Lancaster, TX – At midnight on Friday, December 19, roughly 300 warehouse workers at United Natural Foods Inc. (UNFI) officially joined Teamsters Local 745, marking a major step forward in their fight for better conditions and real voice on the job. The vote reflects months of organizing and frustration, and it adds momentum to a growing wave of unionization among distribution and logistics workers.

UNFI is one of the largest food distributors in the country and a key supplier for major retailers, including Amazon-owned Whole Foods. Behind that operation are warehouse workers dealing with long hours, constant overtime, unsafe conditions and wages that haven’t kept up with the pace or pressure of the work. Many workers say they’ve been stretched thin for years, expected to do more with less while management looked the other way.

Workers in Lancaster didn’t organize in a vacuum. Across UNFI’s national network, drivers and warehouse workers have been winning union representation and improvements on the job, showing what’s possible when workers stick together. Those victories helped spark conversations on the shop floor and pushed this group to take action themselves.

By joining Teamsters Local 745, these workers are sending a clear message that they’re done being treated as expendable. Injuries, chronic understaffing and a lack of respect have become routine, and workers decided they weren’t going to accept that as normal anymore. Union representation gives them the leverage to bargain collectively and fight for a decent first contract.

In the months leading up to the vote, workers organized meetings, talked with coworkers across shifts, and confronted management during rallies demanding recognition. Just as important as the public actions was the solidarity built inside the warehouse – workers learning to rely on one another and act as a unit.

This win is part of a larger trend. From warehouses to delivery hubs, logistics workers across the country are pushing back against multinational corporations and reclaiming power at work. The lesson keeps repeating itself: when workers organize together, they can force change.

With the union vote secured, the focus now shifts to negotiating a strong first contract. Workers know it won’t be easy, but they also know they’re in a stronger position than they’ve ever been before.

This victory at UNFI is another sign of a labor movement on the rise. For employers who’ve grown comfortable ignoring workers’ demands, it’s a warning. Workers aren’t waiting anymore – and when they move together, they can win.

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