November 2, 2012

STATEMENT FROM JOSEPH T. HANSEN, INTERNATIONAL PRESIDENT, UNITED FOOD & COMMERCIAL WORKERS UNION ANNOUNCING UNION-WIDE RELIEF FUND FOR HURRICANE SANDY VICTIMS

Nation’s largest retail workers’ union providing funds and support for members impacted by the catastrophic storm

Washington, D.C. – The following is a statement issued by United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW) International Union President Joseph Hansen:

“Inspired by President Obama’s declaration that we will get through this together, the United Food and Commercial Workers International Union has established a Hurricane Sandy Disaster Relief Fund to provide vital financial support for the nearly 200,000 UFCW members living in New York, New Jersey, Connecticut and surrounding areas.

“Hurricane Sandy’s impact on our members was catastrophic.  Homes were destroyed or severely damaged by flood waters.  Many have not had power to their homes or businesses since Monday and it may be many more days before electricity is restored.  The UFCW is deeply concerned for the physical safety and well-being of our members in New York and New Jersey.

“Apart from the physical stress of keeping their homes and families safe, workers in the region’s grocery stores, retail stores, food processing facilities and other private industry are suffering from the loss of income from missed hourly wages as their stores and worksites are unable to open for business.  I am calling on UFCW local unions across the U.S. and Canada to open their hearts and checkbooks and donate to the UFCW Hurricane Sandy Disaster Relief Fund.”

Contributions can be mailed to:

UFCW Hurricane Sandy Disaster Relief Fund
c/o UFCW International Union
1775 K Street, NW
Washington, D.C. 20006

OR

Donate here.

For further updates, please visit www.ufcw.org

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The United Food and Commercial Workers International Union (UFCW) represents more than 1.3 million workers, primarily in the retail and meatpacking, food processing and poultry industries. The UFCW protects the rights of workers and strengthens America’s middle class 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. For more information about the UFCW’s effort to protect workers’ rights and strengthen America’s middle class, visit www.ufcw.org, or join our online community at www.facebook.com/UFCWinternational and www.twitter.com/ufcw.