieve improvements on their entitlements, wages, and working conditions in their next contract. Clarence has already seen that it is often difficult to even get supplies from his employer unless Local 342 intervenes, so he can only imagine how much worse it could get if part-time members do not rally for what they deserve before contract time. With this thought in mind, Clarence had this message to send to his fellow part-time Union members:“Support your Union… If it wasn’t for them, our companies would put more pressure on us, and never give us what we need or deserve!”

John Gigliotti - Stop & Shop #570 - New Hyde Park - John Gigliotti is a friendly and cooperative part-time meat wrapper who has been a member of Local 342 for 8 years. Currently, John is an employee at Stop & Shop #570 in New Hyde Park. When John is not busy putting in his 25 hours at his part-time Union job, he spends most of his remaining time running his photography business. John enjoys the artistry involved in taking photographs, and he has turned his love of photography into a profitable business. John’s company specializes in capturing and developing portraits, and they do much of their work on the behalf of musicians. However, despite the fact that John’s photography business is his primary source of income and a great success, he still has a special appreciation for his part-time Union job, and he has no plans to leave it anytime soon.

John takes great pride in belonging to Local 342 because he respects the manner in which they help their members, and he thrives in the friendly atmosphere the Union provides. In fact, John has proven his dedication to Local 342 by becoming a regular at membership meetings and most recently, by signing up for email updates and receiving a free t-shirt as part of Local 342’s “Part-Timers Rock” campaign. John also admitted that he may have never received his missing raise and retro pay in the past if it was not for the efforts of Local 342. For him, being a part of Local 342 has been a blessing. With such a positive Union experience in mind, John had this to say to his fellow Part-Timers:“We (Part-Timers) should all be involved with Local 342 because the Union is interesting, helpful, informative, and a great place to experience true camaraderie. Part-Timers should be proud, and most of all, be supportive!”

Daniel Gorman - A&P/Waldbaum’s #209 - Bayside - Daniel Gorman is an active part-time deli clerk who has been a member of Local 342 and an employee of A&P/Waldbaum’s #209 in Queens for over 6 years. When Daniel is not serving customers in the deli, or rallying his fellow part-timers in the shop, he enjoys hanging out with his girlfriend, listening to music, and rooting on the New York Mets, New York Rangers, and Pittsburgh Steelers in person, or while watching on television. On top of his leisure activities, Daniel also dedicates a considerable amount of his free time to Local 342’s Volunteer Organizing Committee (VOC). Currently, Daniel is helping Union staff carry out a campaign which aims to bring the benefits of Union membership to many non-union workers. Clearly, Daniel is setting an example of what Local 342 hopes many of its Part-Timers will become… Active and dedicated Union members!

Besides being a member of the VOC and attending just about every membership meeting and Union activity he possibly can, Daniel also recently assisted his Shop Steward (Hector Franqui) in getting well over 30 part-timers to participate in Local 342’s “Part-Timers Rock” T-shirt program by persuading them to sign up for email updates. The total number of Part-Timers who signed up in Daniel’s store is by far the most of any shop, and it proves how a little extra effort from our part-time members can go a long way in building solidarity and camaraderie amongst the base. As for why he puts so much effort into Union participation, and why he believes it is important for other Part-Timers to follow his lead, Daniel had this to say:“Part-Timers need to understand what our Union is about in order to appreciate it. The only way they will truly see the benefits our Union brings to them is if they do the research and make an effort to learn. My advice to them would be to check out the Union website, talk to their Shop Steward, look to join negotiating committees for their next contract, and NEVER be afraid of store management!”