An environmental compliant is being utilized by UCFW 3000 to block WinCo from starting a new store that would bring affordable groceries and jobs to Seattle. The trouble is they’ve used this tactic 15+ times to block WinCo because WinCo employees won’t join their union. We need a discount grocer here; SEPA should protect the environment, not high prices. Affordable groceries are FOR EVERYONE. 

Seattle is a vibrant city known for its skyline, coffee culture, and tech scene, but it's also a city where affordable grocery options are increasingly scarce. I believe that everyone in Seattle deserves access to food at fair prices, which is why I'm calling on the city to allow WinCo Foods to open a new location on Aurora Avenue. This location promises to be a crucial resource for residents seeking relief from today's rising cost of living.

Currently, the effort to bring WinCo to this area is being unjustly blocked by a lawyer employed by UCFW 3000. Instead of allowing a business that represents fair pricing and greater food access to flourish, Seattleites are left with fewer options, hurting families already struggling to make ends meet.

WinCo is known for its affordability and variety, attributes sorely needed in Seattle's grocery landscape. By offering wholesale discounts without the need for a membership fee, WinCo provides an inclusive shopping experience. It could be revolutionary for budget-conscious individuals and families in Seattle.

If you care about affordable groceries and equitable food distribution in Seattle, I urge you to support this initiative to bring WinCo to Aurora Avenue. Every signature brings us one step closer to making accessible, affordable food a reality for all Seattle residents. Please sign this petition and help ensure that local decision-makers hear our collective voice. Together, we can bring about the change our community needs.

You can read this thread for full details: https://x.com/minty_hawk/status/2044217220444893563?s=20

TLDR: a union submitted an environmental complaint to block WinCo, an affordable grocery from opening on Aurora because WinCo employees will not join their union. 

Why: WinCo employees have an employee stock plan which has been very good for many of their grocery staff. They are an example of EXACTLY how a company should treat their employees. 

Good news: this isn't over. The Hearing Examiner sent the project back for further review, not a permanent denial. That means SDCI has to redo its environmental analysis, and there will likely be a new public comment period.

What you can do right now:

1. Email your D5 Council Member Debora Juarez: debora.juarez@seattle.gov. Tell her you want this site activated with affordable groceries. She needs to hear from constituents, not just from "Lake Washington Working Families" of Portland, Oregon.

2. Track the permit: 

https://

seattleinprogress.com/project/3042320

3. When the new SEPA review opens, submit a public comment supporting the project. The reason these appeals work is because organized opposition shows up and everyone else doesn't.

4. Share the case file. The more people who see that a Portland law office filed this appeal, the harder it gets for the next front group to pull it off: 

https://

web6.seattle.gov/Examiner/case/

W-25-008

The comment period is where this fight was lost. It's also where it can be won