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News and Updates
September 25, 2017
Post-Hurricane Safety Tips Are Available for Members
Our union family is dedicated to helping the thousands of hard-working UFCW members stay safe as they return to homes and property damaged by the recent hurricanes. Here are some tips for dealing with safety hazards, such as contaminated floodwater and mold, after the storm is over:
Contaminated Floodwaters
Catastrophic flooding can introduce sewage from external sources into indoor environments. This sewage can pose serious health threats to building occupants and to cleanup and restoration workers. In any flood cleanup, assume that pathogens are present. Keep the following in mind to prevent further harm.
When you are directly exposed to floodwater…
- Avoid direct skin contact with floodwaters to minimize the chance for infection. Be especially careful of the face and eyes.
- Protect all cuts, scrapes, and sores.
- Immediately wash and disinfect any wound that comes in contact with sewage.
- If skin contact with floodwaters does occur, use soap and water to clean exposed areas. Waterless alcohol-based hand rubs can be used when soap or clean water is not available.
- Hands should be washed after removal of gloves. Gloves that will be reused should be cleaned with soap and water and dried between uses.
Discard the following…
- Food
- Cosmetics
- Medicines and medical supplies
- Stuffed animals and toys
- Mattresses and pillows
- Upholstered furniture
- Large carpets and carpet padding
- Cardboard
- Impacted sheet rock, ceiling tiles, and similar porous materials
When disinfecting other items…
- Make a household bleach solution by combining 1/4 to 1/2 cup of chlorine bleach to one gallon of water.
- Bleach should never be used in concentrated form because it can cause severe skin and respiratory harm.
- Never use bleach with any product that contains ammonia. Sheetrock, carpets, and other building materials and furnishings that have been damaged by water are likely to now be contaminated with mold. Breathing in or touching mold can cause health problems. Killing mold (for example, with bleach) does not get rid of all the health hazards.
Mold
Sheetrock, carpets, and other building materials and furnishings that have been damaged by water are likely to now be contaminated with mold. Breathing in or touching mold can cause health problems. Killing mold (for example, with bleach) does not get rid of all the health hazards.
When cleaning up your home…
- Always assume that water-damaged buildings, materials, and furnishings are contaminated with mold.
- Non-porous materials (metals, glass, hard plastics, etc.) can usually be cleaned.
- Semi-porous and porous structural materials, such as wood and concrete, can be cleaned if they are structurally sound.
- Porous materials, such as ceiling tiles and insulation, and wallboards (with more than a small area of mold growth) should be removed and discarded.
- Disinfectants are usually not needed because physical removal of fungal growth is the most effective way to prevent exposure. Clean with a soap or detergent solution.
While it is your employer’s responsibility to ensure your workplace is safe, being aware of and knowing how to recognize dangerous conditions can help you stay protected at home, as well.
As always, if there is anything we can do to help answer your questions about rebuilding and recovery, or if you’d like to know how you can help, don’t hesitate to let us know at 202-466-1502 or ftapia@ufcw.org.
Sources: NYCOSH
September 25, 2017
UFCW Launches Labor Against Cancer Initiative
The UFCW, in partnership with the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS), has launched a new “Labor Against Cancer” initiative in the battle to end blood cancers.
This new initiative builds on our 30-year partnership with LLS to fund and support some of the world’s best and brightest blood cancer researchers to cure leukemia, lymphoma, Hodgkin’s disease and myeloma, and improve the quality of life for patients and their families. Our decades-long partnership with LLS has raised $83 million so far to help fund research that has advanced treatments such as chemotherapy, stem cell transplantation, and smart drugs, which have become the standard for many other cancers.
There are many opportunities to participate in Labor Against Cancer, starting with our first annual member drive. It is simple to donate, and we have worked with LLS to provide some exciting incentives to help promote LLS awareness and member participation, including the opportunity to win Fitbits and Apple Watches.
Everyone knows someone who has dealt with this disease or heard the words “you have cancer,” themselves. Together, we can show our brothers and sisters who are struggling with blood cancers that they are not alone and can have hope for the future. Visit the Labor Against Cancer website here to donate to this worthy cause.
September 25, 2017
Safeway Pharmacy Technicians in Colorado and Wyoming Join Local 7
Safeway pharmacy technicians in Brighton, Colorado, and Douglas, Wyoming, recently voted to join UFCW Local 7. The elections were held on Sept. 8 in Colorado and August 30 in Wyoming.
Safeway pharmacy technicians in both states were concerned about wage increases, and wanted better health care benefits. The workers in Wyoming were also concerned about being accredited for prior experience. Workers in both states wanted to join the rest of their coworkers for a voice on the job, and with this election, both stores are now wall to wall union.
September 25, 2017
RWDSU/UFCW Local 1102 Saks Contract Has National Impact
On Sept. 14, about 100 members of RWDSU/UFCW Local 1102 who work in the women’s shoe department at Saks Fifth Avenue’s iconic flagship store in New York City ratified a new contract that will reverberate nationwide. The hard-fought contract repelled the company’s outrageous demands to eliminate employee commissions when a customer paid with an “earned gift card” or “Saks First” loyalty points – a change which would have slashed employee pay by up to 10 percent. This hard-fought victory is not only a win for members of RWDSU/UFCW Local 1102, but is also a triumph for hard-working Saks employees in stores across the country, as the company has indicated that because of RWDSU/UFCW Local 1102’s arguments against these arbitrary programs, it will halt a previously planned nationwide implementation.
Under the new agreement, the company will retain the present commission structure by preserving the union employees’ 10 percent commission on sales of women’s shoes. Further, the union negotiated the right to have employees’ sales goals adjusted to account for their use of vacation and other paid time off. Finally, RWDSU/UFCW Local 1102 negotiated a contract ratification bonus for Saks’ unionized workforce.
“I am taken aback by the company’s response to our concerns about changes to the commission system and their interest in not just retaining the system in New York but for my friends and colleagues at other stores,” said Gil McGarvey, a Saks sales representative and Local 1102 shop steward and executive board member. “In all my years at Saks, never have I felt more heard by the company – and the union is the reason we were heard.”
“I am exceptionally proud of, and humbled by, the hard work and selfless dedication of our nine member negotiations team,” said Alvin Ramnarain, president of RWDSU/UFCW Local 1102. “This contract is a huge win for both our members, and also for workers across the country who would have received drastic pay cuts. Saks, after speaking with its corporate partners, agreed to back off its demands, and actually informed us that because of the arguments presented at the bargaining table, they would quash this program nationwide. We are grateful that Saks understood that when they invest in their people and let them sell, their business will thrive. This is clearly a case where the union difference will have a positive effect on Saks’ profits, and that’s a win for our members and the company. What is clear today is that when workers stand together, we can win.”
September 19, 2017
MCAW Hosts Event at University of Notre Dame to Highlight Trump-Walmart Agenda
On Sept. 18, Making Change at Walmart (MCAW) hosted a day of campus outreach at the University of Notre Dame in Notre Dame, Ind., as part of the “2017 Trump and Walmart Make America Worse” tour. The Notre Dame event was organized in partnership with Students for Worker Justice, Notre Dame College Democrats, and Human Rights Notre Dame, and featured educational activities and ways students can stand up for a better America against the Trump and Walmart agenda.
MCAW’s “2017 Trump and Walmart Make America Worse” tour includes stops at over 25 college campuses throughout September to expose the shared agenda of Trump and Walmart, which promotes the privatization of our public education, profits from a low-wage, debt economy, and divides our country.
September 19, 2017
Local 400 Shoppers Food & Pharmacy Workers Ratify New Contract
After weeks of negotiations, UFCW Local 400 members who work at Shoppers Food & Pharmacy stores in Maryland and Virginia unanimously ratified a new contract on September 11. The three-year covers 2,500 workers and takes effect retroactively as of July 9, 2017, and expires on July 11, 2020.
The new contract increases starting pay, greatly improves wage scales, and provides for the same health insurance coverage and pension benefits without any additional employee contributions. The contract keeps successorship language, so members will remain employed and covered by their contract if Shoppers or any individual stores are sold. The contract also keeps seniority policies consistent with past practice, contrary to the company’s original demands.
“These talks were very difficult, but our members hung together and made this strong agreement possible,” said UFCW Local 400 President Mark P. Federici. “We came into this with specific goals. One was to change the hours progression to a monthly progression on the wage scale to get people raises faster than before. Another was to avoid any increase in members’ out-of-pocket health care costs, in contrast to what’s happening with most other employers. A third was to ensure proper pension funding. A fourth was to have a strong successorship agreement so our members will keep their jobs and contract if Shoppers is sold. And a fifth was to maintain seniority. Thanks to member activism, we achieved each of these goals.”
“The bargaining started on June 13th and ended August 24th, and there were a lot of blood and guts out there,” said Mike Rickord, a shop steward who works at Shoppers #2674 in Dumfries, Va., and served on the Contract Action Team. “We heard time and again the wishes of the members to keep everything we have, and we kept each and every one of our benefits, while increasing others. I can testify in front of God and country that this is an excellent contract for the next three years.”
“This was a long and drawn out fight with [Shoppers parent company] Supervalu,” said Diane Nokes, a Contract Action Committee member and shop steward at Shoppers #2625 in Manassas, Va. “I cannot tell you how many times they walked away from the table. We did our very best, worked long and hard, and got a good contract.”
“This is an excellent agreement,” said Debra Coleman, a Contract Action Team member and shop steward at Shoppers #2632 in Forestville, Md. “We worked hard from sunup to sundown, went to sleep and got up early to do it again. We are the union. Member participation was the key to everything.”
September 18, 2017
Local 1000 Kroger Workers Ratify New Contract
On August 25, 9,500 members of UFCW Local 1000 who work at Kroger stores in the Dallas-Fort Worth area ratified a new contract by an overwhelming margin. The UFCW Local 1000 members work as grocery clerks and in the front end of the store, as well as in the bakery, produce, and deli departments.
The three-year agreement includes substantial wage increases over 36 months. The contract protects health insurance benefits for employees, spouses, and children, as well as fuel clerks, and retirement benefits. The contract also improves language pertaining to grievances, progressive discipline, overnight premium, educational leave, personal holidays, transfers, minimum hours, shop stewards, discrimination, and new hire orientations.
September 18, 2017
Albertsons Customer Service Workers Join Local 368-A
On September 8, customer service workers at Albertsons store #126 in Emmett, Idaho, voted to join UFCW Local 368-A. The election was won by the workers by a 2 to 1 margin, and they join their coworkers in the rest of the store who already enjoy the benefits of a union contract with UFCW Local 368-A.
The workers decided to join UFCW Local 368-A so that they could have the ability to negotiate better wages and benefits, especially when it comes to health care. Now, these workers have a voice in the workplace, and will be able to sit down with company management and negotiate the better wages and benefits they have earned and deserve.
September 11, 2017
Help Members Impacted by Hurricane Harvey
We need your help raising funds for UFCW Local 455’s Membership Assistance Fund to provide vital financial assistance to over 15,000 UFCW members who have been impacted by Hurricane Harvey. These hard-working men and women are in urgent need of temporary shelter, clothes, fresh food, and other daily essentials, and UFCW Local 455’s Membership Assistance Fund will help them during this critical time.
The UFCW Communications Department has a breakroom poster, graphics, sample social media posts, and a sample email you can use to help raise funds for this important cause. If you are interested in obtaining these materials, contact Erin Ward at eward@ufcw.org. If you are interested in Hustling your members about Hurricane Harvey relief, contact Amber Sparks at asparks@ufcw.org for access to an updated list of your members and sample scripts.
You can donate to UFCW Local 455’s Membership Assistance Fund by filling out the donation form here.
If you are a UFCW member affected by Hurricane Harvey and need assistance, please click here.
You can read a heartfelt message from UFCW Local 455 President Bill Hopkins here.
September 11, 2017
UFCW Women’s Network Holds Lobby Day in Washington, D.C.
On September 7, 15 members of the UFCW Women’s Network from 11 different states visited with members of Congress to discuss issues that impact hard-working families. One member flew in from as far as California, and Valencia, a member from Florida, made the trip despite the chaos created by Hurricane Irma.
Women make up nearly half of the workforce, and many families need two incomes to make ends meet. With the responsibilities of taking care of kids or helping sick family members, having all the support women can get is critical to helping them and their families build the better lives they’ve earned and deserve.
The Women’s Network discussed the FAMILY Act, The Schedules That Work Act, and the importance of affordable health care with members of Congress.
The FAMILY Act would provide paid family leave to all Americans, and will make sure that hard-working people are able to take care of themselves and their loved ones no matter where they live, what job they have, or who they work for.
The Schedules That Work Act provides retail, food service, and cleaning workers with two weeks advanced notice of their schedules and guarantees minimum pay when they’re sent home from work before completing their entire shift.
It’s essential for women to have affordable health care options. High health care costs are an especially large burden for low-income women who regularly need health services, but who struggle to pay premiums and out-of-pocket costs. Making sure that all women have access to quality, affordable care will strengthen millions of American families.
Having women’s voices at the table is critical to building a better workforce that works for all.
Valencia, from UFCW Local 1625 in Florida, explained the power of showing up to speak face-to-face with members of Congress. “I’m a mother of three, and I understand that twelve weeks of unpaid leave is unreasonable for a single-income household,” she said. “That’s why I’m here to talk to my Congress member. It’s important to speak out about these issues and for them to hear directly from us.”