Irvine Council Shows Strong Support for Grocery Worker Retention Ordinance
UFCW 324
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Wednesday, Aug. 12, 2026
Contact: Jenna Thompson, jthompson@ufcw324.org, 949.246.1620
Leigh Shelton, 503.875.8410
Irvine Council Shows Strong Support for Grocery Worker Retention Ordinance
5 of 7 council members voted to draft model language into a City ordinance
First reading expected to be on Sept. 22
IRVINE, CA – The Irvine City Council showed strong support for the proposed Grocery Worker Retention Ordinance in last night’s meeting.
Five of the seven council members voted to draft model language into a City ordinance. The measure is expected to return to councilmembers for a first reading on September 22, 2026.
“To ensure the stabilization of this vital workforce and to preserve health and safety standards, I am asking my colleagues to impose a transitional retention period, regardless of size of the grocery stores,” said at-large Councilmember Kathleen Treseder, upon introducing the ordinance.
The Irvine Grocery Worker Retention Ordinance is modeled after a state law designed to help grocery workers hold onto jobs in the event of a merger or sale of the business. It requires companies to retain workers 90 days after a sale and requires just cause for terminations before then.
“I think Irvine needs to lead in protecting workers,” said Councilmember Betty Martinez Franco, District 5, from the dais. “Just like we lead in innovation, we need to lead in protecting workers’ rights.”
Irvine Mayor Larry Agran also voted in support of drafting an ordinance. Agran said he understands grocery workers are not well paid and that changes underway in the grocery industry will be harmful, or potentially harmful, to workers. Agran also acknowledged that workers who suffer unfair labor practices will not likely find support in the Trump Administration’s National Labor Relations Board.
“Good luck filing a claim with the national government at this point,” Agran said, speaking to Mother’s Market workers present in the audience. “Your recourse here locally seems to me an appropriate avenue and something I want to be a part of if we can do it in a thoughtful way, and I believe we can.”
State law already protects grocery workers in the event of a sale or merger, but there is a loophole. It only applies to big grocery stores with over 15,000 square feet. Irvine’s local ordinance would apply to smaller footprint stores, keeping up with the changing trends in grocery store size.
“Smaller footprint stores are the trend these days,” said UFCW Local 324 President Jose Perez “But no matter the size, the workers’ need for respect and protection is still the same. That’s what this new local ordinance addresses.”
Addressing the council, Perez said the whole community benefits when skilled workers are retained – not treated as disposable. “Experienced grocery retail workers have the knowledge of proper sanitation procedures, health regulations and laws, and an understanding of the clientele and communities in which the retailer is located.”
PRIVATE EQUITY OWNERSHIP AT MOTHER’S MARKET
Formerly a local company, Mother’s Market was bought in 2016 by Mill Road Capital. Mill Road Capital is a private equity company based in Connecticut that raises capital from pension funds and other investors to buy and control businesses from groceries to fast casual restaurants.
Private equity has crept into nearly every facet of our economy. The grocery sector is no different. Leaders at UFCW know the “private equity playbook” well.
“Typically private equity companies sell companies they buy within five to seven years and wind down investment funds in 10,” Andrew Hausermann, UFCW 324 Organizing Director, said. “We believe a sale is overdue.”
These types of sales introduce incredible uncertainty for workers – who aren’t guaranteed to retain their position in the event of a sale absent this type of ordinance.
David Shtilkind, a three-year Mother’s Market Irvine juice bar employee, thanked the council for listening to workers.
“Thank you to the Councilors and the City of Irvine staff for being here to support us in our struggle against private equity and corporate greed,” Shtilkind said.
Mother’s Market workers are organizing a union in seven of the 12 Mother’s locations. With a sale likely, workers are concerned a change in ownership could give the company an opportunity to kill the union drive by mass firing workers who’ve spoken up for their rights in the workplace. Anxiety has been exacerbated after just last week Mother’s Market Costa Mesa suspended 15 workers without reason. All had publicly supported their right to a union. As of today, all 15 are still suspended.
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