DUMMERSTON — The Brattleboro Food Co-op should follow the lead of the food co-ops in Greenfield, Northampton, Montpelier, and Burlington and recognize their workers' union. The Brattleboro co-op should disclose the general manager's salary, as Wal-Mart, General Motors, and most big companies do.
On Oct. 3, I submitted to the Brattleboro Food Co-op manager a petition signed by 10 members nominating me to be on the ballot for the Nov. 4 board election. If elected, I will support the workers' right to organize.
According to the Co-op bylaws, this means I should be on the ballot. But Co-op board president John Hatton told me I won't be on the ballot because I missed an August deadline. The bylaws don't mention any such deadline.
As a farm worker, I plant, weed, and harvest many of the local, organic vegetables that are sold at the Co-op. I'm the author of a published book that's available at the Brooks Memorial Library in Brattleboro, local bookstores, and Amazon.
Please vote for me as a write-in candidate, and please ask the Co-op manager to print my campaign statement with the other candidates' statements in the newsletter that will be mailed out on or around Nov. 1. To support my candidacy, please contact me at 802-254-2531 or ewilliams@valleypost.org.