Brian Randall's great-grandfather was one of the original meat-cutters for the P&C grocery chain.
Butcher Carl Randall also helped bring in many unions to the Auburn area. And his descendant, Brian, is proud to say he's the fourth-generation union member.
“It's in the blood,” said the full-time cashier and deli clerk at the P&C store on West Genesee Street in Auburn. He's worked for the company for the last 10 years, one month and 11 days.
The Auburn resident is counting up the days that he has worked because he is getting close to the point at which his annual vacation jumps from 55 to 75 days, something guaranteed under his labor contract.
Those guaranteed generous vacation days, the health insurance that left Randall paying only $50 out of pocket for a recent $5,000 eye infection medical treatment and a sense of job security are the reasons Randall is happy to be part of United Food and Commercial Workers Local Number One.
“In my opinion, it's safety and, basically, job security. (Those are the) things I like about being part of the union,” he said.
Randall has kept the three union contracts that have been negotiated during his 10-year tenure at P&C.
He likes to have them around to compare how each contract stacks up to past ones. He said that the past contract lost on wage gains, but maintained great benefits.
His seniority on staff helped him keep his job when the P&C store on Grant Avenue closed a couple years ago.
Shortly after Randall graduated from Auburn High School in 1994, he got his first a job at Eddie's Fish Fry, but he was laid off when the Clark Street Road restaurant closed after 40 years in business. The unionized workforce at P&C made Randall think it would be a stable place to work in comparison to the experience of his friends at other stores in the area.
“I felt secure for the first time in a long while,” Randall said.
Staff writer Amaris Elliott-Engel can be reached at 253-5311 ext. 282 or at amaris.elliot-engel@lee.net
“It's in the blood,” said the full-time cashier and deli clerk at the P&C store on West Genesee Street in Auburn. He's worked for the company for the last 10 years, one month and 11 days.
The Auburn resident is counting up the days that he has worked because he is getting close to the point at which his annual vacation jumps from 55 to 75 days, something guaranteed under his labor contract.
Those guaranteed generous vacation days, the health insurance that left Randall paying only $50 out of pocket for a recent $5,000 eye infection medical treatment and a sense of job security are the reasons Randall is happy to be part of United Food and Commercial Workers Local Number One.
“In my opinion, it's safety and, basically, job security. (Those are the) things I like about being part of the union,” he said.
Randall has kept the three union contracts that have been negotiated during his 10-year tenure at P&C.
He likes to have them around to compare how each contract stacks up to past ones. He said that the past contract lost on wage gains, but maintained great benefits.
His seniority on staff helped him keep his job when the P&C store on Grant Avenue closed a couple years ago.
Shortly after Randall graduated from Auburn High School in 1994, he got his first a job at Eddie's Fish Fry, but he was laid off when the Clark Street Road restaurant closed after 40 years in business. The unionized workforce at P&C made Randall think it would be a stable place to work in comparison to the experience of his friends at other stores in the area.
“I felt secure for the first time in a long while,” Randall said.
Staff writer Amaris Elliott-Engel can be reached at 253-5311 ext. 282 or at amaris.elliot-engel@lee.net
The Citizens' Say
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