MOM’s Organic Market mask ban sparks union busting claims at Hampden store in Baltimore
A back-and-forth at MOM’s Organic Market over employees wearing masks while on the job has become the latest “union busting” action by the company, according to a website supporting unionized workers at the Hampden location.
The website, “Support MOM’s Workers” claims MOM’s began banning mask-wearing last week to “improve the customer experience.”
“If I come to a cashier and the person is wearing a mask, well, they’re wearing a mask,” Steve Estes, a customer, told WBAL-TV 11 News. “That’s their business, you know?”
The Hamden location is one of two stores that are unionized. The organic grocery story has almost 30 locations on the East Coast.
“It is kind of surprising that they would ban it because I don’t think that’s the right choice. People should have a right to choose,” another customer said.
In a statement to WBAL-TV 11 News, MOM’s said the new policy applies for all of their stores.
“This was simply a new policy that rolled out with our new dress code…in an effort to improve in person interactions with our customers. We rolled it out to all of our stores, so obviously this has nothing to do with the union,” a company spokesperson said.
Customers at The Rotunda location said they did not notice any workers wearing masks in the store.
Some said they did not care either way and called a “mask ban” an off-brand move for this organic grocery store chain.
“Why would you want to ban that, other than for some sort of political thing? I would think MOM’s would be above some sort of political, like you know, agenda of somebody,” Estes said.
MOM’s has a “core values” statements posted online and a sign at the Hampden store entrance that reads “this is a space of mutual kindness and respect.”
There is no language mentioning face coverings.
The company website includes at least two photos of masked employees in its “media kit” that are attributed to their Paramus, New Jersey location.
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