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News and Updates
August 30, 2016
Workers Can Save Themselves from Wealth Inequality
Report by EPI shows that decline in union membership costs nonunion workers $133 billion annually in lost wages
Washington, D.C. – Today, the United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW) International Union, the largest private sector union in the United States, released the following statement regarding a new report from the Economic Policy Institute (EPI), titled “Union Decline Lowers Wages of Nonunion Workers.”
“This report confirms that union membership is the one clear path to a better life,” said UFCW International President Marc Perrone. “Now more than ever, those of us in labor must discuss openly the incredible benefits that unions bring to all workers. The UFCW union family is committed to proving that we can bring better jobs and futures to every hard-working community.”
The benefits of a union contract go beyond just wages. A union contract is often the only way women can earn equal pay for equal work, and, in some states, it is the only line of defense for workers facing workplace discrimination.
Key findings from the latest EPI report:
- One of the main reasons why hard-working Americans are struggling with stagnant wages and inequality is because private sector union membership fell from 34 percent in 1979 to just 10 percent in 2013.
- If union density in 2013 was as high as it was in 1979, nonunion private sector men would have earned an extra $52 each week.
- The declining rate of union density is costing nonunion private sector workers $133 billion annually in lost wages, which is greater than the economic hit U.S. workers take when we enter into unfair trade agreements with low-wage nations.
A recent report by Oxfam America titled No Relief: Denial of Bathroom Breaks in the Poultry Industry, documented the union difference when it comes to workplace rights and safety after finding that nonunion workers wore diapers when denied bathroom breaks by irresponsible employers.
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UFCW is the largest private sector union in the United States, representing 1.3 million professionals and their families in grocery stores, meatpacking, food processing, retail shops and other industries. Our members help put food on our nation’s tables and serve customers in all 50 states, Canada and Puerto Rico.
Learn more about the UFCW www.ufcw.org
August 19, 2016
UFCW Debuts Union Label for Cannabis Products
Perma, a recreational cannabis producer-processer in Tacoma, Wash., is proudly declaring that their products are union made with a new a UFCW label. The workers at Perma are members of UFCW Local 367, and made history in June of this year as the first recreational cannabis producer-processor in Washington state to join a union. The UFCW union label will be attached to Perma’s AK-47 and Gorilla Glu products.
“This label will help customers choose a quality product that is made by my hard-working coworkers with the quality of jobs we want in the state,” said Janie Wallace, one of the processors at Perma. “My grandfather was a longshoreman and I’m proud to continue in the UFCW family in this emerging industry.”
This label will be used nationwide as workers in the cannabis business choose to help level the playing field within the industry.
August 18, 2016
Hardworking Men and Women at Farmer John Work Together for a Better Life
Hundreds of UFCW Local 770 members at Farmer John packinghouse in Vernon, California this week used their collective voice to ensure respect for their rights on the job and preserve the protections that being part of union family provides, such as improved safety enforcement.
The men and women at Farmer John work hard to produce bacon, sausage, ham, and hot dogs, including the famous “Dodger Dog”, among other pork products. Their expertise and dedication is a driving force behind the success of Hormel Foods, which Farmer John is a subsidiary of.
August 11, 2016
UFCW Applauds OSHA for Standing Up for Poultry Workers
On July 27, the U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) issued citations to Pilgrim’s Pride for nearly two dozen safety and health hazards, including the failure to make medical referrals for workers with workplace injuries in a timely manner. This is the first time a poultry company has been cited for medical mismanagement of work-related injuries.
The UFCW issued the following statement in response to the citations:
“We are disappointed to see yet another example of poultry workers being mistreated and forced to endure harsh working conditions,” said UFCW International President Marc Perrone. “Unions provide poultry workers with one of the best ways to improve their safety on the job because we create an environment where people know their rights and feel empowered to speak up. We make sure that workers can advocate for their well-being without the fear of being fired. As we strive to improve poultry industry jobs, we applaud OSHA for actively supporting the right of every worker to have a safe workplace.”
August 10, 2016
CTI Workers Ratify First Union Contract
On July 28, 75 workers at CTI Foods in King of Prussia, Pa., ratified their first union contract. The CTI workers produce food for fast food restaurants and are members of UFCW Local 1776.
“We feel more united now; we have a better bond,” said Shop Steward Kyle Pendleton, who has worked at CTI Foods for 19 years and was instrumental during the organizing and negotiation process. “The company is working with us now and having a contract has made the company better.”
The new three-year contract guarantees health insurance, safety and labor-management meetings, as well as pay increases. For some workers, this will be the first raise they’ve received in years.
“I would like to congratulate the CTI workers on their first UFCW contract,” said UFCW Local 1776 President Wendell W. Young, IV. “This is a huge win for them and their families.”
August 9, 2016
Enter the 1st Annual UFCW Labor Day Art Contest!
Every year, we celebrate Labor Day to honor working people and all their contributions to our country and its middle class. The UFCW is made up of hard-working men and women who serve in our communities at retail and grocery stores, meatpacking and processing plants, and countless other facilities across multiple industries.
This year, the UFCW International is hosting its first ever Labor Day art contest, to celebrate working people with something made by working people!
UFCW members and their children are eligible to enter an original work of art to be in the running for a $500 Visa gift card AND have their artwork framed and displayed at the DC labor Fest in the fall! The winning piece will also be available for all UFCW locals and members at our online UFCW Store. Two runners up will receive $50 Visa gift cards, as well.
To enter, send us a high resolution photo image of your art at www.ufcw.org/contest. Your submission must have a Labor Day theme.
The deadline to submit is August 25th, and winners will be notified by August 29th.
August 8, 2016
Grocery Workers Reach Tentative Deal with Ralphs, Vons/Albertsons
Proposed Contract Goes to Members for Ratification Vote August 8th
Oscar Gonzalez, a Ralphs produce worker in Hollywood, marches with grocery workers and supporters Tuesday to demand a new contract. (Michael Owen Baker / For The Times)
UFCW grocery workers in California reached a tentative agreement on a new contract with Kroger Company and Cerberus Capital, the owners of Ralphs and Vons/Albertsons, respectively.
After intense negotiations following the imposition of an August 8th deadline by seven California locals of the UFCW, the federal mediator helped guide the parties to a proposed contract.
“We are happy to say that five months after our previous contract expired, the corporate owners of Ralphs and Vons/Albertsons have agreed to a proposed contract,” said Rick Icaza, one of the chief negotiators for the UFCW and the President of one of the largest UFCW locals in the country. “This would not have been possible without the strength and solidarity of all the 50,000 grocery workers throughout central and southern California, the cooperation of the seven California UFCW locals and the UFCW International Union. We also owe deep thanks to the support of consumers and community leaders. Because of the unshakable unity of our membership, we were able to bring these negotiations to a conclusion, and will present the offer to membership for ratification on Monday, August 8th.”
“While we are unable to divulge the details of the agreement until we inform our members, we would like to thank the Federal Mediation Conciliation Service (FMCS) Deputy Director Scot Beckenbaugh and Commissioner Isael Hermosillo, without whom this agreement would not have been possible,” said John Grant, SecretaryTreasurer of Local 770. “We believe this contract will address our members’ concerns and begin to secure the important role grocery workers play in our community.”
The previous contract covering nearly 50,000 central and southern California grocery workers expired nearly five months ago. Since then, grocery workers have worked without a contract, staging numerous rallies, marches, and events designed to bring attention to their fight and to bring the corporate owners of Ralphs and Vons/Albertsons to the table. Last Tuesday, thousands of grocery workers, community members, clergy, and fellow union members marched across Los Angeles to demand a conclusion to negotiations.
UFCW grocery workers across central and southern California will gather to review the details of the contract and vote on the offer. Results of the vote will be released when voting is complete by the seven UFCW locals.
August 4, 2016
Providence Centralia Hospital Workers Ratify New Contract
On July 21, members of UFCW Local 21 working at Providence Centralia Hospital in Centralia, Wash., overwhelmingly ratified a new three-year contract. The 240 Providence Centralia Hospital workers work in various divisions within the hospital, including the Emergency Department, and Critical Care, PCU, Surgical Unit, Medical Unit, Family Birth Center, and Outpatient Surgery divisions.
The new contract provides annual wage increases, caps on healthcare costs, daily overtime that includes the calculation of missed meals and rest periods, and other contractual improvements.
August 3, 2016
Poultry Jobs Must Be Safe Jobs
UFCW Applauds OSHA for Helping Poultry Workers Stand Up for Safer Work Conditions
Washington, D.C. – Today, the United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW), the primary union for poultry workers, released the following statement in response to the Occupational Health and Safety Administration’s (OSHA) finding of nearly two dozen health and safety violations at Pilgrim’s Pride. This is the first time a poultry company has been cited for medical mismanagement of work-related injuries.
“We are disappointed to see yet another example of poultry workers being mistreated and forced to endure harsh working conditions,” said UFCW International President Marc Perrone. “Unions provide poultry workers with one of the best ways to improve their safety on the job because we create an environment where people know their rights and feel empowered to speak up. We make sure that workers can advocate for their well-being without the fear of being fired. As we strive to improve poultry industry jobs, we applaud OSHA for actively supporting the right of every worker to have a safe workplace.”
At Pilgrim’s Pride and JBS poultry plants where workers are represented by the UFCW, we have partnered with both companies to provide educational training on safety issues. The trainings are conducted by UFCW’s Occupational Safety and Health Office.
BACKGROUND
- UFCW represents more than 70,000 poultry workers.
- In 2015, Case Farms, a leading supplier of fast food and supermarket chicken, racked up nearly $1.9 million in proposed fines following inspections at multiple facilities.
- A 2013 study of a poultry plant in South Carolina found that 57% of workers reported at least one musculoskeletal symptom.
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The UFCW is the largest private sector union in the United States, representing 1.3 million professionals and their families in grocery stores, meatpacking, food processing, retail shops and other industries. Our members help put food on our nation’s tables and serve customers in all 50 states, Canada and Puerto Rico.
Learn more about the UFCW at www.ufcw.org.
August 3, 2016
Zara Workers Join RWDSU/UFCW
This week, after a majority of the workers at Zara’s eight stores in Manhattan signed cards stating they wanted to be represented by RWDSU/UFCW Local 1102, the company agreed to recognize the union. The agreement covers over 1,000 retail workers at all of Zara’s stores in Manhattan. These are the first Zara workers in the United States to be unionized.
Zara, the Spanish fashion chain owned by Inditex, is the world’s largest clothing retailer. The RWDSU/UFCW and Zara reached an agreement earlier this year where the employer agreed to remain neutral and not to oppose the union’s attempt to organize its workforce.
“Zara’s approach to recognize the right of its workers to form a union, without intimidation, is a message to all retailers – you can be successful and still respect the right of your employees,” said Gemma de Leon Lopresti, president of RWDSU/UFCW Local 1102.
This is the largest retail organizing win in New York City in recent years. In 2009, RWDSU/UFCW Local 1102 organized nearly 1,200 workers at H&M, another fast-fashion global retail chain.
Workers at Zara look forward to working in an environment where they can make their jobs better, and create better lives for themselves and their families.
“Working in retail is extremely fast-paced and hectic,” said Joseph Minton, an associate at Zara’s 59th Street location. “I’m excited that the company is willing to listen to our concerns and work with the union for everyone’s benefit.”
“We applaud Zara for recognizing the rights of its employees to choose to unionize, without interference,” said RWDSU/UFCW President Stuart Appelbaum. “Unfortunately, too many American employers refuse to respect their workers’ right to freedom of association and intimidate and threaten workers who try to organize.”
“This process is a huge step for retail workers in New York. Zara, the largest fast-fashion retailer in the world, is sending a strong message that you can remain profitable and still recognize your workers’ right to dignity, justice and respect on the job,” said Appelbaum.