Marsh Associates Pursue Union Vote in Indy Suburb

United Food and Commercial Workers Local 700 is seeking a union election at a Marsh supermarket in the Indianapolis suburb of Beech Grove.

UFCW Local 700 has petitioned the National Labor Relations Board for an election at the market where the union said a majority of the store’s workers have signaled their intention to join a union, according to local press reports. Local 700 said that worker interest in unionizing began to rise at Marsh after Boca Raton, Fla.-based private equity group Sun Capital Partners acquired the grocery chain in 2006.

Last month, the union filed charged with the National Labor Relations Board, accusing the grocer of using illegal interrogation practices and unlawfully terminating a worker for attempting to organize a union.

At the time, Marsh said company officials would “vigorously defend ourselves against these unfounded allegations by the UFCW. Marsh has successfully operated stores for 79 years in an environment where employee satisfaction, customer service and mutual respect are top priorities. We feel strongly that people need to understand the truth about our company.”

The charges followed attempts by Marsh workers to deliver a petition to the chain’s Indianapolis headquarters, signed by more than 5,000 people, which the union said asked executives to meet with them about “the future direction of the company.” The union said corporate security ordered the group off company property.

Marsh operates about 100 stores in Indiana and Ohio.