Local 23 Member Found Not Guilty, Free Speech Rights Vindicated

Deb, with supporters at a rally for her.

Debbie Wieloch, a Local 23 member who has been a Giant Eagle employee for 36 years, was cleared of all charges last week.

Wieloch was arrested in September for talking to her coworkers while they were on break at the Waterfront Giant Eagle, about trying to bring workers from the non-union stores owned by Giant Eagle into UFCW, so they could enjoy the same opportunities and benefits as their union brothers and sisters. The manager called the police on her and had her arrested for trespassing

and put in jail.

"I feel vindicated," Debbie Wieloch said after being cleared of all charges Tuesday:

It tells me Giant Eagle knew they were wrong and did that to silence me, and they had no right to do that.

District Judge Thomas Torkowsky found Wieloch not guilty at her preliminary hearing on last week. Before the hearing started, Wieloch said:

I do believe that I have the right to discuss union matters with union employees on my own time, as long as I am not pulling them off of their job. I was very careful not to do that. Everyone I spoke to was on a break or lunch...I have a right to discuss our contract. I'm very knowledgeable about it. I helped write it. So I have every right to go to the stores and talk to people about it, and Giant Eagle walked all over my rights.

Wieloch reached out to her fellow workers in the Waterfront store's cafe area -- a public area -- and not in the store aisles.

United Food and Commercial Workers Local 23 filed charges of unfair labor practices with the National Labor Relations Board after the incident at the Waterfront Giant Eagle.

Workers and Supporters March On Giant Eagle Headquarters

Giant Eagle workers and supporters, with UFCW Local 23, marched on Giant Eagle's company headquarters, asking the company to respect their rights. Just to send a clear message, various members of the march dressed up as our Founding Fathers, with a Bill of Rights for Giant Eagle workers they asked the company to acknowledge.

Giant Eagle, unfortunately, once again tried to silence workers by refusing to let them near the building or listen to their request for respect. But Giant Eagle workers will not be silenced! These pictures speak louder than words; Giant Eagle workers want the respect their deserve for their hard work to make their company successful.

BREAKING: Giant Eagle Worker Arrested for Talking to Other Workers on Her Own Time

This is just outrageous. Why does Giant Eagle seem to want to take away their own employees' right to free speech? Watch the video below and comment to send your support to this worker (and UFCW member) and other Giant Eagle workers who now feel threatened by the company they work for.

UFCW Local 23 Members Make a Music Video

Seriously, this is awesome. Check out the video Local 23 members made to show their pride in their work at Giant Eagle grocery stores.

Great video from UFCW Local 23!

Giant Eagle Workers Rally for Good Jobs! (w/video)

Last week, Giant Eagle workers in Pittsburgh showed the company they deserve to share the success with the company, asking for good health care benefits and better wages as they go into contract negotiations. Workers and supporters rallied by the hundreds, singing and chanting and watching video and making speeches and just generally having a great time with their UFCW brothers and sisters, feeling the solidarity.

But we don't want to describe the rally--that's just no good. Let us show you what we mean.

UFCW Local 23 members rallied on Tuesday for good jobs in their community. This rally was all about showing solidarity and pride in being a member of their union--the UFCW.