The UFCW Blog

Workers Have a Right to Stick Together

2012-01-30T10:51:00.002-05:00

Workers sticking together - it's at the very base of everything we do and everything we stand for. Which is why we were so thrilled to read the following this weekend:

UFCW members joyously exercising
their right to stick together

"All Americans should have the basic right to stick together with their co-workers so that they have a voice on the job and a way to counterbalance the unbridled influence of the 1% in our democracy. When politicians attempt to strip away that right, the motivation is partisan politics, not job creation or balanced budgets. And when they succeed, the victory is short-lived. Just ask Ohio Gov. John Kasich."

- American Rights at Work Executive Director Kimberly Freeman Brown

Kimberly Freeman Brown hit the nail on the head with her op-ed in the Journal Sentinel this weekend. The UFCW stands in solidarity with her as she continues to spread the powerful and important truth about the attacks on workers we'e seeing all across the country. Do yourself a favor and take a minute to read the full op-ed - you'll be glad you did.

Indiana RTW Push: Too Extreme for These Extreme Republicans

2012-01-27T13:42:00.004-05:00

Just how extreme and out-of-touch is the Indiana GOP's push to ram so-called "right-to-work" legislation down the throats of Hoosier families? Well, here's a hint - some of the country's most right-wing Governors and state legislators wouldn't touch the idea with a ten-foot pole. From a recent roundup that's been circulating, here are the greatest hits:

Gov. Scott Walker (R-WI)

Cullen Werwie, Walker's spokesman, said the governor would not be introducing any right-to-work legislation in Wisconsin. [Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 1/25/12]

Gov. Rick Snyder (R-MI)

"Right-to-work is not on my agenda regardless of anything else," Snyder told The Detroit News, refusing to say he would sign such a bill. "Having Michigan look like Ohio or Wisconsin is not good for Michigan We'll see what happens in Indiana." [The Detroit News, 1/26/12]

"I don't want to see a bill on my desk," the governor told The Detroit News, when asked whether he'd sign a bill if one were passed by the state Legislature.

"Right-to-work is not on my agenda," Snyder told a business leaders forum earlier Friday. "We have far more important things. How about this road issue?" [The Detroit News, 1/21/12]

Senate Majority Leader Randy Richardville (R-MI)

Senate Majority Leader Randy Richardville says he doesn't think general or broad right-to-work legislation would pass if it came up for a vote in the Michigan Senate.

The Republican from Monroe says Wednesday he doesn't think a right-to-work law would have the substantial economic benefits for Michigan that some supporters say it would. [Associated Press, 1/11/12]

Richardson had previously told WKAR-TV: Not Right to Work. No, uh, I'm not a believer that that's going to transition the economy at this point. [WKAR, 9/9/11]

Gov. John Kasich (R-OH), GOP House Speaker and Senate Majority Leader

With the announcement of the right-to-work amendment effort, the Kasich administration, Senate President Tom Niehaus and House Speaker William Batchelder repeated the need to reflect on the election's outcome.

"Now's not the time to be taking up or considering these types of issues," said Kasich spokesman Rob Nichols.

Niehaus said in a statement that lawmakers needed to work to build consensus for what steps to take next.

"We just finished a very divisive and contentious election, and Ohioans made it clear they want us to be more deliberate in our approach to major reform," Niehaus said. [Associated Press, 11/10/11]

Kasich later said, when asked about Right to Work in Ohio: I don't think the public understands it, I don't think they're prepared for it, and I would say that anybody that wants to move this thing forward needs to do that before anything else.

And in addition to that, I've just talked about the labor situation in the state, and by and large it's been pretty darned good. At this point, I would say, if you really feel strongly about it, go out and tell people why it's important. [The Maddow Blog, 1/26/12]

Missouri GOP Speaker of the House Steven Tilley

You have to look at the practicality of it. The governor has already came out and said he is not going to support right to work. There is no way I have the votes to override a veto, so were really taking up a divisive issue. … I think it a waste of our legislative time when we can focus our time and efforts on something that we could produce fruit from. [PoliticMO, 1/11/12]

Gov. Tom Corbett (R-PA)

Gov. Tom Corbett would sign right-to-work legislation if the General Assembly were to send him a bill, his spokesman said Tuesday. … But Kevin Harley, Corbett's press secretary, told reporters a right-to-work bill is not a top priority of his right now. Corbett is focused on an estimated $4 billion annual budget deficit, he said. [Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, 2/23/11]

Governor Nikki Haley's Rage Against Workers

2012-01-26T11:22:00.009-05:00

Governor Nikki Haley of South Carolina has got a chip on her shoulder. Last week during her“State of the State” address she said the following:

“Unions thrive in the dark. Secrecy is their greatest ally, sunlight their most potent adversary. Andwe'll make the unions understand full well that they are not needed, not wanted, and not welcome inthe State of South Carolina.”

As if this remark wasn’t aggressive enough, this week Governor Haley announced the filing of a new bill that's sole intent is to weaken unions even further in her state.

Governor Haley claims this bill is about closing loopholes, but South Carolina is already home to some of the toughest anti-union laws in the nation -- less than 5% of the State's workers are unionized. Furthermore, she doesn't have the power to decide where unions can and can't be. The decision to form a union is up to workers -- not politicians.

This bill is nothing but desperate pandering fueled by Governor Haley’s selfish desire to regain fringe tea party support that is eroding following her ill-timed endorsement of Mitt Romney.

It’s understandable for Governor Haley to feel frustrated. South Carolina’s unemployment rate, at 9.9%, ties them for 10^th worst in the nation. But taking away the rights of workers does nothing to create jobs.

It would be nice if Governor Haley displayed a semblance of understanding workers before she so openly bashed them. We have the largest gap between rich and poor in this country since the Great Depression. An overwhelming majority of GDP is going to corporate profits whereas historic lows are being contributed to wages and salaries. It’s not workers whose power and influence needs to be curbed, it’s corporations.

Governor Haley should wise up and shift her focus away from abolishing the rights of working class Americans. Maybe then we'll see her put forth legislation that actually makes a positive difference in people's lives.

Governor Mitch Daniels Abandons his Pledge to Workers

2012-01-19T16:16:00.005-05:00

Governor Mitch Daniels of Indiana has spent the better part of the last three weeks strongly advocating divisive Right-to-Work legislation in Indiana. Indiana Republican leaders declared it their top legislative priority and Governor Daniels has walked hand-in-hand with them, vigorously championing the measure.

Governor Daniels’ support of this legislation is particularly troubling because it’s something he claimed for years he would never pursue. In 2006, during a speech at the Teamsters 135 Union Stewards Dinner, Governor Daniels said, “I'm a supporter of the labor laws we have in the state of Indiana. I'm not interested in changing any of them. Not the prevailing wage law and certainly not a right to work law. We can succeed in Indiana with laws we have respecting the rights of labor and free and fair competition for everybody.” Why the change of heart, Governor? Watch the video.

Working Cheeseheads Rejoice! Organizers Submit 1 Million Signatures to Recall Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker

2012-01-17T17:07:00.007-05:00

A watershed moment has occurred today in Wisconsin. One million signatures have been collected in the effort to recall Governor Scott Walker. The magnitude of this accomplishment sends a simple message, loud and clear: Governor Walker’s ideological war on workers will be met with stiff resistance.

To successfully force a recall election, organizers needed to gather a little over 540,000 valid signatures, or 25 percent of all of the votes cast in the election that put Walker in office last January. By gathering over one million signatures, organizers have ensured that this threshold will be met and that a recall election will occur. Today’s triumph is a collective one. It belongs to the volunteer activists who battled through harsh weather conditions all winter to collect signatures; it belongs to UFCW members who have been active and present since the very beginning; it belongs to the working families of Wisconsin who will at last see Governor Walker face accountability for his actions.

But let’s back up a little. This recall effort is a long and ongoing process – one that arose when Governor Walker and anti-worker legislators in Wisconsin used a budget shortfall as an excuse to launch an ideological attack on the collective bargaining rights of teachers, nurses, social workers and other public employees. This budget plan was never discussed during Governor Walker’s gubernatorial campaign and displayed his willingness to sell out Wisconsin’s working families in order to please his corporate cronies. This lie ignited the masses and made Wisconsin residents realize they couldn’t stand by and wait until the Governor was up for reelection – they had to demand a recall immediately.

This recall effort isn’t just about a campaign lie. It’s also about Governor Walker’s inability to govern effectively. Since he took office 65,000 people have lost health care, workers have been stripped of their collective bargaining rights, and public education has faced the largest cuts in the state’s history. Wisconsin simply can’t continue down this perilous path.

If you needed any more proof that Governor Walker is woefully out of touch with the people of Wisconsin – here it is: Where is Governor Walker today, the day his constituents have risen up to hold him accountable for his anti-worker agenda? Not in Wisconsin creating jobs for those in need. Not in Wisconsin doing anything. Instead, he’s in New York fundraising from special interests groups so that he’ll be able to defend his own job. That pretty much says it all.

Honoring the Legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

2012-01-13T14:21:00.000-05:00

"In our glorious fight for civil rights, we must guard against being fooled by false slogans, such as 'right to work.' It is a law to rob us of our civil rights and job rights. It is supported by Southern segregationists who are trying to keep us from achieving our civil rights and our right of equal job opportunity. Its purpose is to destroy labor unions and the freedom of collective bargaining by which unions have improved wages and working conditions of everyone…Wherever these laws have been passed, wages are lower, job opportunities are fewer and there are no civil rights. We do not intend to let them do this to us. We demand this fraud be stopped. Our weapon is our vote."--Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. 1961

These words were spoken more than a half century ago, but are just as profound and relevant today. In the past year, big corporations and their allies in government have waged war on workers across the country with one goal in mind: to weaken unions to the point of extinction.

The 112th Congress went into session promising prosperity and jobs, but spent the year carrying the water of corporate interests. Most notable was the assault on the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB). The NLRB, an agency charged with protecting and promoting workers' fundamental rights, was attacked nearly 50 times in 2011. Legislation was offered to defund, delay, and destroy this agency. None of these attacks created a single job.

Those attacking workers and their unions seek to eliminate the rights and protections Dr. King inspired us all to keep fighting for. Before the labor movement gained strength in America, wages in our country were pitiful; working conditions were unbearable; a pension was unheard of. Industrial laborers were quite literally worked to death. It was a vicious cycle that made rising above the socioeconomic status you were born into extremely difficult. Then came collective bargaining and with it the 40 hour work week, paid holidays, fairness in promotions and the chance for a comfortable retirement. It was a tidal wave of dignity for all workers.

Proponents of anti-worker legislation would lead us to believe that a rising tide for workers hurts business. On the contrary: the growth of the middle class, largely spurred by unions, helped build the prosperous and strong nation we enjoy today. The labor movement turned lives filled with despair into lives filled with hope.

Pushing back against corporate interests is a weighty, but possible and crucial, task. Until the 1930s, the titans of industry had always succeeded in keeping labor down, but soon enough workers won out: unions were formed, and life was better for all. The tide is beginning to turn again today. Last fall in Ohio, Senate Bill 5, which stripped teachers, firefighters, and nurses of their collective bargaining rights, was repealed by an overwhelming majority of Ohio voters. Workers continue to fight for their rights in Wisconsin, Indiana, Washington D.C., and wherever else they are under attack.

We stand at an important moment in history. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. believed in unions as a tool for economic justice. He stood shoulder to shoulder with striking sanitation workers in Memphis, understanding that their fight was his fight, just as labor rights are in fact civil rights. If he were alive today we know he would be standing steadfastly in solidarity with workers, helping them to fight back against those who would do them harm. The best way we can honor Dr. King’s memory is to keep fighting and ensure the voices of America’s workers never go silent.

Is the meatpacking industry getting safer?

2012-01-10T11:30:00.000-05:00

Upton Sinclair's The Jungle was published in 1906, sparking a public outcry around safety issues in the meatpacking industry. That's how long the industry has been infamous for its hazardous working conditions.

The good news is, according to new reports from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), workplace safety in the meatpacking industry is steadily improving, with injury and illness rates for full-time workers on the decline.

The bad news is, in comparison to other industrial and manufacturing sectors, meatpacking and poultry processing are still among the most dangerous. Food manufacturing workers are twice as likely to experience injuries and illnesses than industrial and manufacturing workers as a whole. The meatpacking industry also ranks high for severe injury and illness cases - meaning those that cause workers to miss days at work or those that necessitate restricted work activities or even job transfers. Nationally, the poultry industry has the fifth-highest rate of worker illness across all industries.

Though progress has been made on worker safety in the meatpacking and poultry industries, we must understand what the numbers really mean, and make sure we are addressing issues that really make a difference in improving safety and health in these industries.

Some in the meat industry, like the trade association (read: lobbying outfit) American Meat Institute, are quick to highlight improvement using data that does not reflect the most dangerous jobs in the industry. That's a slippery slope - and one that risks obscuring the truth on safety for the sake of profit-margin. The truth is, there is some doubt about the accuracy of the BLS numbers themselves. Studies conducted by the National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) conclude that both BLS and OSHA miss from 20 percent to as much as 50 percent of the nation’s workplace injuries. A number of factors can cause this kind of under-reporting: workers sometimes don't report injuries because of fears surrounding their immigration status and retaliation by their employers; employers are motivated to under-count injuries in order to win safety awards, and managers are incentivized by low-injury bonuses; and finally, some employers have instituted programs requiring workers who report injuries or accidents to undergo drug testing - adding additional risk to reporting.

For all these reasons, we must not let a modest increase in overall workplace safety lull us into a false sense of security when it comes to the meatpacking and poultry processing industries. We must continue to strive for better and safer workplaces for all meatpacking and poultry processing workers - and for collective bargaining agreements as well as stronger regulations that make it safe for all workers to report hazards and injuries.

December Jobs Reports Brings Mixed News for Retail Workers

2012-01-09T16:33:00.004-05:00

The latest Jobs Report was released Friday, and it brings some welcome news. During the month of December our economy added 200,000 new jobs and the unemployment rate fell to 8.5%.

Retailers added 28,000 jobs, but food retailers are not foreseeing a full recovery for 2012, and department stores had a holiday season marked by deep discounts and sales that fell short of expectations.

In the 21st century American economy, more families will depend on retail jobs. These jobs are the backbone of our service economy, and the Bureau of Labor Statistics says that retail and other service jobs is one of the fastest growing sectors in our economy. The fact is that retail jobs are going to define how it is to live and work in America the way that manufacturing jobs once did. That’s why it’s so critically important that these are jobs where workers can earn a steady, family-supporting paycheck with middle class wages and benefits.

Yet, many retail workers have to cobble together 40 hours from two or three jobs. They don’t have a schedule they can count on. Their employers purposely skimp on hours, preventing full-time schedules so they won’t have to provide benefits. And the painful irony of the holiday season hiring boom is that the same workers who report to work at midnight on Black Friday are prevented from working a forty-hour week or earning overtime wages that would allow them to make their own holidays special.

If retail is going to be the future for millions of American workers, the sector can’t be staffed by people scrambling from one retail job to another. It’s not good for our economy, for retailers, or for workers who desperately need secure, full-time jobs that pay the bills and allow them to live a middle class life.

In a real sense, these workers and their families are the economy; they are the job creators. Workers who earn middle class wages are able to buy cars, food, and clothes. They take their families out to eat on special occasions. They save money instead of living on credit cards. They buy school uniforms and pay tuition, rent, and bills. And they buy and maintain homes.

The best way for retail workers to make positive changes is by sticking together in a union. UFCW members are able to bargain with their employers to share in their success. Having a union voice on the job means workers can make sure they’re compensated and treated in a way that reflects the value of their hard work. UFCW members have been successful bargaining fair wages, benefits, and respect on the job for both full-time and part-time workers in supermarkets, retail stores across the country. They know firsthand that people will only really start feel like the economy is on its way to a full recovery when families start earning middle class wages and benefits.

Anti-Worker Trio Dominate Iowa Republican Caucuses

2012-01-04T12:31:00.004-05:00

The first votes of the 2012 presidential election were cast last night in Iowa. Mitt Romney, Rick Santorum, and Ron Paul topped the polls. None is a friend of working families.

Mitt Romney traveled to Ohio this fall in support of Senate Bill 5, which stripped firefighters, teachers, and other public employees of the right to collective bargaining. Shortly thereafter, Ohio voters overwhelmingly repealed this anti-worker law. He has criticized the NLRB as being “out of control” for protecting things like the right to strike and fair union elections. And he has endorsed the notion that corporations are citizens. Good news for Wal-Mart and other Republican contributors. Bad news for democracy.

Rick Santorum established one of the most extreme anti-worker records during his time in the U.S. Senate. He voted against increasing the minimum wage and farm price supports crucial to the job security of thousands of agricultural workers. He has vowed to repeal manufacturing regulations that keep workers safe, falsely blamed unions for bankrupting state governments, and supports giving even more tax breaks to big corporations.

Ron Paul believes the federal government should be limited in protecting the safety of workers, yet have a heavy hand when it comes to employer-employee bargaining. He voted against raising the minimum wage and extending collective bargaining rights to first responders. He has called unions “unconstitutional.”

Romney, Santorum, and Paul were the big winners last night, but working families would lose if any of them reached the White House. By comparison, President Obama has been a consistent champion of good jobs, fair benefits, and a secure retirement. When it comes to standing up for workers, the 2012 presidential contest is no contest at all. That’s why we’ve strongly endorsed the President’s reelection bid.

President Hansen Speaks Out on the NLRB's Rule to Modernize the Union Election Process

2011-12-21T15:17:00.000-05:00

Joe Hansen, International President of the United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW) Union, today released the following statement after the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) approved a final rule to modernize the union election process.

"This NLRB rule is a modest but important first step toward ensuring a level playing field for workers in the union election process. Preventing unnecessary delays and frivolous litigation means less time for employers to intimidate, harass, and in some cases fire pro-union employees. Every worker has the right to decide whether he or she wants a union, free of interference.

“Now it is time for the Senate to confirm President Obama’s nominees to the NLRB. Sharon Block and Richard Griffin are fully qualified and deserve an up or down vote. Leaving the Board short of a quorum in 2012 is unacceptable.”

Tell Your Member of Congress to Extend Unemployment Insurance and the Payroll Taxcut!

2011-12-13T15:03:00.001-05:00

It's the season of giving, but without action to extend the payroll tax cut and unemployment insurance, Congress is set to taketh away from America's working families and those still looking for work. We urge can't let that happen.Click here to take action now - tell your member of Congress to extend unemployment insurance and the payroll taxcut!

Jobs Report Signals Good News for Retail Workers and U.S. Economy

2011-12-02T12:54:00.001-05:00

The jobs report today is a bit of surprising good news for Americans heading into the holiday season: the American unemployment rate dropped to its lowest level since 2008 in November.

The jobless rate fell to 8.6 percent, after having been stuck around 9 percent for most of 2011, the Labor Department said Friday. A separate survey of employers, which economists pay more attention to than the rate, also brought modestly good news: Companies added 120,000 jobs last month, after adding 100,000 jobs in October.

This may be partially based on hiring for the holiday season...and that brings us to the other piece of good news for retail workers today. As the Chicago Sun-Times reports:

Retailers reported strong sales gains in November, boosted by a discount-fueled buying binge for the start of the holiday shopping season last weekend. Now, the challenge is to keep shoppers spending throughout the most important selling period of the year.

Some retailers, including Macy's, which employees thousands of UFCW workers across the country, reported sales gains that beat Wall Street estimates. That's good news for workers, and good news for the country's economy.

NLRB Takes Step Toward Modernizing Union Election Process... Republicans in Congress Panic

2011-12-01T09:09:00.001-05:00

You may have heard that yesterday the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) took a step toward approving a final rule to modernize the union election process. Immediately after this modest action was take, House Republicans passed legislation to block that rule.

Here's what UFCW President Joe Hansen had to say on the day's events:

"The NLRBs proposed rule to streamline the vote for union representation would be a modest but important first step toward fixing a broken process that favors CEOs over workers. Justice delayed is justice denied, and that is too often the case for workers that file a union election petition. Many employers delay, delay, and delay some more through frivolous litigation and other procedural tactics. They use this time to intimidate, harass, and in some cases fire pro-union employees. The result is an unfair election or no election at all. This proposed rule would ensure that when a majority of workers want to have a voice on the job, they will be able to do so, free of interference.

"With the rule not even finalized, House Republicans have continued their assault on workers by passing legislation to block it. It is the latest act by a party more committed to denying the rights of workers to stick together than fixing the economy and creating jobs. Like the rest of the extreme anti-worker measures passed by the House, we expect this one will be given a quick death in the Senate.

“Union contracts offer the best opportunity for stable, middle-class jobs. The NLRB is charged with protecting the right of every American to bargain for a better life. This proposed rule would do just that. It should be adopted."

No matter how far Republicans in Congress take their assault on workers, the UFCW is committed to continuing our fight to protect the rights of workers and strengthen America’s middle class. We do so by fighting for health care reform, living wages, retirement security, safe working conditions and the right to unionize so that working men and women and their families can realize the American Dream.You can connect with us online by joining our community on Facebook or following us on Twitter.

Stand with Workers this Thanksgiving

2011-11-23T10:22:00.001-05:00

It's Thanksgiving eve, and President Hansen has taken this opportunity to write an article for the Huffington Post about retail workers and the difference having a union makes when it comes to working over the holidays.

As he says,

"When retail workers are given a voice in holiday scheduling, they can respect the needs of their families; whether that need is a loved one's presence at home or the need to earn additional income over the holidays. Respect for the retail workers who are the heart of events like Black Friday means fair compensation for holiday hours and a voice in scheduling. When we support workers coming together to make positive changes in the workplace, we all win."

This holiday season, all of us here at UFCW are grateful to the grocery and retail workers who put in long hours to make our holiday shopping and eating possible. We're also grateful for the workers across the country who are sticking together and speaking up so that more Americans can have a voice on the job when it comes to issues like scheduling and holiday pay.

What are you giving thanks for this year?

A Union-Made Thanksgiving

2011-11-22T15:49:00.001-05:00

Brian Reddix over at the American Rights at Work's Blog at Work posted such a drool-worthy, and applause-worthy, guide to a union-made Thanksgiving, that we just couldn't resist shouting it out!

It's chock full of great food made by UFCW members and other union workers around the country - which means not only is it food you can trust, the workers who make it have the kind of wages and benefits that can support a family. That's something we are truly grateful for.

Take a minute to check out the full menu over at the American Rights at Work's Blog at Work. With UFCW-made classics like French's Fried Onions, San Giorgio macaroni, Butterball Turkey and Hormel or Farmland ham with Heinz gravy, and of course those impossible to resist Sara Lee and Breyers desserts, it's sure to impress!

Superbad

2011-11-22T10:28:00.001-05:00

Guest post by UFCW Assistant Director of Communications, Politics and Advocacy, Tim Schlittner:

“It will not be possible to make any bipartisan agreementavailable to the public before the committee’s deadline.”

That was the statementlast night from the 12-member committee charged with crafting a plan to reduce ournation’s deficit. It’s the latest embarrassment for a Congress that has failedmiserably to address the needs of working Americans.

Now automatic spending cutsof $1.2 trillion—many on the backs of ordinary families—are set to takeplace. These cuts, combined with the turmoil this latest failure is likely tocause in the markets, will make it even more difficult to usher in a trueeconomic recovery.

Congressional Republicans deserve the lion’s share of blame for this outcome.They were unwillingto raise taxes on the wealthiest American’s a single nickel, asking insteadfor average Americans and seniors to pick up the tab for a mess they did notcreate. It is unlikely that any major legislative achievement can occur untilRepublicans show more loyalty to their constituents than GroverNorquist.

With the Supercommittee process coming to an end, it is timefor Congress to focus on the jobs deficit, not just the fiscal deficit. Itshould pass the AmericanJobs Act which would put millions of people back to work rebuildingAmerica. More jobs mean more taxpayers. More taxpayers mean a lower deficit.It’s pretty simple.

House Republicans should end their ideological war againstthe NationalLabor Relations Board, PlannedParenthood, the EnvironmentalProtection Agency, and vegetables,and get to work creating jobs.

That’s what the American people want and deserve.

Newt’s Solution on Income Inequality: Child Labor

2011-11-21T14:23:00.001-05:00

Guest post by UFCW Assistant Director of Communications, Politics and Advocacy, Tim Schlittner:

One of the best things to come out of the Occupy Wall Streetmovement has been a growing public awareness about income inequality. The staggering gap between the super-rich andeveryone else was highlighted in a recent reportby the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office (CBO). The report showed thatsince 1979 the richest one percent of households have seen their income rise by300 percent. The rest of us, meanwhile, saw our incomes rise by an average of19 percent.

So it is little wonder that former Speaker Newt Gingrich was asked about thisimportant issue during a campaign appearance at Harvard’s Kennedy School ofGovernment. What did he propose in response? Higher wages for workers?Repealing tax breaks for big corporations? A plan to put people back to work?Nope. His answer was a head-scratcher—evenfor this Republican presidential field.

“The core policies of protecting unionization andbureaucratization against children in the poorest neighborhoods, crippling themby putting them in schools that fail, has done more to create income inequalityin the United States than any other single policy,” he said.

So what is his plan to fix our broken schools? Fire the janitors and replacethem with children. Really.

“It is tragic what we do in the poorest neighborhoods, entrapping childrenin child laws which are truly stupid,” Gingrich said. “I tried for years tohave a very simple model. These schools should get rid of unionized janitors,have one master janitor, pay local students to take care of the school. Thekids would actually do work; they’d have cash; they’d have pride in theschools. They’d begin the process of rising.”

There is something stupid here and it’s not the “child laws.” Forget for asecond that Gingrich hates unions so much that he’d rather have child laborthan organized labor. What about all the janitors that would be fired under hisplan? Does he really want the hard-working men and women who clean our nation’sschools to collect unemployment checks instead of paychecks? What about their children?Will they replace their mother and father at work?

“You’re going to see from me extraordinarily radical proposals tofundamentally change the culture of poverty in America,” Gingrich said.Clearly.

In 1938, President Franklin Roosevelt signed the Fair Labor Standards Actwhich placed limits on many forms of child labor. This wasn’t to protectunionization or bureaucratization—it was to protect children from exploitationand injury. The low-income kids Newt Gingrich is claiming to care about shouldbe learning in their schools, not cleaning them. Education is the key to theirfuture in an economy where you earn what you learn.

But in Newt Gingrich’s world, child labor isn’t just a chapter in a historybook. It’s a work-study program. And a plan to close the gap between the richand the rest. Ladies and gentleman, this is your Republicanpresidential front-runner. It’d be funny if it wasn’t so sad.

Here's the video - you have to see it to believe it!

Support Retail Workers Sticking Together for a Say Over Holiday Scheduling

2011-11-17T10:50:00.001-05:00

Black Friday has finally become Black Thanksgiving, leaving retail workers with no time for turkey - or to spend with their families.

Retail workers go above and beyond to provide great service for their customers during the holiday season, and take pride in their work. But with stores like Walmart moving up Black Friday opening times to 10pm on Thanksgiving, and Target calling in workers at 11pm, retail workers will be unable to sit down with their families for Thanksgiving dinner this year.

Click here to sign the petition to stand with Walmart employees and other retail workers who are sticking together to have a say over their schedules during the holidays.

Concerns over hours and scheduling constantly fall at the top of the list of problems for retail workers. That's why workers should be able to stick together and have a say over their hours and scheduling, and compensation for holiday work. After all, retail jobs are the fastest growing jobs in the country, and millions of retail workers have the power to make these jobs good middle class jobs. That's good for our economy, and good for all Americans. UFCW members who work at stores like Macy's, Bloomingdale's, Modell's, and H&M know the power of sticking together and speaking with one voice. They know that we can improve our jobs and our lives by standing up with one another for what's right. By sticking together in a union, these retail workers earn higher pay for work on holidays. They also have more control over their schedules.

Retail workers are part of the 99 percent. And it's good to see that people are paying attention to the working conditions facing retail workers in our economy. We know that when workers speak with one voice to address workplace issues with management as a group, they begin to level the playing field and improve their jobs. When we support workers coming together to make positive changes in the workplace, we all win.

Retail workers and their families deserve respect on the job. Stand with Walmart employees and other retail workers who are sticking together to have a voice over their schedules during the holidays.

Stop Nespressure! Tell Nestlé to respect trade union rights!

2011-11-09T11:50:00.002-05:00

Management pressure on workers and their unions continues at Nestlé, the world's largest food company. At the Nescafé factory in Panjang, Indonesia, union members have been dismissed following industrial action in response to a collective bargaining deadlock. The company has failed to show up for mediation and refused admittance to the occupied factory with a committee from the local parliament, preferring mass dismissals to good faith negotiations.

In Pakistan, ever since the company expanded its Kabirwala plant, management has attempted to undermine the union, interfering in elections and harassing its president. Now that the union is energetically defending the right of hundreds of contract workers at this state-of-the-art facility to permanent employment, Nestlé is responding with provocations and dismissals and has suspended the union president.

Click here to send a message to Nestlé, telling them to stop Nespressure and respect trade union rights!

Statement from UFCW International President Joe Hansen on Election Results in Ohio

2011-11-08T22:11:00.004-05:00

Statement from UFCW International President Joe Hansen on Election Results in Ohio

"The repeal of Senate Bill 5 is bigger than just one law or one state. It sends a message to all those who would try to silence the voice of American workers: you do so at your own peril. It shows that the right to bargain collectively for a better life is fundamental—not some perk that can be stripped away on a whim. The votes cast today in Columbus and Cleveland and everywhere in between will have aftershocks in Wisconsin, Michigan, Indiana, and Washington D.C.

"America’s working families want a good job that pays a fair wage, decent affordable health care, access to a quality education for their kids, and a little money left in the bank so they can retire with dignity. They also understand that the economic mess we find ourselves in today was caused by Wall Street, not Main Street. They know the guilty parties are speculators and predatory lenders, not teachers and first responders. Extreme politicians like Governor Kasich are waging war on the middle class.

"Today’s vote shows that we are fighting back. And better yet, we are winning. I am proud of the UFCW and its members for their great work in Ohio. We understand that an attack on one worker—whether public or private sector, union or non-union—is an attack on all workers. We are proud to be part of diverse coalition of activists, including the entire labor movement, who dedicated countless hours to the fight for workers’ rights in Ohio.

"Tonight we know that America’s middle class will no longer sit idly by. The silent majority is silent no more. Every elected official that would do us harm should take notice."

I Made A Difference in Ohio: A Guest Blog Post by UFCW Member Juanita Smith

2011-11-07T16:07:00.000-05:00


UFCW Local 1059 members Juanita Smith and Jason Taylor canvass for No on 2.

Wow. What an amazing eight months. From gathering signatures to helping fill out absentee applications to registering new voters, I have had the experience of a lifetime I will never forget, and I will be forever grateful. I made a difference by helping to give voters a voice. I came to them and put a face on the issue. Now, no matter what the outcome, they have been able to use their voices to speak up for good jobs. To speak up for Ohio workers.

I registered my grandson, his best friends and a young lady in high school just waiting for the opportunity to be able to vote. The future of Ohio will be okay in the hands of these young people. Registered another eighteen year old young woman who was balancing an infant on her hip while taking care of her handicapped mother in a poverty stricken neighborhood. Went away with the thought she was going to improve her corner of the world, starting with her signature.

I was in Circleville the last day of voter registration and talked to a seventy year old first time voter who had a date with her son to go to the polls. My high school government teacher came to a drive thru petition signing and never had to leave his car. I've had conversations with people from 18 to 98, some I will never forget. So many stories.

The new friends I've met, again - wow. My partner in this venture has literally picked me up, dusted me off and inspired me to go on. We can just look at each other and burst out laughing. We are starting to finish each others sentences, a little scary. And lastly I am inspired by my union leadership and will be FOREVER grateful that I can be involved in this effort to help working families across Ohio.

I made a difference.

Juanita Smith is a UFCW member and works as a meatcutter in Chillicothe, Ohio.

National Beef Workers Choose UFCW for a Union Voice on the Job

2011-11-07T15:26:00.004-05:00

A majority of the 2,500 workers at National Beef’s Dodge City, Kansas beef slaughter and processing facility voted to join UFCW District Local 2, in an election conducted by the National Labor Relations Board, on Thursday and Friday, November 3 and 4, 2011.

The workers’ campaign began when several National Beef workers contacted the UFCW seeking a union voice on the job. At that time, National Beef and the UFCW agreed on a fair and balanced process that allowed employees to vote on whether or not they wanted union representation. UFCW represents the workers at a neighboring Cargill beef slaughter and processing plant in Dodge City.

“Helping to organize my co-workers into a union was a life changing journey,” said Rebecca McGary, a worker in the fabrication department at National Beef.

“We know that workers at Cargill, just down the street from National Beef, have had a contract with Local 2 for many years – and that means they have always had a say in their wages, benefits and working conditions,” said Ramon Prieto who works on the kill floor at National Beef and who took a leading role in organizing his co-workers. “That’s why I voted to join the UFCW, so that we all will have a chance to negotiate benefits and salaries, job security, and a better life for our families.”

The National Beef workers are the latest in a series of meatpacking workers to join the UFCW at locations across the country. On October 19, approximately 1,000 workers at a JBS beef kill facility in Plainwell, Michigan joined UFCW Local 951. On October 25, 125 workers at a Farmland Foods facility in Carroll, Iowa joined UFCW Local 440. And in late September, 300 workers at Nebraska Prime in Hastings, Nebraska joined UFCW Local 293.

Guess what's in the first #OccupySupply shipment of cold weather gear ?

2011-11-04T13:39:00.002-04:00

Five hundred pairs of UFCW union-made socks made to withstand -40 degree weather!

The Occupy Supply Fund, a program of FireDogLake, is working to raise money, purchase, and deliver supplies to the Occupy protesters. And it comes as no shock that what they need right now is cold weather gear!

OccupySupply is buying 100% union-made, American manufactured clothes to help outfit the protesters. And UFCW is proud that our members make so many of the items on the list.

Check out this blog post on how OccupySupply came to be, and the principles they're following. And if you're inclined to donate to the fund, you can do that here. Rest assured - 100% of your donation will be used to distribute union made, American manufactured items via our union supply chain to the occupations.

80,000 Jobs is Not Enough to Put America Back to Work

2011-11-04T12:14:00.002-04:00

Just out: numbers showing the U.S. added 80,000 jobs during the month of October. And while that's an improvement, it's not nearly enough. Not even close. With such high unemployment in this country, we need a real jobs plan to put Americans back to work, and making American jobs good jobs again.

But what is Congress doing? Republicans in Congress just shot down yet ANOTHER part of Obama's jobs plan, blocking 60 billion in funds for roads and other infrastructure improvements. And why? Clearly, Republicans are bound and determined to see this country fail in order to try and take down President Obama. What other reason could there be for Republicans in Congress to vote down legislation that's extremely popular with their own constituents? The majority of Americans support the President's jobs bill and especially money for roads, bridges, and the like in their own cities and states. These kinds of jobs would put people back to work and would improve our communities and public safety, too. But Republicans are determined to act irresponsibly, determined to wreck our country's future if it means they can make President Obama a one term president.

It's disgusting and we need to put pressure on Republicans to start doing the job they were hired to do. Call now and tell your Senator to get serious about jobs - and about putting America back to work.

Workers at Bob's Discount Furniture stores in the northeast continue to organize

2011-10-27T10:37:00.000-04:00

Employees at Bob’s Discount Furniture continue to organize and win. The workers’ latest victory came on October 17 in Manchester, N.H. A majority of the 26 employees
there voted UFCW “Yes” and joined 64 of their Bob’s coworkers from Stamford, Orange, and Manchester,Conn. who joined UFCW Local 919 earlier this year.

Elections at Bob’s stores in Glendale, Freeport, and Farmingdale, N.Y, will be held on November 14 and 21, and dates should be announced soon for stores in Nanuet,
N.Y and North Plainfield, N.J.

Bob’s Discount Furniture was formerly a privately held company, but is now controlled by the London-based private equity firm Apax Partners.

House Republicans Do it Again: Another Bill to Erode Workers' Rights

2011-10-26T15:16:00.000-04:00

Guest post by UFCW Assistant Director of Communications, Politics and Advocacy, Tim Schlittner:

There they go again. A day after Congress’ approval rating hit an all-time low of 9 percent, House Republicans on the Education and the Workforce Committee passed yet another piece of legislation designed to erode workers’ fundamental right to organize.

It’s the latest attack on the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB)—the independent panel charged with overseeing unfair labor practices and union elections. Make no mistake—efforts to undermine and gut the NLRB is more than just the same old Republican attack on government. As the New York Times pointed out in an October 13 editorial, it has the danger of “unraveling workers’ rights that have been part of the fabric of our social contract since the Great Depression.”

This particular bill would make it harder for workers to form a union by mandating minimum delays before NLRB elections. This means more time for employers to coerce, harass, intimidate, and in some cases fire their employees. It also means more time for employers to file frivolous lawsuits intended to deny unionization through delay. House Education and the Workforce Committee Ranking Member George Miller (D-CA) dubbed it the “Election Prevention Act.”

Congress should be focusing on creating jobs and growing the economy, not creating hardship for workers and growing the profits of big business.

House Republicans should heed the call of the Occupy Wall Street protesters and spend their time and energy on job creation, not union bashing. Maybe then they can get their approval rating back into double digits.

Workers at Carroll, Iowa, Packing Plant Vote to Join UFCW Local 440

2011-10-26T14:37:00.000-04:00

More than 125 workers at the Farmland Food meatpacking plant in Carroll, Iowa, voted yesterday for a voice on the job with United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW) Local 440. Yesterday's vote adds the Farmland workers in Carroll to the Farmland Denison workers already represented by UFCW Local 440.

"Im proud that my coworkers stood together to get a long-awaited voice on the job here in Carroll," said Gary Schaefer, a mechanic in the plant. "We won our union voice by using worksite solidarity among workers from all parts of the world. Our cross-cultural unity was key to bringing everyone together."

Saul Trevino, a receiving dock employee, said, "Together, we talked to each other about organizing and how together wed be able to advocate for better working conditions for everyone in the plant. Im glad were now UFCW Local 440 just like the Farmland workers in Denison."

UFCW Local 440 represents 1200 workers in western Iowa in the meatpacking and food processing industry.

JBS workers in Michigan win a voice on the job with UFCW

2011-10-21T15:36:00.000-04:00

On October 19, an overwhelming majority of workers at the JBS slaughterhouse and production facility in Plainwell, Mich., voted to join UFCW Local 951. Workers said they wanted a union voice on the job in order to address unjust terminations, unsafe working conditions, and an unfair compensation system where new employees were earning more than workers with more than 15 years of service to the company.

“This win feels great,” said Troy Schlotterback, a JBS employee and a part of the organizing committee. “I come from a union family and I have worked in a union plant in the past. I have seen, first hand, what a union can do for the middle class.”

“I am surprised and happy by the win,” said Li Lin Thang, who has worked for JBS for three years. The bad working conditions and discrimination will finally be gone, I feel free now.”

JBS is the world's largest processor of fresh beef and pork, with more than US$30 billion in annual sales as of 2010. JBS acquired this Packerland plant in 2008. During the workers’ campaign, JBS allowed a free and fair process for workers to decide whether they wanted union representation. The campaign was similar to previous JBS campaigns in Hyrum, Utah and Souderton, Penn.

Workers at the West Michigan plant will join with 28,000 other JBS workers who already enjoy the benefits of UFCW union representation on the job.

United Food and Commercial Workers Union Endorses Obama 2012

2011-10-20T10:48:00.006-04:00

The 1.3 million members of the United Food and Commercial Workers Union (UFCW) are ready to fight for the future of our country and to stand with leaders who will stand up for working families. President Barack Obama is that leader.

I am proud to announce that the UFCW is endorsing President Obama’s reelection campaign because our members understand how much is at stake in this election. President Obama has stood up for the jobless, the uninsured, the middle class taxpayer, Medicare recipients, working women, and accountability from Wall Street. UFCW members are ready to mobilize for the president and to elect more leaders who will stand with him in Congress and statehouses across the country.

Cashiers and grocery workers are ready to stand up to elect leaders who will ensure good jobs stay in their communities and that their children can achieve their dream for a better life. Meatpackers and food processors are ready to stand up to elect leaders who will keep fighting to hold Wall Street gamblers accountable to the home owners and retirees who have invested in their future and deserve security and honesty from financial institutions.

Working families are struggling during this recession - a recession created by Bush-era tax breaks, lack of financial regulation and unnecessary military escalation. Turning our economy around is going to take a tremendous effort - an effort that must be led by a president who speaks for the 99 percent of Americans who clock into work every morning, instead of those who simply watch stock tickers all day.

UFCW members are energized because corporate-backed politicians at the federal and state level have launched an all-out assault on working people. President Obama is fighting back.

UFCW members have never stopped fighting back in statehouses and in their communities. They are ready to win the fight for the White House in 2012. The UFCW will be mobilizing, organizing and energizing our members, their friends and families to keep President Obama in the White House and to elect a Congress that works hard for hard working Americans. Ours is an enthusiastic choice to stand with President Obama as he fights against political opposition that seeks to enrich a select few at the expense of millions of regular Americans.

Growing Hispanic Population Brings Hard Work Ethic and Optimism to U.S.

2011-10-13T16:56:00.000-04:00

HHM draws to a close, but Hispanic presence in the U.S. carries on. More than forty million men, women and children continue to work, study, and prosper. At UFCW we are proud of our Latino members and their contributions to our union and our industry. From the braceros program of the early 1900s to the harvest pickers and line workers of today, we say gracias and we continue to organize and help Latinos get on their way to reaching the American dream.

The union difference marks a substantial improvement in the lives for all workers. But when Latino workers join a union they see a wage increase of 17.1% ($2.60/hour), plus they are 26% more likely to have employer-paid health insurance and 27% more likely to have a pension. Their numbers are growing in our industry, in our ranks, and as part of our population, and we welcome their hard work and optimism.

As we explained at the beginning of this Hispanic Heritage month, the period that began on September 15 and ends this Saturday, October 15 encompasses the independence dates of Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras and Nicaragua. Mexico and Chile celebrate their independence days on September 16 and September 18. And October 12, celebrated as Día de la Raza in Latin America, marks the arrival of Christopher Columbus in the Western Hemisphere.

Historically and officially these milestones are the reason we celebrate Hispanic Heritage month. But we are sure that Hispanic Heritage month celebrations to come will add more achievements and successes from this vibrant component of our American identity.

Tell Senators to Stop Dragging Their Feet on the Jobs Bill!

2011-10-11T17:07:00.003-04:00

UFCW members are extremely disappointed at what's happening in the Senate right now. It looks as though the Democratic-led Senate is goingto be unable to muster up the procedural votes to send President Obama’s jobcreation bill forward. Both Democratsand Republicans in the Senate need to be reminded who they’re supposed to berepresenting. Instead of putting their country before politics, both the Democrat-led Senate and the Republican-controlledHouse of Representatives have chosen to drag their feet while more and moreAmericans are losing their jobs, their homes and their belief in the Americandream.

As thenational unemployment rate remains at 9.1 percent and the gap between the richand the poor continues to grow, it’s clear that we need to take bold steps to liftAmericans out of poverty and rebuild the middle class. President Obama’s plan,which includes tax cuts to help America’ssmall businesses hire and grow, including a tax cut for companies that hire newworkers; a national infrastructure bank to rebuild and modernize our roads andschools; and help for the long-term unemployed, is a good first step.;

We can’t stand onthe sidelines and simply hope for the best. That is why we need to worktogether and pass the American Jobs Act.

Pleasetake action now by emailing or calling your member of Congress and let themknow that you will make any “no” vote on the American Jobs Act a politicalissue in 2012. Click here to send an email, and call your senator RIGHT NOW to tell them to pass theAmerican Jobs Act at (202) 224-3121.

UFCW STANDS WITH MEDICAL CANNABIS RETAIL WORKERS

2011-10-07T17:08:00.000-04:00

Demands an End to U.S. Attorney’s Misguided Enforcement Action

(Washington, D.C.) – The United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW), the nation’s largest retail worker organization, demands an immediate end to the U.S. Attorney’s misguided prosecution of operators of small dispensaries of legal medical cannabis in California.

In the past year, thousands of hardworking and taxpaying medical cannabis industry workers have joined together with the UFCW in various states in order to protect their jobs in this emerging industry. In today’s economy, hourly wage jobs like these that pay good wages with decent benefits are vital to keeping our economy afloat and families out of poverty.

At a time when the unemployment rate hovers around 9 percent, our economy requires bold action from our government to create good family-sustaining jobs. The steps taken by the four California U.S. attorneys to send letters Wednesday and Thursday notifying at least 16 medical dispensaries and their landlords that they are violating federal drug laws would do just the opposite.

“I have a good middle class American Job with good health benefits and a pension that I can look forward to,” said Larry Richards, a UFCW Local 5 member and a manager at the Blue Sky Dispensary in Oakland, California. “Because of our industry and our union I am able to be a productive breadwinner and, as a person living with HIV since 1983, I have fought and struggled not to be a drain on society. I want to work, I want to be productive but now, they want to take my job and put me back on the rolls of Social Security.”

UFCW proudly stands with our members in the Humboldt Growers Association, the Citizens for Safer Neighborhoods Committee of Colorado, the Michigan Medical Marijuana Association, and our coalition partners in MendoGrown, the Patients Care Alliance, the National Cannabis Industry Association, and the Citizens Coalition for Patient Care.

Medical cannabis is a safe and effective treatment option for many serious medical conditions including cancer, and patients should not be forced to purchase their medicine from criminals, drug dealers, and thugs. If the federal government closes commercial dispensaries and collectives in California, patients will have no safe access to their medication. In addition, thousands of workers will be forced from their jobs in the midst of the worst economic crisis since the Great Depression.

UFCW and our members are dedicated to a dignified, controlled, taxed, regulated, compliant, unionized medical cannabis industry. We stand in solidarity with the workers and patients of the unionized medical cannabis industry.

###

United Food and Commercial Workers Union represents over 1.3 million workers in the United States and Canada, and is one of the largest private sector unions in North America. UFCW members work in a wide range of industries, including retail food, food processing, agriculture, retail sales, health care, manufacturing, and medical cannabis.

Union Members Occupy Wall Street for Good Jobs

2011-10-06T12:11:00.005-04:00

Yesterday, union members joined the ranks of those Occupying Wall Street in a stand against the insidious corporate greed that has infiltrated our democracy and eroded our jobs, our health care, our economy, and our way of life.

Protesters gathered in Zuccotti Square and marched approximately one mile north to Foley Square where they joined with members from the RWDSU/UFCW and other labor unions. From Foley Square, the crowd marched side by side descending on Wall Street shouting “We are the 99%.”

Worker productivity has been rising over the past decade, but wages have remained stagnant while the cost of health care has sky-rocketed, leaving the average American struggling to make ends meet. Meanwhile, the gap between the richest 1% and the rest of us has gotten even wider as corporate fat cats pocket the profits that should be going to build good jobs.

We’ve heard from the Occupy Wall Street folks that they are currently low on food. You can help out by ordering from local businesses or sending care packages. Please try to focus on vegan and vegetarian options with some meat options since we don’t want our vegetarian brothers and sisters to go hungry.

Send care packages and other supplies to this address:

118A Fulton st #205
New York, NY, 10038
Non perishable, no checks (money orders okay), any size package okay

Official Occupy Wall Street page: http://occupywallst.org/

Looking for events in your city? Check out MeetUp.com or find events on Facebook.

Live streaming of Occupy Wall Street: http://www.livestream.com/globalrevolution

UFCW Continues to Celebrates Hispanic Heritage Month

2011-09-30T11:57:00.000-04:00

September 15- October 15^th is Hispanic Heritage month. This week, we'll take a look at the labor movement in Chile and other parts of South America.

Globalization is not just for corporations. As multinational companies expand across the globe, the labor movement finds ways to make sure that workers' rights are respected everywhere.

In Chile, Walmart operates under three brand names: A Costo, Líder, and Ekono. Earlier this year students in Chile started a movement to pressure the conservative government into agreeing to education reform. After three months, their efforts led to a national strike asking for tax, social security, and labor reforms, as well as increased investments in health and education.

Walmart fired 22 Líder workers for showing their support for the strikes and participating in the protests. Walmart claimed they had abandoned their posts, but the workers strongly denied this. Together in their union the fired workers fought back.

Walmart quickly found out workers from all over the world were watching-standing in solidarity with the Chilean workers, and condemning Walmart's anti-worker behavior. UFCW's own Walmart Watch was a leader in this effort-alerting UFCW's activist membership base who responded with thousands of emails to Walmart's managers in Chile. Under so much pressure and international scrutiny, Walmart rehired the union workers.

Despite this win, union workers often fight an uphill battle in Latin America. Just over 34 per cent of the region lives in poverty, with 8.1 per cent living in extreme poverty. Unemployment hovers around 7.5 per cent. Sindicato, the Spanish word for union is almost a curse word in many circles in Latin America (which is why the UFCW doesn't use that word in our organizing drives here). And, much like in the United States, the role of unions in getting good salaries and workers protections is not clearly appreciated or understood.

Too often, the debate around jobs and the economy in Latin America is driven by "what's good for business" and nearly blind faith in trickledown economics. Sound familiar?

Hispanic Heritage Month at UFCW: Sí se Puede!

2011-09-22T16:59:00.001-04:00

Hispanic Heritage Month is celebrated between September 15 and October 15, recognizing independence from Spain for the Latin American countries of Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, and Mexico. In 1968, President Lyndon B. Johnson instituted this celebration in recognition of the growing Latino population.

In celebration of Hispanic Heritage Month, the UFCW will be sending out weekly e-mails on key issues concerning Latinos and unions in the U.S. This week, we explore the common goals and values of Latinos and unions.

Latinos workers are young (their median age is 27.7 years old) and have a strong participation in the workforce (68%), but they are also strongly affected by unemployment (13.2%) and poverty (25.3%). Becoming union members is a critical step for Latino workers in achieving the American Dream. Compared to other workers, the "Union Difference" is most significant for Latino workers. When Latino workers in the 15 lowest wage occupations join a union, their wages increase by 17 percent, they are 41 percent more likely to have insurance, and 18 percent more likely to have pensions. This strengthens communities and the economy.

The UFCW is proud to be a national leading voice for civil and human rights. We continue a long and rich legacy of standing up for immigrant rights on the job - a tradition we carry on today, thanks in part to the efforts of organizers and leaders like Emilio Emeterio "Red" Gomez. Mr. Gomez passed away on April 16, 2011, after a long career, first as a meat cutter and later as an organizer with the UFCW. He was a founder of the United Latinos of the UFCW, becoming its president in 2001. He supported political candidates who supported workers, and served all members equally, regardless of race, ethnic background, sex, or religion.

Working people, their unions, and the growing U.S. Latino community face strong challenges from a weak economy and hostile social and political movements. In spite of the poverty and low wages Latinos experience, they remain optimistic. A recent survey found that Latinos believe their children will have a better standard of living, and are optimistic about the future of the country, which is what the union movement is about. To that we say, "Sí se puede!"

Bachmann's Bright Idea for Economic Growth: Roll Back Health and Safety Regulations

2011-09-21T16:19:00.008-04:00

In her latest crusade against government “overregulation,” GOP presidential hopeful Michele Bachmann paid a visit to a non-union meat packing plant in Iowa to talk about the evils of health and safety standards in the food industry. Ironically, she did not appear to be wearing a hair net or head covering at the time.

"We want to have safety," she told the press while strolling through slabs of beef. "But we also want to have common sense."

We couldn’t agree more, but we are a little baffled as to what Bachmann’s definition of common sense must be.

UFCW workers have been putting food on America’s tables for decades and we’re proud of the work we do. There is a good chance the beef you ate for dinner last night came from a cow slaughtered by a UFCW member. That’s why we’re not ok with the idea of it being acceptable to serve up tasty meats laced with fecal matter, deadly bacteria, hair, fingers, or any other non-cow, non-pig, non-bird body parts.

Bachmann’s publicity stunt comes a week after the Agriculture Department announced wider testing for E. coli in meat. Instead of testing for one strand of the bacteria, they’ll now be testing for seven, which they say will help officials identify more foodborne illnesses.

*Photo not intended as fact

Is Bachmann honestly arguing that our health and safety standards, the ones we’ve been working so hard on since The Jungle, are a burden on the poor companies forced to make sure the meat they are selling isn’t hazardous to human health?

What about the 3000 people who die each year from foodborne illnesses? Or the 1 in 6 the CDC reports get sick every year?

In Bachmann’s radical libertarian utopia, packing houses must feel called upon to voluntarily test their products out of altruistic love and respect for the consumer. If we are going to live in reality, we need laws and regulations to manage the pressure to put profits over public safety.

SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA WORKERS REACH TENTATIVE AGREEMENT WITH GROCERS

2011-09-19T16:30:00.002-04:00

Members of the United Food and Commercial Workers Union working at Ralphs (Kroger), Vons (Safeway) and Albertsons (Supervalu) in Southern California reached a tentative agreement today with the companies.The tentative agreement was reached after 8 months of negotiating and strong involvement and activism by the 62,000 grocery workers and widespread support of customers and allies across the region. The UFCW is grateful to Scot Beckenbaugh, Deputy Director of the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Services, for his guidance through the bargaining process.

UFCW members will vote on the proposals in meetings over the coming week. The agreement increases wages, protects health care and pension benefits throughout the life of the 3-year contract.

The new contract, once ratified, will cover 62,000 UFCW grocery workers, the largest bargaining unit in the UFCW. An additional 28,000 grocery workers at regional chains like Stater Brothers, Food 4 Less, Gelson’s Market and other markets are covered by the successful resolution of the Southern California contract. The contract covering 45,000 grocery workers in Northern California expires in October.

The Problem with Mitt Romney's Economic Plan

2011-09-15T10:35:00.005-04:00

In my letter in today's Wall Street Journal, I point out that Mitt Romney's economic plan further highlights the GOP's obsession with protecting corporate interests at the expense of the poor and the middle class. As I stated in the letter:

As the nation's unemployment rate registers at 9.1%, it is clear that we need to take bold steps to lift Americans out of poverty and rebuild the middle class. Instead of engaging in antiworker rhetoric, Mr. Romney and his fellow Republicans should focus on creating economic policies that generate and sustain good jobs with decent wages and benefits, with the end goal of giving America's middle class the purchasing power it needs to revive the economy.

UFCW President Joe Hansen on President Obama's Plan to Put Americans Back to Work

2011-09-09T08:46:00.000-04:00

Last night, President Hansen released the following statement in support of President Obama's jobs plan:

“President Obama’s plan for job creation, including a private fund to rebuild our roads and schools, a tax cut for companies that hire workers and help for the long-term unemployed, is a good start. The nation’s job crisis demands leadership from President Obama, but he cannot revive the economy alone. Bold leadership is also needed from Republicans in Congress and the business community in order to create jobs that can support a family and rebuild the middle class.

“We will never win the future by turning a blind eye to the devastating impact of unemployment and underemployment on our country. It is time for Republicans in Congress to put our country ahead of politics and support the president’s plan to put Americans back to work. It is also time for America’s business leaders to make a patriotic commitment to invest in good jobs in America and provide their employees with decent wages and benefits with the end goal of giving the middle class the purchasing power it needs to revive the economy.

“The wasted economic potential of the millions of Americans who are unemployed or underemployed is a national tragedy. But the tragedy goes deeper than statistics alone. In all this turmoil, many Americans believe they will never achieve the American dream of owning a home, sending their children to college or retiring comfortably. If Republicans in Congress and America’s business leaders continue to put corporate profits ahead of job creation, our country will never fully recover from this downward economic spiral.”

Starting this Labor Day, Let's Make Job Creation a Priority

2011-09-01T17:16:00.002-04:00

This Labor Day, as the national unemployment rate hovers around 9 percent and the gap between the rich and poor continues to grow, it is clear that we need to think big and create a bold jobs plan that will lift Americans out of poverty and rebuild the middle class.

But as the country waits for President Obama’s jobs speech next week, the national conversation is still focused on cutting the deficit at the expense of our most vulnerable citizens—a tactic that will do nothing to create new jobs.

It is time to make job creation—good jobs with benefits that can support a family—a priority over a politically manufactured debt crisis. It is time to announce a bold infrastructure investment plan to fix our roads, bridges, schools, airports, railways and seaports, and invest in a WPA-type jobs program to clean up abandoned and vacant properties to alleviate blight in distressed and foreclosure-affected neighborhoods; staff emergency food programs to reduce hunger and promote family stability; work in Head Start, child care, and other early childhood education programs to promote school readiness and early literacy; and renovate and maintain parks, playgrounds, and other public spaces.

If the national conversation continues to be manipulated by those who put their own interests ahead of the poor and middle class, our country will never fully recover from this downward economic spiral. It is time to think big.

UFCW Locals, Kroger Step Up to Support Toledo School Kids and Teachers after Walmart Leaves a Void

2011-08-31T09:12:00.000-04:00

UFCW Local 75, UFCW Local 1059, and union grocery store Kroger came together yesterday to present Toledo teachers with giftcards to help them stock their classrooms with supplies for the new school year. The donation came after Walmart offered to make a similar gift, but with the requirement that the Toledo Federation of Teachers, and its president Kevin Dalton, be part of a PR campaign thanking Walmart.

TFT president Kevin Dalton turned down the deal, saying he could not applaud a company who stands for eroding wages, pensions, and the rights of its workers. Dalton said, "When a company like Walmart asks for a public thank you from teachers for a classroom donation, that’s not charity, it’s marketing.”

Read the full story here.

Labor economist Alan Kreuger tapped to chair Council of Economic Advisors

2011-08-29T16:05:00.001-04:00

President Obama today announced that he's nominating Alan Krueger as chairman of the White House Council of Economic Advisors. Dr. Kreuger, a labor economist, is a professor of economics and public affairs at Princeton University. His political background includes service as assistant secretary for economic policy and chief economist at the U.S. Department of the Treasury from 2009-2010, and as chief economist at the U.S. Department of Labor from 1994-1995.

(Photo Credit: ANDREW HARRER/BLOOMBERG)

Dr. Krueger’s academic papers have covered a vast array of issues, including the positive economic effect of increasing the minimum wage and the impact of unemployment on out-of-work job seekers. He has also written about issues related to education, labor markets and income distribution.

The UFCW is excited to see how Krueger's background in the economic issues facing workers will impact the administration's work on job creation in the coming months. The fact that he knows raising the minimum wage doesn't increase unemployment is a good start!

UFCW Members Join Verizon Workers in Fight for Middle Class Jobs

2011-08-16T11:32:00.001-04:00

Photo courtesy CWA New Jersey's site.

Despite making almost 20 billion in profits and paying out hundreds of millions to its top executives in the last four years, Verizon refuses to share that success with its workers and seems intent on destroying good middle class jobs. To stand up for their families and the future of the American middle class, more than 45,000 members of the Communications Workers of America (CWA) and the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) have been forced into the streets on strike by their company's greed.

Verizon is refusing to move from a long list of demands, and so CWA and IBEW members are standing up for good jobs. And UFCW members are standing up with them, all across the country, as locals join with their brothers and sisters on picket lines and in their neighborhoods. UFCW locals are adopting Verizon stores to picket in their area to let customers know about the strike and Verizon's corporate greed.

You can join in the fight, too! Go here to adopt a store or join in the fight online. Let's stand together for good jobs in America!

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

2011-07-28T16:30:00.000-04:00

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"

2011-07-28T12:01:00.000-04:00

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

2011-07-26T13:38:00.002-04:00

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

2011-07-22T10:49:00.000-04:00

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

2011-07-20T10:12:00.000-04:00

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

2011-07-19T10:11:00.000-04:00

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:

Live streaming by Ustream

“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!

2011-07-19T09:01:00.000-04:00

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.

Live video from your iPhone using Ustream

Wisconsin Voters Reject "Fake" Democrats

2011-07-13T16:29:00.004-04:00

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"

2011-07-12T16:39:00.000-04:00

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?

2011-07-07T11:31:00.000-04:00


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?

2011-07-01T12:30:00.004-04:00

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.

Define American

2011-06-23T09:12:00.002-04:00

The new Define American project is asking folks: what does it mean to be an American?

Jose Antonio Vargas, the Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist who moved to the U.S. from the Philippines when he was 12, and has been struggling with his undocumented status for almost 14 years. In that time, he has thought a lot about what it means to be an American. From him newly released video:

“I define American as someone who works really hard – someone who’s proud to be in this country, and wants to contribute to it. I’m independent; I pay taxes; I’m self-sufficient. I’m an American. I just don’t have the right papers. I take full responsibility for my actions, and I’m sorry for the laws that I broke.”

Take five minutes, and watch the full video of Jose’s story now. You’ll be glad you did. Then be sure to add your voice to the conversation at http://defineamerican.com/

Former Walmart associate Sandy Carpenter Presents Human Rights Award to Actor James Cromwell

2011-06-22T14:49:00.002-04:00

DC-area social justice advocates got a special treat Monday night: Sandy Carpenter, a former Walmart associate, joined the American Rights at Work annual awards celebration to present an award and share her inspiring story. Carpenter was fired from her position at Walmart after trying to organize a union in her store, but continues to advocate for the rights of Walmart workers across the country. It was very appropriate, then, that she presented the Eleanor Roosevelt Human Rights Award to actor and activist, James Cromwell.

Carpenter gave high praise to Cromwell for all the work he has done throughout his career to promote workers' rights, including his efforts to highlight how Walmart treats its employees. Cromwell has often joined picket lines with workers and appeared in commercials for the critical documentary WALMART- The High Cost of Low Price. He is also an active member of the Screen Actor's Guild and the American Federation of Television and Radio. Everyone in the audience agreed: Carpenter's speech on her experience with Walmart and presentation of the award were very inspirational and empowering.

Bo McCurry was another very moving speaker at the celebration. McCurry works at the Philips plant in Sparta, Tenn. The plant is closing down despite the fact that it has been repeatedly honored as productive and effective. The plant has also begun to outsource jobs to Mexico. At the celebration, McCurry gave an incredible speech on his fight for workers' rights.

Carpenter and McCurry represent what UFCW works towards everyday: a safe and fair environment for American workers.

Bourbon and Bacon Tasting at Netroots Nation

2011-06-17T14:21:00.009-04:00

The UFCW Bourbon and Bacon Happy Hour is being held on Saturday, June 18, at Netroots Nation, in Minneapolis, featuring bourbon and bacon made by UFCW members. In honor of this event, here are some more interesting facts about bacon:

America produces around 2 billion pounds of bacon annually, and a 200 pound pig will normally produce about 20 pounds of bacon.

Seventy percent of bacon is consumed during breakfast.

There are 8 different cuts of bacon: streaky, back, collar, picnic, jowl, gammon, cottage and middle.

There are also 8 different types of bacon which are: Canadian, Pancetta, Ventreche, Proscuitto, Serrano, Guanciale and White bacon.

If you're at Netroots Nation, please join us for the event featuring great products made by UFCW members. If you're not, next time you're at the grocery store pick up some UFCW-made bacon and a bottle of UFCW-made bourbon and join in the fun from home.

Eva Longoria Speaks at the CARE Press Conference

2011-06-16T11:30:00.024-04:00

The Children's Act for Responsible Employment (CARE) is endorsd by many organizations, UFCW included. On June 16th, Congresswoman Lucille Roybal-Allard and other advocates of the bill, including actress and activist, Eva Longoria, gathered at the Capitol Builiding to share with the press the importance of passing this bill.

Migrant children, as young as 12 and 13, often work incredibly long hours on farms with dangerous equipment and in dangerous conditions such as extreme heat. Longoria is the executive producer of the new documentary The Harvest/La Cosecha which shows children who work as migrant laborers on American farms. One of the major problems with this labor, is that while these children are doing backbreaking work in 110 degree heat, they are also being taken out of school making it close to impossible for them to ever have the chance of earning a high school diploma.

Longoria and the other producers of The Harvest/La Cosecha feel that the film will raise awareness of the problems here in America and will also help grow support for Congresswoman Royal-Allard's bill which will help improve laws to protect migrant children working on farms by raising the minimum age for farmworkers to 14 and raising the age at which they can do hazardous work to 18.

Also speaking at the press conference was former child migrant worker, Norma Flores Lopéz. She shared with the press the days of having to wake up early every morning and miss school for months at a time. Today she is the director of the Children in the Fields Campaign at the Association of Farmworker Opportunity Programs (AFOP).

UFCW continues to support the passing of this bill to help give migrant worker children an education and a safer life than they have now.

Bourbon and Bacon Happy Hour

2011-06-16T11:30:00.015-04:00

Few things are as interesting or delicious as bacon, and in anticipation of the Bourbon and Bacon Happy Hour being held on Saturday, here are a few fun facts about bacon!

Bacon is one of the earliest processed meats in the history of the world, first being processed in 1500 BC. The first noted reference of bacon was made by a London cheesemonger in the 16th century. The origin of the word bacon is derived from the Old High German word Bacho. The phrase, "Bring home the bacon" is based on the story of a couple from Dunmow, Essex who, in 1104, impressed the Prior of Little Dunmow with their marital devotion to the point where the prior awarded them with a flitch.

If your at Netroots Nation in Minneapolis, stop by UFCW's Bourbon and Bacon Happy Hour on Saturday, right before the keynote.

UFCW Goes to Netroots

2011-06-15T09:00:00.003-04:00

A few of us will be traveling to the annual Netroots Nation conference in Minneapolis this week, to meet with progressive allies and bloggers and chart a course forward for the causes our members care about. For those of you planning to be at Netroots - or planning to follow along online - here's a quick cheat sheet of where you can find UFCW. Of course, we'll be around all week, so if you're in Minneapolis and looking to connect, tweet us @UFCW and we'll be sure to find you!

Thursday:

From 9 - 10:15, find us at the panel on wage theft - "Stop! Wage Thief! How Workers are Getting the Money They're Owed" - featuring Carrie Gleason, co-Founder and Director of the RWDSU/UFCW Retail Action Project.
From 3 - 4:15, UFCW will caucus with our brothers and sisters from throughout the labor movement at a Labor Strategy Session, moderated by Tula Connell and Paco Fabien.

Friday:

Friday afternoon at 1:15, we'll take a break from the panels and keynotes for a Fight Back for Good Jobs Rally with our LIUNA brothers and sisters at the Stone Arch Bridge, which spans the Mississippi and overlooks the I-35 bridge—a symbol of both the dangers of neglecting our basic needs and the possibilities that come with modern roads and bridges. If you're in the Minneapolis area, be sure to join us!
After the day's sessions end, we'll be joining our friends from Walmart Watch for their "Accountability with a Shot of Netroots" happy hour, from 6-8 pm at Kieran’s Irish Pub, on the corner of 6th St and 1st Ave N. The happy hour will feature free drinks, fun beer koozies, and a chance to learn about Walmart Watch and how it can serve as a resource for the Netroots community.

Saturday:

At Saturday morning's keynote session, UFCW International President and Change to Win Chair Joe Hansen will join an impressive panel of speakers to talk about "The Attack on America’s Middle Class, and the Plan to Fight Back." President Hansen will speak alongside Sen. Al Franken, AFSCME Secretary-Treasurer Lee Saunders, Wisconsin Education Association Council President Mary Bell, SEIU President Mary Kay Henry, and economist Bob Kuttner. The panel, moderated by Ari Melber of The Nation, starts at 9:00 AM. It's a discussion you can't afford to miss!
Later on, right before the conference's closing keynote, UFCW will be hosting a Bourbon and Bacon Tasting - featuring bourbon and bacon made by UFCW members! The tasting starts at 4:15 - it's a great chance to learn more about the products UFCW members across the country produce. Don't forget to RSVP!

See you in Minneapolis!

UFCW Feeding the Hungry Tour 2011

2011-06-14T12:17:00.017-04:00

UFCW is one of the many organizations presenting Al Roker's charity, Lend a Hand TODAY, with items it needs to continue supporting local charities. For the tenth year, Roker is beginning his week long trip across America with the Lend a Hand TODAY charity. On each stop across the nation, Roker (and scores of volunteers) gives a deserving charity a truck full of essential goods and supplies to help them help their communities. UFCW's Feeding the Hungry Program has partnered with Lend a Hand TODAY to help make this years donations an even bigger success!

The tour started off June 13th in Anchorage, AK. The members and staff of UFCW Local 1496 started their day at 2 a.m. to give the Food Bank of Alaska the protein that was raised for them. Lend a Hand TODAY also donated recreational supplies and equipment (kayaks, water guns, basketballs, etc.). Monday's drop off was a huge success!

Day two took the tour to Las Vegas, NV, where the members and staff of UFCW Local 711 helped deliver 120,000 servings of protein to the Culinary Training Academy at 4 a.m.

Spreading support to all corners of America, the UFCW Feeding the Hungry Tour in partnership with Lend a Hand TODAY will be heading out again to give more local charities supplies. To the members and staff of UFCW and all the volunteers, we give you a big thank you for the early mornings and for all the hard work!

UFCW's Feeding the Hungry program, a joint venture with Smithfield, is a three-year, multi-city, coast to coast effort to donate and deliver more than 20 million servings of protein to food banks. To learn more about the program, visit UFCW.org.

Local 10 needs your support

2011-06-10T09:42:00.004-04:00

The organization that represents most West Coast shipping bosses is suing the longshore workers' union local for the Bay Area over a one-day work stoppage earlier this year to show solidarity with the struggle against union-busting in Wisconsin.

International Longshore and Warehouse Union (ILWU) Local 10 was answering the call by the AFL-CIO for a day of solidarity with Wisconsin workers on April 4. Following the AFL-CIO's slogans of "We are all one" and "No business as usual," rank-and-file members of Local 10 decided unanimously to stay off the job.

Now, the Pacific Maritime Association (PMA) is suing ILWU Local 10 and its president Richard Mead for "unspecified damages" over the work action.

The PMA is citing the notorious Taft-Hartley Act – an anti-union law passed in 1947. Taft-Hartley was crafted to ban solidarity strikes – secondary boycotts, mass pickets and wildcat strikes – actions that built union strength in the 1930s. The last time Taft-Hartley was used against the ILWU was in 2002, when the PMA locked out longshore workers who were facing attacks on their working conditions, wages and benefits.

ILWU Local 10 needs our support now. If the PMA succeeds in its campaign, the labor movement will be pushed backward – and in a moment when we need rank-and-file union activism and solidarity to grow, not dwindle. The battle against the current attacks on all workers in the United States and internationally needs Local 10 and they need us now, more than ever! Click here to show your support for ILWU Local 10.

Next Saturday at Netroots Nation: UFCW Bourbon and Bacon Tasting (Free!)

2011-06-10T09:22:00.001-04:00

The UFCW represents more than 1.3 million workers throughout the U.S. and Canada, primarily in retail, meatpacking, food processing, and retail food. We're also America's union with the largest membership under the age of 35. And we like bacon and bourbon - especially the bacon and bourbon our members make!

That's why next Saturday at Netroots Nation in Minneapolis, the UFCW is hosting a free bourbon and bacon tasting! If you're planning to be at Netroots, mark your calendars for a bourbon and bacon bonanza, on Saturday from 4:15 to 5, right before the closing keynote! Come mix and mingle, and sample the fine products UFCW members make - on us. Don't forget to RSVP!

And speaking of Netroots, have you seen the new NN11 mobile app? It's a fabulous addition to this years conference, and we have the lovely folks over at AFT to thank for it! Download the app, and then make sure to mark the UFCW Bourbon and Bacon Happy Hour as one of your favorite events. We'll see you - and a lot of bacon and bourbon - there!

Next Week in Minneapolis: UFCW President Joe Hansen Joins Netroots Nation Keynote on the Attack on America’s Middle Class and the Plan to Fight Back

2011-06-08T11:48:00.000-04:00

We’re witnessing the fruition of a decades-long plan by conservatives in Washington to undercut the progressive movement by destroying its foundation: labor unions. After decades of successfully diminishing the power of private sector unions, the right wing is now coming after public employee unions. From Wisconsin to Ohio, Republican legislators are taking aim at public sector unions as a means to their political ends. As they attempt to destroy the bedrock of progressive infrastructure, the middle class gets weakened and income disparity continues to grow.

After years of playing defense, progressives are ready to take the fight to the other side. Americans of all walks are angry, loud and organized to retain collective bargaining as the bedrock of the middle class and to expand the power of working people. Why are public sector workers bearing the brunt of this attack, and what is next? What will become of the middle class if we are not able to repel conservatives bent on destroying labor unions? How can we continue to fight for workers even as more states try to strip away our right to collectively bargain? And how can progressive activists stand up for and with the middle class against corporations who are attempting to buy our government?

UFCW International President and Change to Win Chair Joe Hansen will join an impressive panel of speakers to address these questions and more, at the Saturday morning keynote at Netroots Nation in Minneapolis next week. President Hansen will speak alongside Sen. Al Franken, AFSCME Secretary-Treasurer Lee Saunders, Wisconsin Education Association Council President Mary Bell, SEIU President Mary Kay Henry, and economist Bob Kuttner. The panel, moderated by Ari Melber of The Nation, starts at 9:00 AM on Saturday, June 18. It's a discussion you can't afford to miss!

Support Southern California Workers

2011-06-03T14:52:00.002-04:00

Bargaining in southern California continues as grocery workers and UFCW members continue to stick together and take a stand for the good jobs our communities depend on.

The tens of thousands of unionized workers of Kroger, Supervalu, and Safeway are having their health benefits and pensions threatened. Negotiations continue between the UFCW and these supermarket chains.

These supermarkets have proposed health and welfare contributions that would fund less than half of the current level of benefits. Also these workers would receive inadequate pension funding, and indefensible work rule language.

Unionized supermarket employees set the standard for employment in our industries.

Send a letter to the workers and show your support by clicking here.
ufcwaction.org/california

What’s Right? Walmart’s Words vs. Walmart’s Political Priorities

2011-06-03T09:23:00.005-04:00

A new report from Walmart Watch examines the political expenditures of Walmart's political action committee, Walmart stores Inc. PAC for Responsible Government, which makes contributions to candidates and other political action committees at multiple levels of government. While companies are not permitted to contribute directly to candidates at the federal level and thus act through political action committees, they are able to contribute in state elections, an opportunity Walmart regularly seizes.

Walmart Watch seeks to hold walmart fully accountable for its impact on communities, the American workforce, the retail sector, the environment and the nation's economy.

If you are interested in reading the report go to:
http://walmartwatch.org/get-the-facts/whats-right-walmarts-political-priorities/
If you would like to learn more about Walmart Watch, visit their website at:
http://walmartwatch.org/

UFCW Scholarship: Deadline June 3rd!

2011-06-02T15:59:00.006-04:00

The deadline for the UFCW scholarship is tomorrow, but its not to late. Click the link below to apply.

Your union is about more than your paycheck and benefits. The The UFCW is about workers coming together to build better lives for ourselves. It's about creating opportunity.

That's why each year the UFCW awards several scholarships of up to $8,000 each to UFCW members or their unmarried dependents.

http://www.ufcw.org/scholarship/scholarship_rules.cfm

Southern California Supermarket Bargaining Update

2011-05-26T11:38:00.010-04:00

Negotiations between UFCW Locals 8GS, 135, 324, 770, 1167, 1428 and 1442 and the three major supermarket chains continue, aided by the work of the federal mediator. Safeway, Kroger and Supervalu have made demands that would undermine working standards and threaten affordable health care coverage for tens of thousands of workers. Among the employer proposals are health & welfare contributions that cover less than half the amount needed to continue to fund the current level of benefits, inadequate pension funding, and untenable work rule language. Wage rates have not yet been discussed. The health care language alone would shift $450 million to our members over the next three years.

UFCW local unions are committed to the bargaining process while preparing their members and customers to stick together for good jobs in the supermarket industry. Picket captain meetings are scheduled this week.

For updates, go to:

http://www.march2011.org/

UFCW Local 8GS: http://www.ufcw8.org/

UFCW Local 135: http://www.ufcw135.org/
UFCW Local 324: http://www.ufcw324.org/
UFCW Local 770: http://www.ufcw770.org/
UFCW Local 1167: http://www.ufcw1167.org/
UFCW Local 1428: http://www.ufcw1428.org/
UFCW Local 1442: http://www.ufcw1442.org/

Round Up: Valley Stream Target Workers Stand Strong for Better Jobs

2011-05-26T09:36:00.004-04:00

Workers at the Valley Stream Target in New York recently came together to organize a union at their store, in order to address issues they're facing, including not getting enough hours to make ends meet (or, as Gawker put it: "The workers would like to work enough hours to survive, please."). Now that a majority of the workers at the Valley Stream store have said they want to join UFCW Local 1500, they are preparing for an election in the coming weeks. In their words:

We love Target. But Target has not treated us fairly. They need to change their view of the associates. When they grow, we should share in that growth. But despite record earnings, management 'Expects More, Pays Less.'

To hear a little more about the workers' efforts to organize, Target's reaction, and the stakes of the campaign, take a minute to listen to this great radio segment from WYNC, featuring Crain's reporter Danny Massey, who has been following the campaign since its early stages.

The Valley Stream workers have been standing strong in the face of incredible pressure from Target and its corporate allies (for more details, take a look at this American Rights at Work blog post on how Target is starting to look more and more like Walmart). The UFCW is proud to stand with these workers and support them as they seek to join UFCW Local 1500. To show your support for the Target workers, you can like the Target Change page on Facebook.

Bonus track: here's an ad that was set to run in Times Square this week, but was banned at the last minute by CBS:

Why is CBS so afraid to let a pro-worker ad run on its Times Square jumbotron? Do you think it's OK for big corporations to be in the business of censoring workers' voices?

_______________________________________________________________________

UPDATE: Since Gawker published its post on the Valley Stream workers' efforts to organize, they've been hearing from Target workers around the country about how tough it is to work at Target and the vicious anti-union campaign the company is waging. One worker's account of the unsafe conditions at his workplace led him to conclude, "Target NEEDS to unionize." Check out the full story here - and if you're a Target workers, click through to the Gawker post to share your story!

UFCW President Joe Hansen's Statement in Response to President Obama's Immigration Reform Announcement

2011-05-11T09:05:00.002-04:00

UFCW International President Joe Hansen released the following statement yesterday in response to President Obama's immigration reform announcement:

“The UFCW supports President Obama’s effort today in El Paso, Texas, to make immigration reform—an important part of our country’s path to economic recovery—a priority. The United States has successfully established border security, which is an important part of solving our nation’s immigration challenge. But, it is only a piece. We have a moral and economic obligation to move forward on a path that brings the 11 million immigrant workers out of the shadows and into the full light of our democracy and our economy.

“President Obama’s speech today provided a platform for elected leaders from both parties to build an immigration system that secures our borders and strengthens our laws while honoring our country’s history as a nation of immigrants. The UFCW supports the president’s vision for commonsense, comprehensive immigration reform that is grounded on the principles of responsibility and accountability.

“As Americans, it is imperative that all members of our society have an opportunity to be a part of the American dream—including working for decent wages and benefits, owning a home and sending their children to college. The UFCW represents workers from all parts of the world working side by side together in our nation’s meatpacking, food processing, and poultry plants, as well as supermarkets and retail stores. We are proud of the diversity of our 1.3 million members, and we will continue to work with community partners and lawmakers to make immigration reform a reality.”

To learn more about the UFCW's work in support of comprehensive immigration reform, visit UFCWAction.org.

Retail Workers Need Safe Workplaces, Too

2011-05-05T16:27:00.000-04:00

Retail workers can be safer with a union voice on the job.

With Workers Memorial Day just behind us, I've been thinking lately about work safety. The most high profile on-the-job tragedies usually involve those working at jobs we all know are difficult and dangerous: miners, firefighters, police officers, truckers, commercial fishing workers, plant employees. But we often forget that retail jobs, too, can be difficult and dangerous—and that considering retail workers’ safety on the job is no laughing matter.

It’s safer now than it used to be, since murder is down across the nation—but working the overnight shift in retail is still a dangerous job. As a prime target for robbery, the clerk’s job puts him or her in the way of violence more often than many other workers. And retail workers in malls, shopping centers, fitness centers, and other places are at greater risk of being injured or killed by random violence. They can be the victims of spree attackers – or, as the recent murder at a yoga store in Bethesda, Maryland, shows, of their own co-workers. In 2007, 167 people were killed working retail, according to a study by the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration. And most retail workplace deaths occur as a result of homicide.

Of course, random violence is still extremely rare—but retail workers do encounter many on-the-job threats to their physical safety and well-being. Retail workers are often asked to stand in place for long periods of time, sometimes hours or more. This puts lots of stress on the legs, feet, back, and circulatory system, and over time, permanent injuries and disabling conditions can occur. Retail workers are often asked to set up displays, stock merchandise, and perform other tasks that often see them lifting heavy equipment, boxes, and display units without aid of a harness and without being shown the proper way to handle heavy lifting. They may be asked to climb up ladders in stockrooms or even operate machinery which they have not been trained on properly.

And injured workers don’t always receive the proper treatment or advice from management or HR. I worked at several retails jobs over the years, and at some of these places if you were hurt on the job, no one told you about workers’ compensation. It was always your fault that you got hurt, no matter than you’d been asked by your manager to lift a heavy display case over your head or carry a table by yourself. If the injury was very bad, you might be allowed to go home or to the hospital or doctor’s office—but frequently workers with head injuries or bleeding wounds would be told they needed to finish their shift before they could go home. The people I worked with (including me) had no idea what kind of safe environment we were entitled to at work, so we kept our mouths shut, put a bunch of band-aids on that bleeding gash, and went back to our counters and customers with a (somewhat strained) smile on our faces. At most of these places, the stores’ safety procedures were good, but managers often overlooked or ignored them, or created shortcuts that shouldn’t have been acceptable.

I’m sure that my store wasn’t the only place where such incidents occurred. I’ve heard horror stories from many non-union retail workers about injuries they received on the job and how they could have been prevented beforehand, or better managed afterwards. We need better awareness, too, of how repetitive stress injuries, back neck and foot injuries, and other injuries can develop over time with unsafe working conditions. These working conditions are often seen as silly or ignored (you can stand for six hours! You don’t need a stool.) because they aren’t life-threatening, but they take their toll on the body over time and can cause all kinds of problems later.

So as we remember workers who’ve lost their lives on the job, and consider how to make workplaces safer, let’s not forget to include retail workers in the conversation. From protecting workers from violence to the more mundane safety concerns that still have very serious impacts, retail workers deserve a safer, more comfortable work environment, too.

UFCW's Kathy Haywood Recognized by Leukemia & Lymphoma Society for Her Efforts

2011-04-28T16:34:00.001-04:00

UFCW congratulates Kathy Haywood on her recent recognition from the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society for her years of fund-raising efforts.

Kathy first become involved with the Society in 1988, through her work with UFCW Local Unions, District Councils and Region Offices. She was introduced to the Light the Night Walks in the year 2000 and nominated to be team captain for the UFCW Team. That first year, the UFCW team consisted of five people who raised $1,510. Kathy helped to more than double the participants and team total the second year, and in 2010 – the tenth year UFCW participated in the walk, the team reached their goal of $20,000.

UFCW applauds Kathy’s hard work and dedication to the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society.

Kochapolooza: Walker Admits He Lied

2011-04-14T14:39:00.003-04:00


UFCW members in Madison, WI with Scott Walker puppet.

With real issues - a jobs crisis and budget crisis - facing Americans, what have Republicans been doing? Today they staged a hearing with Governor Scott Walker and other anti-worker activists that was bought and paid for by the Koch brothers. More than half of the Republican House Oversight Committee members, including Chairman Issa, are recipients of Koch money, and the so-called expert witnesses? Three of the four have also received money from the Koch brothers. (Walker’s DC visit coincides with a damning new report that details how he and David Prosser “quietly worked to allow Koch’s many Georgia Pacific paper plants to pollute thousands of pounds of phosphorus in Wisconsin’s water.”)

However, Governor Scott Walker's misdeeds have been so profound that the Wisconsin Republican was STILL embarrassed at this not-so-impartial hearing. Reps. Dennis Kucinich and Gerry Connolly questioned Walker thoroughly, and finally got him to admit what the non-partisan PolitiFact had already examined and judged completely false – that he never campaigned on stripping collective bargaining rights. Walker and national Republicans have used that as a key talking point, but today Walker made explicit that he lied to voters by claiming he had signaled his agenda during the election.Walker also admitted that key provisions of his so-called Budget Repair Bill had nothing to do with repairing the budget.

But despite the Democrats' vigilance and Walker's admissions, Rep. Issa's “Kochapolooza” hearing wasn't about budgets, jobs, or corporate responsibility - that's for sure. It was about muzzling nurses, teachers, firefighters, and other public workers - the people who keep this country running - so that the Koch brothers and other CEOs and greedy Wall Street types can line their already overstuffed pockets with even more money. All this while many ordinary Americans are just barely getting by.

These Republican politicians should be focusing on creating jobs. That's what will get America moving again. That's what will fix our budget crises. But instead, Rep. Issa is using this hearing as nothing but an excuse to sell the cruel and misguided Ryan Budget plan - the plan that would balance our budget on the backs of the poor and middle class, senior citizens, students, and working families - while cutting taxes even more for the wealthiest Americans and for Big Business.

House Republicans need to get serious and work with the American people, not against us. But in light of this hearing and the recent threats to shut down the government, does it really seem likely that House Republicans will be abandoning their ideological crusades and political crusades to focus on job creation anytime soon? America's working families shouldn't hold their breath.

Activists Remember MLK in California By Standing with Organizing Workers at Fresh & Easy

2011-04-05T12:55:00.000-04:00

Across the country, union activists, UFCW members and supporters commemorated the 43rd anniversary of the death of Dr. Martin Luther King by rallying, praying and marching for workers’ rights. Across California, communities showed their solidarity by taking direct action in support of workers organizing at the Fresh & Easy chain of grocery stores.

Supporters gather at the Spring Valley Fresh & Easy in San Diego to show their support for organizing Fresh & Easy workers.

In events held at 25 locations across the state, union members, community leaders and activists stood together and told the British conglomerate Tesco that Dr. King died fighting for workers’ rights and to honor his memory they should allow their workers the freedom to organize.

“We stood together for a voice on the job, and Fresh & Easy said ‘No’,” said Carlos Juarez, an employee at the Fresh & Easy in Glassell Park, “and judges and the National Labor Relations Board have found that Fresh & Easy broke federal law in two states by illegally surveilling, threatening and interrogating workers like me who want to form a union.”

A young activist displays a sense of history as he stands in support of organizing Fresh & Easy workers in West Covina.

Local community leaders made it clear to Fresh & Easy that this behavior is unacceptable.

"Fresh & Easy management must remember that their size and financial power mean very little in the scheme of things," said Rabbi Jonathan Klein. "In our state, in our country, in our community, we respect the God-given right of workers to organize, and we stand with Fresh & Easy workers who want a real voice on the job."

Rev. King’s legacy loomed large over all the gatherings. Connie Leyva, President of the California Labor Federation attended the action in West Covina to lend her support.

Fresh & Easy worker Lisa Austin speaks about here experience organizing at Fresh & Easy at the event at the West Covina Fresh & Easy store while Connie Leyva, President of the California Labor Federation, looks on.

“When Dr. King passed away, he was standing up for striking workers in Memphis,” said Leyva. “We honor his memory today by standing with organizing workers at Fresh & Easy and saying our communities support and honor the right to organize.”

Activists distributed more than 15,000 stickers and flyers across California and spoke to thousands of community members and shoppers.

You can learn more about workers organizing at Fresh & Easy by visiting www.FixFreshandEasy.com or joining them on Facebook at www.facebook.com/FixFreshandEasy.

Video: Pittsburgh workers present a united front on April 4

2011-04-05T12:42:00.000-04:00

UFCW Local 23 members joined together yesterday with their working brothers and sisters from all across Pittsburgh and Western Pennsylvania to send a message: we stand as a united front against attacks on working Americans. Take a look at the video:

UFCW Local 227 President Gary Best: Safety conditions need to be part of collective bargaining

2011-04-05T12:00:00.000-04:00

Yesterday, the Courier-Journal, based in Louisville, KY, published a letter on worker safety and collective bargaining by UFCW Local 227 President Gary Best. The letter reflects on the importance of being able to bargain collectively not just over wages and benefits but also over safety and working conditions and is particularly timely in light of the 100th anniversary of the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire, the 43rd anniversary of the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. (who died defending collective bargaining), and the recent wave of attacks nationwide on worker rights and the middle class. It also speaks to recent safety scares at a JBS meatpacking plant and at Graphite Industries, both in the Louisville area:

"Politicians in Indiana, Wisconsin, Ohio and other states are ignoring the importance of non-economic items negotiated by workers, such as workplace conditions and safety. Last week, accidents at Graphite Industries and JBS shocked our community into the realization that members of our family, friends and neighbors may not return home from work on any given day."

Take a minute to read the full letter here.

International worker solidarity gives new meaning to "We Are One" this April 4

2011-04-04T15:48:00.000-04:00

Today and all week, at over 1,000 events across America, working families are standing as one to revive Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s dream for our country and stand up for the middle class. But as American workers come together in the face of unprecedented attacks on our rights, we must also recognize and support workers around the world who are also struggling for their rights and freedoms.

Babul Akhter, worker rights activist at Bangladesh Center for Worker Solidarity, joins DC's We Are One rally

Today, UFCW had the privilege of hearing from three workers representing different parts of Walmart’s supply chain. The workers (Cynthia Murray – current employee in a Laurel, MD, Walmart store; Robert Hines – former employee in Chicago-area warehouse that supplies Walmart stores; and Aleya Akter – Bangladeshi garment factory worker who sews clothes sold in U.S. Walmart stores) are preparing for their last stop on the Walmart Worker Truth Tour. Their shared experiences show just how interconnected workers across insutries, states, and oceans truly are in today's globalized world.

Accompanying Aleya as she shares her story with U.S. workers and consumers are Bangladeshi worker rights advocates Kalpona Akter and Babul Akhter, who have inspiring stories of their own. Kalpona and Babul are respected labor rights leaders from the Bangladesh Center for Worker Solidarity (BCWS) who, in August, were seized in a witch hunt against worker rights advocates and imprisoned on unfounded criminal charges filed by the Nassa Group, a major supplier Walmart. These peaceful labor leaders were targeted as “terrorists” and unjustly jailed and beaten for inciting worker unrest.

Even as they face potential life sentences, or even death, Kalpona and Babul took time out today to stand in solidarity with U.S. workers as we stand in defense of our rights, and of the dream Dr. King was fighting for the day he died. Just hours before the last event in the Walmart Worker Truth Tour, they joined the We Are One rally in Washington, D.C., lending international support and solidarity to workers across the U.S. who are bravely fighting for their rights.

DC working families rally against the Koch brothers and their anti-worker agenda on April 4

2011-04-04T14:50:00.002-04:00

Today in Washington, DC, hundreds of workers and allies came together for a rally outside Koch industries. Workers stood together in opposition to the Koch brothers' harmful anti-worker agenda. UFCW was proud to be there with our brothers and sisters as part of a nationwide day of solidarity.

UFCW President Joe Hansen joins the DC We Are One march and rally

Take a look at photos from the Washington, DC rally here, then visit UFCWaction.org to learn more about what you can do to join UFCW and the entire labor movement in fighting back against attacks on workers across the country. Now more than ever, it is clear: We Are One.

Today, We Stand with Wisconsin. We Stand with Workers Nationwide. We Stand Together as One.

2011-04-04T10:17:00.003-04:00

What’s happening in Wisconsin – the way workers have come together to fight back against Governor Walker’s unprecedented assault on working families – has been an inspiration for union members and allies nationwide, as we face anti-worker attacks in our own states. When we stand together, we can beat back assaults on workers and the middle class.

That’s why on April 4th, the UFCW will join the entire labor movement and our allies in standing up for workers’ rights. April 4th is the anniversary of Dr. Martin Luther King’s death, and we will stand for the same human rights and dignity for workers that Dr. King was fighting for in Memphis 43 years ago when he led the sanitation workers’ strike.

UFCW members will be participating in a range of actions, from rallying, to wearing stickers that say “Sticking together for Working Families,” to posting on Facebook. We will be featuring their actions and many other union members and supporters on our websites throughout the day – and here in Washington, we will be marching on the Koch Brothers’ headquarters and wearing red to show support for our brothers and sisters in Wisconsin. For more information on April 4th and what you can do, please click here.

I don’t know about you, but today I am proud to be an American. I am proud to be part of a movement to fight to save our middle class—and the American Dream. I am proud of union members and other workers and supporters with the strength and willingness to get involved at this crucial moment in history, and I believe that we can win the fight for working families everywhere.

UFCW Stands with South African Workers

2011-03-30T14:53:00.004-04:00

Walmart's plans to expand in South Africa have hit another setback after the South African government’s Competition Tribunal ordered a hearing on the proposed merger with Massmart be pushed back for almost two months.

Wal-Mart is currently in the final stages of acquiring a 51 per cent stake in Massmart, whose operations run in Namibia and 13 other African countries. But workers in South Africa are concerned about the impact Walmart will have on their communities and their jobs.

Members of the South African Commercial, Catering and Allied Workers Union (SACCAWU) and of its international ally UNI Global Union, of which the UFCW is a member, have been resisting the merger.

"Wal-Mart employs severe tactics to silence workers and keep them from having a voice on the job,” said UNI deputy general secretary Christy Hoffman. “It also uses its immense market share to make drastic cuts in its supply costs, often pitting local companies in a vicious race to the bottom to provide goods to Wal-Mart at the cheapest prices.”

“We don't want to see the 'Wal-Martisation' of South Africa like we have seen in the US, in Chile, in Argentina, in Mexico and in many other countries around the world,” affirmed head of UNI Commerce Alke Boessiger.

You can follow more news on the merger on the Walmart Watch blog, www.walmartwatch.org.

Video: Walmart worker Ernestine Bassett joins White House panel discussion on women organizing in their workplaces

2011-03-28T16:15:00.000-04:00

In case you didn't get to watch live, here's the video of today's panel discussion at the White House featuring Walmart worker Ernestine Bassett, and other women workers telling their stories of attempts to organize a union in their workplaces.

The event, headlined by Secretary of Labor Hilda Solis and Senior Advisor to the President Valerie Jarrett, was held to commemorate Women’s History Month and the 100th Anniversary of the Triangle Shirtwaist Fire. These women are an inspiration to us all, and as Valerie Jarrett noted, their efforts to organize their workplaces show their dedication to making their companies stronger.

Nearly 150 UFCW Members Converge in Columbus to Lobby OH Legislators on Issues Important to Working Families

2011-03-25T09:23:00.002-04:00

On Wednesday, nearly 150 UFCW members from all across Ohio joined together at the statehouse in Columbus to lobby their state legislators on issues affecting working families.

Members from UFCW locals 1059, 75, RWDSU, and the Chemical Workers Council visited nearly 60 State Representatives and around 30 State Senators, talking with lawmakers about SB 5, HB159, and HB61, all harmful pieces of legislation that attack Ohio working families. UFCW members also talked in depth with legislators about Governor Kasich's "no new jobs" budget, letting them know why Kasich's agenda is wrong for Ohio.

Later in the day, Local 75 was recognized on the Senate floor, and several representatives, including Representative Connie Pillich and Representative Mike Foley stopped by to join UFCW members during lunch and thank them for their hard work.

You can see pictures from UFCW's lobby day here:

UFCW Local 1428 Member's New Song For April 4th: "Fight On"

2011-03-18T16:52:00.000-04:00

Some of you may be familiar with Mr. Picketman, aka UFCW Local 1428 member Phil Meza, who writes and performs awesome hip hop tunes all about worker power. Well, he's just written another one--and it's his best yet, we think. It's all about what's happening to the middle class right now, with anti-worker politicians in charge, and how workers are fighting to beat back those attacks. It's really inspiring, so please give a listen. We guarantee you won't be able to get this tune out of your head--in the best way possible.

Listen to the song here.

Why We Fight: Video From the Front Lines of the Fight for the Middle Class

2011-03-15T13:30:00.002-04:00

In states across the country, politicians are attempting to roll back the steps forward workers have made in their fight for economic justice and the American Dream. Regardless of whether those politicians are motivated by favors to super-rich corporate donors or are out to exact political revenge, workers have to stick together to stop the attack on the middle class.

On April 4, 2011, we plan to join the rest of the labor movement and our allies in a mass mobilization to make a public and workplace show of support for union rights for all workers. Join us!

Tens of Thousands of Workers - Including Hundreds of UFCW Members - Rally at Indiana Statehouse for Workers' Rights

2011-03-10T18:36:00.000-05:00

Today tens of thousands and workers and labor supporters gathered outside the Indiana Statehouse to rally for workers' rights, and to protest against the anti-worker bills being introduced by Republicans in the state senate. Workers chanted, sang, danced, listened to speakers, and made one thing loud and clear: they're not going anywhere until Republicans back down from their anti-worker agenda. They also thanked the Illinois Democrats for staying out of the Statehouse and refusing to provide a quorum to vote on those anti-worker bills. The crowd at one point chanted "Thank you, Democrats," for a full minute and burst into wild applause and enthusiastic cheers.

Hundreds of UFCW members showed up in their UFCW gold to protest with their brothers and sisters, including members from Texas, Illinois, Kentucky, and of course from all over Indiana.

You can see pictures of the rally and UFCW members below and here, and video here.

A STATEMENT FROM UNITED FOOD AND COMMERCIAL WORKERS INTERNATIONAL UNION ON WISCONSIN GOP’S ATTACK ON WORKERS’ RIGHTS

2011-03-09T22:14:00.002-05:00

The United Food and Commercial Workers Union (UFCW) condemns the cowardly attack on Wisconsin’s public servants by Governor Scott Walker and Republican state senators.

Joe Hansen, UFCW International President, said, “Tonight’s late-night actions by Wisconsin’s Republican Senators will not stand. Working families and the broader community in Wisconsin and across the country have overwhelmingly stood up for the right to bargain collectively. Governor Walker’s true motives have been made clear that this was never about balancing the budget, but rather to exact political revenge on the hard working teachers, firefighters and public workers that make Wisconsin a great state.”

Hansen continued, “And for those politicians who seek to emulate Governor Walker, rest assured, these attacks on middle class families has unified and inspired an even stronger grassroots movement for change in this country.”

Tricia Hawkins, a UFCW Local 1473 member was inside the Wisconsin capitol building when the vote was taken. She said, “I work at Hormel Foods in Beloit and I have a good job because I have a seat at the bargaining table. I know collective bargaining works because our members work with management to reach the best agreement to make a stronger company and a good place to work.” She continued, “Working people understand that hard times call for shared sacrifices but Governor Walker proved tonight that his motivation was never about shared sacrifice. He is out for political revenge.”

UFCW members work in some of the nation’s largest supermarket chains and major food processing and meatpacking plants. UFCW members put food on America’s dinner table and with a voice at work and the right to bargain with their employer, they are able to bring middle class jobs to every neighborhood in America.

For more information, contact Jill Cashen, UFCW, jcashen@ufcw.org.

UFCW Members Join with Other Workers in Indiana & Rally Mardi-Gras-Style for the Middle Class

2011-03-09T10:17:00.001-05:00

UFCW Local 700 and Local 227 members, AFL-CIO members, Teamsters, AFT and NEA members, and many other union members and labor supporters came together at the Indiana Statehouse yesterday to rally for the middle class. Click here to see more photos from the event and from other recent Indiana rallies.

Activists held a fake "funeral" for the middle class, complete with coffin and New Orleans style jazz quartet. They marched around the Statehouse, dancing and singing and chanting, and lined up to testify about what the death of middle class jobs would mean to them. Students spoke about how they wouldn't have been able to go to college if their parents hadn't had good, middle-class jobs. Parents spoke about putting food on the table for their families, and taking their children to the doctor. Others simply spoke about their fears that their children's standard of living won't be as good or better than their parents.

After the "funeral," the middle-class was revealed to be very much alive and kicking. As one Indiana lawmaker said, "Reports of the death of the middle-class have been greatly exaggerated, and the crowd here today proves that." Workers and supporters marched out of the Statehouse to the rousing sounds of the jazz quartet, chanting about finding hope these last few day, about moving forward, and about keeping up the fight no matter what.

In Ohio, UFCW and RWDSU Join Public Employees to Rock the State of the State Address

2011-03-08T13:38:00.007-05:00

Today, Governor Kasich gave his first State of the State address in the Ohio Statehouse. Outside, workers came together to send a message to the Governor that his attacks on working families are not what Ohioans want and not what we need.

UFCW and RWDSU were out in force, standing with public employees in the fight against SB5, the harmful anti-worker legislation being pushed by Governor Kasich and Republican State Legislators. UFCW Local 1059 members and Kroger employees Judge Harris and Jason Taylor spoke at the rally, sharing their words of support with public employees and letting the Governor know that working families in Ohio won't stand for his attacks.

After the rally, UFCW Local 1059 members used the rest of their day off to knock on doors in State Representative Anne Gonzales's district, talking to fellow Ohioans about SB5 and the damage it would do to the state's working families, and urging them to call Representative Gonzales to voice their opposition to the bill.

If you're in Ohio, you can help by calling your state representative right now at (888)218-5931 and sending an email to voice your opposition to SB5.

Indiana Workers Speak out on Right to Work Bills to State Legislators

2011-03-04T14:20:00.002-05:00

Clerks and meatcutters from neighborhood supermarkets, and food workers from local processing plants across Indiana raised their voices in unified opposition to so-called right-to-work legislation today. Workers offered their testimony in the statehouse rotunda after being denied an opportunity to testify at previous formal hearings on the legislation.

“We were shut out of the hearing, but we are here to speak out for all Hoosier working families,” said Dan Nicholson of Bedford, a grocery store meatcutter.

Nicholson relayed words of support from grocery store workers in current right to work states, and told the story of a Hoosier worker who had moved to a right to work state.

A co-worker left Indianapolis for Virginia. She worked for the same company, in the same position and had the same union, and what did she get? Less! Less pay. Less benefits. Why? She said it’s called right-to-work. We don’t need less in Indiana. We don’t need right to work.

Carlee Minnett, a 20 year old produce clerk from Bloomington called for more jobs with decent pay and benefits. She asked, “What future do we have as young workers if the only jobs we can look forward to in Indiana come with low pay and no benefits? My union job is giving me a chance to get an education for my future. Weakening our unions will take away our future.”

Stephanie White, a produce manager from Crawfordsville, summarized the view from the neighborhood store. “Right-to-work won’t bring customers into the store,” she said. “Good paychecks create good business and when workers make more, a business has more customers.”

UFCW and Major Worker Organizations Urge Supreme Court to Uphold Civil Rights and Workers’ Laws in Amicus Brief Filed Today

2011-03-01T10:47:00.001-05:00

The United Food and Commercial Workers International Union (UFCW), AFL-CIO, and Change to Win have filed a joint amicus brief to the U.S. Supreme Court supporting the plaintiffs in the Dukes v. Wal-Mart Stores, Inc., sex discrimination case.

You can read the full brief here, and below is a joint statement on the brief:

“For more than 45 years, American workers have sought protection from the courts for equal treatment in the workplace. Workers have joined together to remedy widespread discriminatory workplace practices through class action proceedings and by applying the nation’s civil rights standards to their workplaces. Today, Walmart is attempting to undo that standard by claiming its female associates have no right to appeal for justice as a class.

In our amicus brief to the U.S. Supreme Court, we ask the court to uphold the fundamental pillar of the Civil Rights Act and to ensure that the class action process remains open to workers in all industries.

Walmart is not too big for justice. No employer should be beyond justice for its workers. Workers must have a voice in the legal process. The cost to Walmart if it loses the suit would be a fair recompensation for billions of dollars in lost wages and benefits owed to female employees who have lost opportunities as a result of Walmart’s discriminatory actions.

With more than 1.4 million associates nationwide, Walmart has single-handedly transformed the American economy by setting workplace standards by which all other retailers and employers are forced to compete. Because Walmart’s employment practices are so influential, its female associates must be allowed to have their day in court. We congratulate the brave women who initiated this complaint and who seek to create a Walmart workplace that treats all associates equally.”

Be sure to check out the full brief. And for more information on the Dukes v. Walmart Stores case, visit www.walmartclass.com.

UFCW Members Around the Country Rally in Solidarity with Wisconsin Workers

2011-02-28T09:18:00.003-05:00

This weekend, in statehouses and major cities in every state, 50,000 people came together to rally in solidarity with Wisconsin workers who have been standing strong against Gov. Scott Walker's attacks on the middle class. Another 40,000 followed along online.

From Washington state to New Jersey to Washington, DC, and in countless towns in between, UFCW members came out to send a message to Wisconsin: we are Wisconsin.

Check out these photos from the events:

And to see more photos from Wisconsin, Indiana, and Ohio, where UFCW members are on the front lines fighting to protect the middle class and working families, visit the UFCW's Flickr page: http://www.flickr.com/photos/ufcwinternational/

UFCW Members Launch Workplace Sticker Action in Support of Worker Rights in Indiana and Ohio

2011-02-25T15:34:00.003-05:00

Grocery workers and UFCW members across Indiana and Ohio, yesterday, began wearing stickers to work, with messages of solidarity in support of their union brothers and sisters fighting for workers’ right in the public sector. The UFCW is the largest private sector union in those states and the first to take the fight for workers’ rights inside the workplace.

The union members and grocery workers are wearing the stickers because they understand that all workers nationwide are under attack right now by Wall Street and the politicians they have in their pocket—most of all workers in unions. They know that unions are defenders of good jobs, and that where unions are strong they bring wages and working standards up for everyone. And they want their customers and the public to know that, too.

UFCW members know that most Americans are tired of the political rhetoric, and the media’s attempt to create false conflict by pitting private sector worker against public sector worker.

"My customers know we're union and they support us. By wearing these stickers we're standing up as a community against these attacks on working families,” said Carrie Frye, 20-year food service manager and UFCW Local 700 member at the Kroger in Speedway, Indiana.

To learn more about the UFCW’s efforts fighting for workers in Indiana, Ohio, and states across the country including Wisconsin, and how you can help, go to www.voteufcw.org.

UFCW Members - and a former Green Bay Packer - Lobby for Wisconsin's Workers

2011-02-24T15:12:00.000-05:00

Yesterday nearly a hundred UFCW members from Local 538 and Local 1473 came from all over the state and converged on the Capitol to lobby for public workers. They had a little celebrity help from longtime UFCW friend (and friend to all workers) and former Green Bay Packer Gilbert Brown lobby with us yesterday.

Brown talked about about how his father was a union man. His message for workers on lobby day? "Stay strong and stick to your guns." His birthday was the day before yesterday, and yet he drove through the night in order to be there for Wisconsin's workers. So, UFCW members got him a birthday cake. It was the least we could do to thank him for his continued support of working families.

UFCW members who showed up to lobby said it was important to them to stand up for their brothers and sisters in the public sector. “I am proud to stand with Wisconsin public workers to protect their right to collective bargaining," said Gonzalo Romin, Klement's workers and UFCW Local 1473 member. "I will also stand with my fellow UFCW members because this fight may become our fight if we don’t stop Governor Walker now.”

And his fellow UFCW member, Gregory Peters, Tyson Food worker and UFCW Local 538 member, was in agreement.“The attacks on the Wisconsin workers are just the first step on the war on labor," he said. "We must unite to stop it now!”

UFCW Members are Standing Up for Good Jobs in Ohio

2011-02-24T13:32:00.002-05:00

Here in Columbus, OH, UFCW members have been standing strong in opposition to SB5, a harmful anti-worker bill being pushed by Governor Kasich and Republicans in the State Legislature. SB5 seeks to strip public employees in Ohio of their collective bargaining rights. The Governor claims this measure is about balancing Ohio's budget, but we know this is just more of the same old partisan politics that has done nothing to bring good jobs to Ohio or solve the problems facing working families in the state. And we know that when public employees and their rights are under attack, we are all under attack.

UFCW members oppose SB5 because it

Does nothing to address our jobs crisis, and is just more of the same politics that distracts us from fixing our economy;
Would take away the bargaining rights of hard-working firefighters, teachers, nurses and all public service workers who make our communities strong; and
Is bad for taxpayers, since it puts essential services at risk of reductions in quality—and takes away the means for taxpayer accountability and transparency.

That's why over a hundred UFCW members from all across Ohio and neighboring states joined more than 5,000 workers and allies at the Statehouse on Tuesday to mobilize and show opposition to SB5. Republican legislators tried to lock the workers out of the Statehouse, but eventually the workers prevailed and flooded the atrium and rotunda as the hearing on the bill took place.

On Wednesday, UFCW also joined public employees, union members, elected officials, faith and community leaders, and Reverend Jesse L. Jackson at a rally for all workers, our communities, and our schools. Reverend Jackson and the other speakers gave truly inspirational remarks and energized Columbus workers to continue their fight to protect their rights.

In addition to calling and writing their state representatives and senators, UFCW members across Ohio are also sticking together with public employees by wearing stickers in their workplaces that tell customers to "Stand up for Ohio."

We'll keep on fighting this fight until we win it - in Ohio, and in states around the country where working families are under attack.

How Rich are the Superrich? Or, Why Many Politicians Don't Care About Dwindling Worker Rights and Growing Income Inequality

2011-02-23T10:42:00.001-05:00

Mother Jones has an excellent article up on growing income inequality in this country--with great infographics on who has all the money (hint: just a few of us) and who doesn't (hint: most of us.) As the authors point out:

A huge share of the nation's economic growth over the past 30 years has gone to the top one-hundredth of one percent, who now make an average of $27 million per household. The average income for the bottom 90 percent of us? $31,244.

Below are just some of the clear-cut, startling charts from the article. They make the facts very clear: income inequality in this country continues to grow as corporations make more and are taxed less, even as most Americans say it's unfair. And we're almost powerless to do anything about it as our disproportionately wealthy members of Congress vote for the moneyed interests against the little guy, again and again.

One of our only lines of defense left--one of the only institutions still fighting for the dwindling middle class--is labor, and that's why labor is under intense attack right now. The Wall Street types and CEOs like the Koch brothers are behind anti-union attacks like Scott Walker's, and they want nothing more than to crush unions for good so they can see a clear path to a total plutocracy in America. It's why in Wisconsin, Indiana, Ohio, Maine, Michigan, Pennsylvania, Washington, Rhode Island, Minnesota--all over the country, workers are rising up and saying, no more.

When you take a look at these charts, you'll say, no more, too. Then head over and read the rest of the article. Finally, once you've boiled over, head over to VoteUFCW and find a solidarity rally in your neck of the woods. There isn't one? Start organizing your own. Let's show our millionaire politicians and CEOs what we think of growing income inequality and their attack on the American way of life.

Roundup: Fighting back against attacks on workers and the middle class in Wisconsin, Ohio, and Indiana

2011-02-18T09:32:00.010-05:00

The middle class is under attack in statehouses across the country, but this week we saw working families rise up in Wisconsin and Ohio to fight back against harmful anti-worker legislation. The fight is spreading quickly, including to Indiana, where the state legislature has scheduled hearings on more harmful legislation for next week. Here's a roundup of what's been going on:

Wisconsin:

UFCW members were among some 30,000 Cheeseheads to protest Governor Scott Walker's anti-worker agenda for four straight days in Madison this week

Video: tens of thousands of people have been rallying at the Capitol every day since Tuesday to protest Governor Scott Walker's anti-worker Budget Repair Bill and his threats to call out the National Guard on public employees.
Now the word is out, via a report by TPM, that the Governor himself ginned up this budget shortfall specifically in order to undercut worker rights.
Yesterday, Democratic State Senators fled the state in order to prevent a vote on the bill. Without a quorum, the Senate cannot move forward on the bill, and Dems have vowed to stay MIA until their Republican colleagues drop their assault on workers' rights. In the words of State Senator Mark Miller, "Our job, and the role of the legislature, is to expand rights, not deny them.”
The protests have been gaining media national attention, including live broadcasts taking place on the ground from MSNBC and other networks.
The White House and the DNC are now dispatching help to Wisconsin, and AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka was on hand for a noon rally today.
Police are exempt from the Governor's bill to strip public employees of their bargaining rights, but they're joining in the protests in solidarity anyway!
Even if you can't make it to Madison, you can show your support via solidarity actions taking place across the country, including a twitter petition, a virtual vigil, a Progressive Change Campaign Committee petition, a Cheesehead solidarity rally in New York, and a rally this coming Tuesday at 4PM at the Minnesota state capitol. If you know of more solidarity actions taking place today, let us know in the comments!
The protests are trending on Twitter, so be sure to use the hashtags #WIunion #NotMyWI and #StateSOS (this one's for all state fights to protect workers) as you tweet your support.
You can stay up to date on everything going on in Madison by liking the "Protect Wisconsin Families" page on Facebook.

Ohio

On Wednesday and Thursday, crowds of nearly 5,000 workers and supporters, including former Ohio Governor Ted Strickland, flooded the Ohio statehouse in opposition to Governor Kashich's and SB5, a harmful anti-worker bill currently being considered by the Ohio state legislature.
Yesterday, four UFCW members testified in opposition to SB5 in front of the Senate Insurance, Commerce and Labor Committee.
For more in depth testimony from a real expert, check out the testimony submitted by former Hamilton County Commission President David Pepper.
You can show your solidarity with Ohio working families by signing this Twitter petition, liking the "Stand Up for Ohio" Facebook page, and tweeting messages of support using the #StandUpOH and #StateSOS hashtags.
Stay tuned for more news on Ohio, as hearings on SB5 are scheduled to resume next week

Up Next: Indiana

A hearing on HB 1468, Indiana's very own anti-worker bill, is scheduled for this coming Monday at 9 a.m. in the Indiana House Employment, Labor and Pensions Committee (Statehouse room 156).
Hoosier workers and allies will be gathering at the statehouse in Indianapolis Monday morning to voice their opposition to the bill. If you're planning to join in the demonstrations, plan to arrive by 8:30 to allow time for parking and security.
Protests will continue Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday beginning at 10 a.m. each day.
Right Now: Hoosiers can call their representatives at 1-800-382-9842 and email them to tell them to vote NO on HB 1468.