H&M Workers at Six New York Stores Say Union Yes with UFCW

Two hundred forty New York City-area H&M workers at six stores have formed a new union at their workplace with UFCW Local 888. These workers join more than 1,200 other New York H&M workers that stood together and formed a union as part of the Retail, Wholesale and Department Store Union Council of the UFCW.
“I love my job and I’ve worked there a long time,” said Natasha King, a four-year Sales Associate at the H&M in Staten Island, New York, “but there was room for change.”

H&M recognized the workers’ choice for a real voice on the job after an overwhelming majority of workers at the stores signed cards to show their desire for UFCW representation.

“Retail workers, especially part-time workers like me, need a union for fair treatment, fair pay, affordable health care and equality in the workplace,” said King. “We’ll stand together and protect each other as a team, as a union."

President Hansen Letter in New York Times: White House's Decision to Pay Tribute to Walmart was "Misguided"

In the letter, published today, President Hansen pointed out that Walmart has a history of destroying good jobs in communities, rather than creating them:

Instead of honoring Wal-Mart, the White House should laud employers who are creating good jobs with benefits that can support a family and challenge Wal-Mart to do the same.

Read the full letter here.

Republicans Continue to Hold Americans Hostage Over the Debt Ceiling

Once again, House Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) and his fellow Republicans are proving just how disconnected they are from the rest of America by threatening to vote against raising the debt limit unless trillions of dollars are cut from the federal budget—including cuts to Medicare and Medicaid.

For months, Republicans in Congress have been calling for an “adult conversation” about getting our fiscal house in order before raising the debt limit by cutting spending for services that serve the poor and middle class while insisting that tax increases of any kind are off the table. But raising the debt ceiling has nothing to do with controlling future spending. Rather, it’s a matter of paying bills that we have already incurred or are in the process of incurring.

The United States has never defaulted on its debt. If Congress fails to raise the debt limit, the damage will ripple across the entire economy and rock global markets in the process. A federal default will hurt American workers and jeopardize our country’s ability to recover from the biggest economic downturn since the Great Depression. A default will also weaken Americans' confidence in their government at a time when many believe that they will never achieve the American dream of working for decent wages and benefits, owning a home, sending their children to college or retiring comfortably.

If our lawmakers are really interested in long-term fiscal responsibility, they must address their differences quickly and raise the debt limit. Speaker Boehner and his fellow Republicans need to have an adult conversation right now and act responsibly.

Chorus of Voices Calls on White House to Tell Walmart to End the Poverty Cycle

On Wednesday, we posted a statement from UFCW International President Joe Hansen, challenging the White House to tell Walmart to create good jobs and end the poverty cycle. Since then, labor leaders representing many millions more workers around the country have added their voices to the chorus. As a special Friday treat, we've compiled those statements here:

Joint Statement by AFL-CIO Pres. Richard Trumka and UFCW Pres. Joseph Hansen on White House Walmart Event

We are honored that President Obama asked us to serve on his Council on Jobs and Competitiveness, charged primarily with rebuilding America's middle class by creating good jobs. America's working families urgently need leadership that will get Americans back to good jobs, paying taxes, spending in their communities and saving for retirement. The jobs crisis facing our nation threatens our long-term economic security, the strength and cohesion of our families and communities and our ability to compete successfully in the global economy.

Today's White House event, which highlights Walmart's expansion in urban areas, undercuts the message of the need for good jobs that can rebuild our middle class.

When Walmart opens in a community, it regularly displaces existing jobs with poverty-level jobs. Tens of thousands of Walmart associates qualify for and utilize food stamps, Medicare and Medicaid. In this time of budgetary stress, Walmart's business model is subsidized on the backs of American taxpayers.

There is no economic justification for our nation's largest private employer to pay wages so low that any of its employees qualify for public assistance. And there is no justification for highlighting a private employer with a business model based on suppressing wages for its 1.4 million hourly workers.

We call on the Administration to remain focused on the importance of a strong middle class and protecting and creating good jobs on the scale that is needed. We ask the Administration to stand with communities that have called on Walmart to strengthen the communities it enters rather than drive standards and wages down.

SEIU's Mary Kay Henry: We Cannot Ignore Reality that Wal-Mart is America's Chief Corporate Poverty Creator

Statement of SEIU International President Mary Kay Henry on the White House event recognizing retailers expanding their business in underserved areas. Wal-Mart is among the attendees.

"As the nation's largest union of healthcare workers and as educators, child care providers, and social workers, we see the consequences every day of our failure to confront our country's childhood obesity crisis and provide quality food, health, and education services in underserved areas.

"It's vital that leaders like First Lady Michelle Obama continue to shine a light on this crisis and that we recognize responsible retailers like Safeway that step up their efforts to expand in underserved areas like they've done in neighborhoods in Los Angeles and Oakland. Safeway is not only bringing quality food into neighborhoods long abandoned by other grocery chains, they are also creating quality jobs in these communities.

"But we cannot ignore the reality that Wal-Mart is America's chief corporate poverty creator. And that they are linking arms not with America's workers to create good jobs but with right-wing politicians pushing job-killing policies and massive tax breaks for CEOs and millionaires. As our country's largest employer, Wal-Mart's corporate model of low wages and no benefits leaves millions of their workers unable to purchase healthy food or provide a good life for their families. And when Wal-Mart opens in a community, it can actually drive out good jobs and responsible employers.

"Wal-Mart should not be celebrated for false contributions to our communities and glitzy public relations campaigns that disguise their destructive policies. It's time to hold America's largest employer to a higher standard and demand that they produce quality jobs and do their part to increase opportunity and prosperity in our communities."


HOFFA: TELL WALMART TO CREATE GOOD JOBS
Teamsters Leader Says Retailer Contributes To Economic Woes

Teamsters General President Jim Hoffa today issued the following statement about the White House event recognizing retailers that expand in underserved communities:

“I admire First Lady Michelle Obama for her work to improve the lives of American children. However, we are very concerned that companies like Walmart, which don’t pay their workers a decent wage, condemn children in this country to poverty, poor nutrition and shrinking prospects for their futures.

“Walmart’s CEO recently commented that the company’s shoppers are “running out of money.” That’s a big clue that the problem with our economy is the lack of good jobs.

“I urge the White House to reconsider its involvement with Walmart unless Walmart agrees to create the kind of good jobs that can provide its employees with a decent standard of living. In these hard times, we desperately need the White House to recognize employers that pay living wages, provide adequate health care and make positive contributions to the communities they serve. Walmart does not fit any of those categories. Only by creating good jobs in America will our economy recover.”

Statement of John W. Wilhelm, President of UNITE HERE about White House event with Walmart

Yesterday the White House hosted America's number one low road anti-union employer at an event to highlight the First Lady's laudable program to end childhood obesity. We at UNITE HERE are very disappointed by this needless affront to all who care about rising income inequality in America.

No company in the United States has done more to drive down wages of working Americans than Walmart, which pays wages so low that its own employees must resort to public assistance programs to feed their own families. No company in America goes to greater lengths to coerce its employees from joining a union than Walmart.

The root cause of rising levels of food-related illness, hunger, and "food deserts" in America is the refusal of companies like Walmart to pay working Americans enough to afford healthy food. How many Walmart workers live in food deserts or are receiving food assistance from taxpayers simply because the company will not pay fair wages and benefits?

Surely, the White House could have found other, more deserving companies to join the First Lady’s much-needed effort. In America, we can have good food and good jobs for those who produce and sell good food.

Statement by CWA President Larry Cohen on today’s White House event

Following is a statement by CWA President Larry Cohen on today’s White House event:

The Communications Workers of America commends First Lady Michelle Obama for her commitment to improving the lives of children and families across our country. However, companies like Walmart and others that pay poverty-level wages and deny workers the bargaining rights that would enable them to improve their own standard of living and have a voice on the job should not be applauded.

Times are tough for middle class and working families, because our economic system is broken. We change this by once again making collective bargaining a part of the fabric of the nation, and restoring the American Dream for millions of families who now are suffering. Bargaining rights are critical to any functioning democracy, and for a functioning economy.

But companies like Walmart refuse to acknowledge the critical importance of bargaining rights for our democracy and our economy.

Working families today are facing real economic crisis. They need good jobs, and the ability to bargain over wages, benefits and working conditions. While American workers are more productive than ever, they’re not sharing any of the benefits. Workers are falling further behind and it is companies like Walmart that contribute to this decline.

UFCW International President Joe Hansen Challenges White House: Tell Walmart to Create Good Jobs and End the Poverty Cycle

The following statement was issued today by Joe Hansen, International President of the United Food and Commercial Workers Union (UFCW), in advance of an event in the White House in which First Lady Michelle Obama recognizes retailers who are willing to expand their business into under served areas. Walmart is among the attendees.

“The First Lady’s commitment to addressing childhood obesity in the U.S. is laudable and the UFCW commends her for her enthusiasm for such a worthy endeavor. But with income disparity between the rich and the poor at more extreme levels than during the Great Depression, Walmart must be held accountable for its track record of lower standards for millions of retail workers.

“Walmart is more responsible than any other private employer in our country for creating poverty-level jobs that leave workers unable to purchase healthy food or provide a good life for their families.

“I met Walmart Associate Girshreila Green last month who told me that she got her job at the inner-city Crenshaw Walmart in Los Angeles through the welfare-to-work program. And after three years of work and an excellent employment record at what she calls the 'ghetto Walmart,' Girshreila still has a welfare card in her pocket, right along with her Walmart I.D. and Walmart discount card.

“There is no economic justification that our nation’s largest private employer should pay wages so low that any of its employees qualify for public assistance. But the fact that tens of thousands of Walmart associates qualify and utilize food stamps, Medicare, and Medicaid is reason enough that the White House should join with our union and tell Walmart – enough is enough.

“Our national economic crisis is made worse by companies like Walmart suppressing wages for its 1.4 million hourly workers who live and work in communities across the country.

“Walmart claims it wants to open stores in urban markets like Washington, D.C., Chicago, New York, Los Angeles and other major cities. Workers, community leaders and consumers in each of those cities have called on Walmart to commit to providing good jobs that pay wages high enough to improve the lives of workers in those cities. The fact is, when Walmart opens in a community, it replaces what were good jobs with poverty-level ones. Walmart continues to drive the cycle of poverty by lowering wage rates and preventing associates from lifting themselves out of economic insecurity.

“Millions of grocery workers serve communities of every income level and hold good jobs with fair wages, affordable health care, and a voice on the job. The White House should laud employers who are fueling economic recovery by creating good jobs where workers can afford to take care of their families and buy the healthy food their children deserve.”

Blog Bonus: Check out this video of Girshreila Green speaking out about her experience as a Walmart associate:  

In case you missed it: UFCW Executive Vice President Pat O'Neill's testimony before the NLRB on the proposed rule to modernize the union election process

UFCW Executive Vice President and Organizing Director Pat O'Neill just concluded his testimony at the NLRB's open meeting on the proposed rule to modernize the union election process. His testimony is below. You can watch the hearings live throughout the day today right here:



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“American workers are struggling to make ends meet during the worst economic downturn since the Great Depression. Workers in the grocery, retail, meatpacking and food processing industries are no exception. Union contracts offer the best opportunity for stable, middle class jobs. While the National Labor Relations Act gives workers the fundamental right to join a union and achieve the benefits of collective bargaining, the NLRB’s current rules are seriously outdated, needlessly complex, and foster frivolous litigation. The current process creates barriers to workers exercising their fundamental right to form a union. It’s time to return the process to its original intent – which is to give workers a clear path to making the choice when they want collective bargaining.

“We view the proposed election rule changes as a modest but important first step toward modernizing and streamlining an outmoded process that encourages unnecessary, time-consuming and wasteful litigation.

“The proposal to defer resolution of most voter eligibility issues until after the election, including all bargaining unit disputes affecting less than 20 percent of the unit, would make the current process more efficient and worker-friendly. Just ask the employees of Home Market Foods in Norwood, Mass., who sought representation by UFCW Local 1445. Workers petitioned for an election in a unit of all production, maintenance, shipping, receiving and housekeeping employees, including 11 quality assurance (Q.A.) technicians but excluding nine Q.A. technologists, who the technicians consider to be their supervisors. However, the company argued that none of the Q.A. workers should be in the unit – or if they were included, that the technologists were not supervisors and should vote in the election. By disputing the Q.A. workers’ status, the company delayed the election until 79 days after the petition was filed. And during this delay, management used the time to further threaten workers with job loss and plant closure if they won in the election. The workers lost the election 104-114. If the Q.A. employees’ eligibility to vote had been deferred until after the election, the election would have taken place before the employer’s scare tactics had their intended effect. In that case, the workers would have won the election by a big enough margin that their votes would not have affected the outcome.

“This is exactly why the proposed changes are needed. Workers go to work to earn a living, not to get engaged in a protracted lawyer-driven tug of war with their employer. When workers want to organize a union, they want to do it immediately.

“The proposed rule changes will not interfere with employers’ free speech rights. Workers know their employers’ views on unionization. And if workers are unclear about their employers’ position, it doesn’t take long for them to find out. Nor will this rule change lead to “ambush” elections, as claimed by employer-funded lawyers. Almost all union election campaigns are well underway and well known to employers long before an election petition is filed. In virtually all instances, employers have ample time to communicate with their workers.

“This fact is supported by a recent study by Professors Kate Bronfenbrenner of Cornell and Dorian Warren of Columbia, both of whom will address this panel later today. Their research shows that “Thirty-one percent of serious [unfair labor practice] violations occurred 30 days before the petition was filed and 47 percent of all serious allegations occurred before the petition was filed.” The data support their conclusion that employer “opposition starts long before the filing of the petition.” UFCW organizers have long known and experienced this first-hand many times.

“The UFCW is optimistic that the proposed rule changes will begin to restore the NLRB election process back to what it was intended to do – give workers a clear process to organizing a union. We are, however, concerned about the possible elimination of the blocking charge policy. Strong employer opposition to union organizing campaigns is the rule rather than the exception. Workers and their unions, when faced with serious employer unfair labor practices during the critical period, may need temporary postponement of the election to try to counter the employer’s illegal conduct. The blocking charge policy is needed to help attempt to prevent that from happening.

“The UFCW will make a more detailed response to the Board’s Notice of Proposed Rule Making in the written comments it plans to file. Again, thank you for this opportunity to speak in support of the proposed rule.”

Day 2: NLRB Open Meeting on Proposed Changes to Union Election Rules - Stream it Live Here!

This morning, the National Labor Relations Board dives into day two of a public hearing on its proposed rules to improve the election process for workers seeking to form a union at their workplace. Workers, unions, worker advocacy organizations, economists, researchers, scholars, and labor lawyers from around the country are attending the hearings to provide the NLRB with their comments in support of the proposed rules.

You can stream the hearing live here, or at www.nlrb.gov. Be sure to watch out for UFCW Executive Vice President Pat O'Neill, who will be testifying in favor of the rule change and representing UFCW's 1.3 million members this morning. We'll be posting his testimony shortly.



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Wisconsin Voters Reject "Fake" Democrats

Six "fake" Democratic candidates were solidly defeated in the Wisconsin primary elections yesterday.

“The voters of Wisconsin have rejected the Republicans’ dirty tricks, despite their best efforts to turn out voters in these primaries for fake candidates,” said Democratic Party spokeswoman Gillian Morris.

The state GOP openly acknowledged from the start that the "protest" candidates were little more than elephants-in-donkeys' clothing designed to delay the real recall elections.

Angered by the recent attacks on working people by Governor Walker and his cronies, Wisconsin voters pulled together enough signatures to trigger recall elections against six Republican state senators eligible for recall. In response, Republicans launched “protest” candidates in each primary, postponing the general elections from yesterday to Aug. 9 and giving Republican candidates more time to campaign.

The stakes in the upcoming elections are huge. If the Democrats gain three seats, they will take majority control away from the Republicans and be in a position to stop Walker and the GOP's agenda.

Wisconsin Voters Hit Polls Today to Begin Recall of "Walker Six"

Wisconsin voters are voting for something important today. They're voting in primaries for Democratic opponents to face the the six Republican Senators who helped ram through Governor Scott Walker's bill to eliminate collective bargaining back in March. But it just wouldn't be a Wisconsin election without more dirty tricks from Republicans, right? So of course, working voters are facing a particularly dirty trick from Walker's allies today.

As the AFL-CIO reports:

Today, Wisconsin working family voters are taking another step to take back their government from Gov. Scott Walker’s (R) radical, anti-family, anti-community, pro-Koch Brothers agenda. And they have to defeat a Republican dirty trick to do it...these primary elections have been marred by Walker supporters who recruited fake candidates to run in the elections in an attempt to sow confusion among voters. The winners of today’s elections will face the six Republicans in an Aug. 9 general election.

But workers are on the case. Union members, including many UFCW members, are out in force to knock on doors and educate folks about the primary candidates today. The vote today is an important first step in recalling the Walker Six. A gain of even just three seats would break Walker’s stranglehold on the Senate. So all eyes are on Wisconsin today--and if you're a Wisconsinite, don't forget to vote!

Are Congressional Republicans on a NLRB Witch Hunt?

American Rights at Work is a
great resource for more on the
NLRB proposed rule changes.

The House Committee on Education and the Workforce is holding a hearing this morning on the new NLRB proposed rule changes which would create more efficient, shorter elections and cut out much of the bureaucracy that plagues both business and workers during union elections. Catherine Fist, a professor of law at the University of CA-Irvine, said that the new NLRB rule is "modest and long over-due." 

Don't expect a fair hearing, though, from Republican Chairman Kline and Republicans on the committee; they've titled the hearing "Rushing Union Elections: Protecting the Interests of Big Labor at the Expense of Workers' Free Choice." Which should tell you something about whose side they're really on. (HINT: It's NOT workers' side. Anyone using terms like "Big Labor" is not on workers' side at all.)

Rep. Robert Andrews (D-NJ), ranking member of the Subcommittee on Health, Employment, Labor and Pensions) said that "instead of talking about ways to put people back to work, Republicans are conducting another witch hunt against the NLRB." Rep. Andrews also mentioned that the Democrats were only allowed to have one witness at the hearing. Guess who Republicans have on the witness list? More than one witness - including a partner at anti-labor law firm Jackson Lewis. We're guessing he'll be totally fair and impartial.

What does recovery look like?

A recent study has confirmed what many of us already knew from experience: the economic recovery we've been hearing about since 2009 isn't really reaching average Americans. Instead, “corporate profits captured 88 percent of the growth in real national income while aggregate wages and salaries accounted for only slightly more than 1 percent,” according to the study just released from economists at Northeastern University.

"The lack of any net job growth in the current recovery combined with stagnant real hourly and weekly wages is responsible for this unique, devastating outcome,” wrote the report’s authors, Andrew Sum, Ishwar Khatiwada, Joseph McLaughlin and Sheila Palma.

Sounds like we've got to start making our lawmakers clarify what they mean by recovery. Is it when corporations are comfortably raking in dough, or is it when the rest of us can all pay our utility bills?

UFCW President Joe Hansen said it best in a letter to the editor in the Washington Post this week:

The decision by House Majority Leader Eric Cantor (R-Va.) to pull out of budget talks with the White House [“GOP declares impasse on debt,” front page, June 23] highlights the GOP’s disconnect from the realities of everyday Americans. Instead of offering solutions for job creation, the GOP is trying to balance the budget on the backs of the poor and middle class while insisting that revenue increases of any kind are off the table.

Instead of playing risky games with the U.S. economy, pitting workers against workers, engaging in anti-union rhetoric and turning a blind eye to the growing gap between the rich and the poor, our lawmakers must focus on creating economic policies that create and sustain good jobs. If our elected officials fail to address this issue, our country will never fully recover from this economic downturn.