December 12, 2013

UFCW Applauds Introduction of Federal Paid Leave Legislation

WASHINGTON, D.C. — The United Food and Commercial Workers International Union (UFCW) today released the following statement in response to introduction of the FAMILY Act, a bill to create a national paid family and medical leave insurance program.

“A worker who gets sick, gives birth, or has to care for a loved one should not be forced to lose their income for an extended period of time. These are real life events that nearly every family will experience, so it makes perfect sense to provide workers with a safety net. The United States is the only developed country that does not guarantee paid sick leave for workers. Fewer than 40 percent have employer-provided paid leave they can use for their own medical needs, and just 12 percent have it to care for a family member. We must do better. This common sense legislation is modeled after two successful programs in California and New Jersey and will help ensure no one goes broke just because they get sick or need time off. We urge Congress to pass the FAMILY Act as soon as possible.”

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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.