Boycott Assi Supermarket! - A 2 Year Update

by Mark Liu
4 /20/04

It's been almost two years since we first wrote about the boycott of Assi supermarket. There have been a lot of developments. In February, Koreatown customers in Los Angeles are suing Assi Super Inc. and its parent company Rhee Bros, Inc. Assi Super, Inc. is considered the largest retailer and wholesaler of Asian foods in North America. They have been accused of regrinding spoiled meat to make it look fresher, using spoiled food in their prepared food section, disguising spoiled poultry by repackaging it, and manually removing expiration dates. This is taking advantage of Korean American customers who have come to depend on the store for Asian groceries.

Nevertheless, Assi's actions are not surprising. Before their unhealthy business practices were discovered, it was already known Assi exploited their workers. On August 1, 2002 Assi suspended sixty workers, fifty Latinos and ten Koreans, indefinitely for wanting to unionize. In addition the company harassed their employees. From the point the workers were laid off, the workers and Korean Workers Immigrant Workers Advocate (KIWA) have mobilized protests, vigils, and fundraisers. Their initial protests caused a 25% decrease in business for Assi's LA Koreatown store! They have also joined forces with a campaign against Forever 21, a women's clothing store that has held back pay from their sweatshop workers. Their joint protest brought out hundreds of people. In addition to the protests, there was a Martin Luther King, Jr. vigil at the Assi owner's house, a student worker support committee, a community outreach campaign, a carwash co-op to raise money for suspended workers, and a suit brought against Assi for violating worker rights.

There are also protests scheduled for the first Friday of every month for May and June. Please check www.boycottassi.com for more details.

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Protest during Halloween 2002
(Photo from boycott assi website)