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News and Updates
June 9, 2015
New TPP Ad Released Urging a “No” Vote on Fast Track
New TPP Ad Released Urging a “No” Vote on Fast Track
Letter Sent to All Members of the House of Representatives Asking: “Will you do what is right for America’s hard-working men and women who you are sworn to serve?”
WASHINGTON, D.C.—Highlighting the secrecy of the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) and the reluctance of the Obama administration to release details, the 1.3 million member United Food and Commercial Workers International Union (UFCW) today released a new ad urging members of the House of Representatives to vote no on fast track.
As part of its intense lobbying campaign, a letter was also sent to all 435 members of the U.S. House of Representatives where UFCW International President Marc Perrone made clear what is at stake. “Will you stand with the irresponsible corporations and special interests that are pushing fast track and the TPP?” he wrote. “Or will you do what is right for America’s hard-working men and women who you are sworn to serve?”
“America’s workers and hard-working families and their advocates have been completely shut out of the process,” Perrone added.
In the letter, Perrone decried President Obama’s strong-arm tactics on the trade deal and urged members of Congress to remember their obligation to their constituents.
“President Obama has regrettably made the vote about loyalty to him,” he wrote. “At the UFCW, our loyalty is to the 1.3 million hard-working men and women we represent and their families. Your loyalty should be to this country, to your constituents, and not President Obama, one party, or a secret trade deal.”
“The secrecy has gotten so egregious that when a group of concerned citizens went to the U.S. Trade Representative’s (USTR) office last week, not only were they prevented from reviewing the agreement, USTR staff locked the door to the visitor’s entrance,” the letter reads. “It leaves you to wonder: what are they hiding?”
“Our elected leaders must acknowledge what the President refuses to—that unfair trade deals have been catastrophic for hard-working families, driving down wages and benefits, shipping jobs overseas, and exploding income inequality,” Perrone concluded.
This week the UFCW will engage in a major blitz, reaching out directly to undecided members of Congress who will determine the outcome of fast track. This includes the ads in Politico, which highlight a bipartisan concern over the issue of secrecy and the right of the American people to know what is in this deal. A print ad ran today and digital ads are scheduled to run throughout the week.
The full letter is linked here and copied below.
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Join the United Food and Commercial Workers International Union (UFCW) online at www.ufcw.org
We are 1.3 million families standing together to build an economy that every hard-working family deserves.
www.facebook.com/UFCWinternational @UFCW
Dear Representative:
On behalf of the 1.3 million hard-working members of the United Food and Commercial Workers International Union (UFCW), I am writing to strongly urge you, again, to oppose fast track legislation if and when it comes up for a vote.
Respectfully, you have a critical decision to make. Will you stand with the irresponsible corporations and special interests that are pushing fast track and the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP)? Or will you do what is right for America’s hard-working men and women who you are sworn to serve?
As you know, the TPP has been put together entirely in secret, with the advice and counsel of those who for decades have benefitted from bad trade deals. America’s workers and hard-working families and their advocates have been completely shut out of the process. The secrecy has gotten so egregious that when a group of concerned citizens went to the U.S. Trade Representative’s (USTR) office last week, not only were they prevented from reviewing the agreement, USTR staff locked the door to the visitor’s entrance. It leaves you to wonder: what are they hiding?
The American people deserve to know what is in this deal. And those considering supporting it should ask themselves how they will justify voting for a secret deal that would harm their constituents and the American people.
As we now see, President Obama has regrettably made the vote about loyalty to him. At the UFCW, our loyalty is to the 1.3 million hard-working men and women we represent and their families. Your loyalty should be to this country, to your constituents, and not President Obama, one party, or a secret trade deal. So while the President pulls out all the stops to sway undecided Members of Congress, he and you should remember the people who elected you to office.
If there is any doubt where the American people stand, you need to look no further than a recent New York Times/CBS News poll where over 55 percent of Americans oppose fast track, including 61 percent of independents.
Finally, this is more than just a vote about a trade deal so bad that it is kept in secret. This is about whether you will stand with the very workers who have paid the price from other bad trade deals. Some may choose to ignore this reality, but our elected leaders must acknowledge what the President refuses to—that unfair trade deals have been catastrophic for hard-working families, driving down wages and benefits, shipping jobs overseas, and exploding income inequality.
Enough is enough.
We urge you to do the right thing and vote no on fast track.
Sincerely,
Marc Perrone
International President
June 9, 2015
New TPP Ad Released Urging a “No” Vote on Fast Track
Letter Sent to All Members of the House of Representatives Asking: “Will you do what is right for America’s hard-working men and women who you are sworn to serve?”
WASHINGTON, D.C.—Highlighting the secrecy of the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) and the reluctance of the Obama administration to release details, the UFCW today released a new ad urging members of the House of Representatives to vote no on fast track.
As part of its intense lobbying campaign, a letter was also sent to all 435 members of the U.S. House of Representatives where UFCW International President Marc Perrone made clear what is at stake. “Will you stand with the irresponsible corporations and special interests that are pushing fast track and the TPP?” he wrote. “Or will you do what is right for America’s hard-working men and women who you are sworn to serve?”
“America’s workers and hard-working families and their advocates have been completely shut out of the process,” Perrone added.
In the letter, Perrone decried President Obama’s strong-arm tactics on the trade deal and urged members of Congress to remember their obligation to their constituents.
“President Obama has regrettably made the vote about loyalty to him,” he wrote. “At the UFCW, our loyalty is to the 1.3 million hard-working men and women we represent and their families. Your loyalty should be to this country, to your constituents, and not President Obama, one party, or a secret trade deal.”
“The secrecy has gotten so egregious that when a group of concerned citizens went to the U.S. Trade Representative’s (USTR) office last week, not only were they prevented from reviewing the agreement, USTR staff locked the door to the visitor’s entrance,” the letter reads. “It leaves you to wonder: what are they hiding?”
“Our elected leaders must acknowledge what the President refuses to—that unfair trade deals have been catastrophic for hard-working families, driving down wages and benefits, shipping jobs overseas, and exploding income inequality,” Perrone concluded.
This week the UFCW will engage in a major blitz, reaching out directly to undecided members of Congress who will determine the outcome of fast track. This includes the ads in Politico, which highlight a bipartisan concern over the issue of secrecy and the right of the American people to know what is in this deal. A print ad ran today and digital ads are scheduled to run throughout the week.
The full letter is linked here and copied below.
###
Join the United Food and Commercial Workers International Union (UFCW) online at www.ufcw.org
We are 1.3 million families standing together to build an economy that every hard-working family deserves.
www.facebook.com/UFCWinternational @UFCW
Dear Representative:
On behalf of the 1.3 million hard-working members of the United Food and Commercial Workers International Union (UFCW), I am writing to strongly urge you, again, to oppose fast track legislation if and when it comes up for a vote.
Respectfully, you have a critical decision to make. Will you stand with the irresponsible corporations and special interests that are pushing fast track and the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP)? Or will you do what is right for America’s hard-working men and women who you are sworn to serve?
As you know, the TPP has been put together entirely in secret, with the advice and counsel of those who for decades have benefitted from bad trade deals. America’s workers and hard-working families and their advocates have been completely shut out of the process. The secrecy has gotten so egregious that when a group of concerned citizens went to the U.S. Trade Representative’s (USTR) office last week, not only were they prevented from reviewing the agreement, USTR staff locked the door to the visitor’s entrance. It leaves you to wonder: what are they hiding?
The American people deserve to know what is in this deal. And those considering supporting it should ask themselves how they will justify voting for a secret deal that would harm their constituents and the American people.
As we now see, President Obama has regrettably made the vote about loyalty to him. At the UFCW, our loyalty is to the 1.3 million hard-working men and women we represent and their families. Your loyalty should be to this country, to your constituents, and not President Obama, one party, or a secret trade deal. So while the President pulls out all the stops to sway undecided Members of Congress, he and you should remember the people who elected you to office.
If there is any doubt where the American people stand, you need to look no further than a recent New York Times/CBS News poll where over 55 percent of Americans oppose fast track, including 61 percent of independents.
Finally, this is more than just a vote about a trade deal so bad that it is kept in secret. This is about whether you will stand with the very workers who have paid the price from other bad trade deals. Some may choose to ignore this reality, but our elected leaders must acknowledge what the President refuses to—that unfair trade deals have been catastrophic for hard-working families, driving down wages and benefits, shipping jobs overseas, and exploding income inequality.
Enough is enough.
We urge you to do the right thing and vote no on fast track.
Sincerely,
Marc Perrone
International President
June 6, 2015
Union Plus Reminds Us All Why #ItsGoodToBeUnion
Union members have been joining in on why #ItsGoodToBeUnion, but let’s really turn it up!
Every weekend in June, Union Plus will be adding a challenge to the mix, and offering a prize. Why? Because unions created the weekend, the weekly reminder that #ItsGoodToBeUnion.
Saturday, June 6th, through Sunday, June 7th, union members who follow Union Plus on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram and post with the hashtag #ItsGoodToBeUnion will be entered to win a 10-ticket movie package!
That’s it. Just follow Union Plus, post with the hashtag, and you’ll be entered! The winner will be selected at random and union membership will be verified. E-Tickets are good for any movie at any time and do not expire.
Members can choose their 10-ticket package for one of the following theatre packages:
- Cinemark Platinum e-Supersaver
- Regal Premiere E-Ticket
- Regal VIP E-Ticket
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THREE WAYS TO ENTER (June 3rd to June 7th)
Enter through at least one of these social medias!
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| And post why it’s good to be union with the hashtag #ItsGoodToBeUnion. | ||
Click here for official contest rules.
Check out the conversation on Twitter!
#ItsGoodToBeUnion Tweets// < 
Missouri — Dave Cook, President of United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW) Local 655, Steven Straher, President of UFCW Local 88, and Tom Price, President of UFCW Local 2, representing 20,000 workers across Missouri, today released the following statement in response to Governor Jay Nixon’s veto of right to work legislation.
“On behalf of the 20,000 members of the UFCW in Missouri, we thank Governor Nixon for vetoing a bill designed to silence the voice of workers. Right to work would lower wages and standards across our state and we will continue to fight it tooth and nail until the veto is sustained in September.
“Right to work sounds good on paper, but in reality it means lower paying jobs, fewer benefits, and more dangerous workplaces. It is being pushed by out of state special interests who believe workers do not deserve a say in the terms of their employment. Plain and simple, it’s a corporate giveaway at the expense of everyday Missouri families.
“We’ve been fighting this legislation for 5 years so you better believe we are ready for another three months. Right to work proponents may not have the votes to override now, but the millionaires and billionaires pushing this bill will spend the summer trying to change that. In the meantime, the UFCW will be working with our Republican and Democratic partners in the Legislature to sustain the veto. UFCW members will be reaching out directly to their friends and neighbors to let them know that Missouri cannot afford a future with right to work.
“Simply put, right to work would be a disaster for the hard-working families of our state and the UFCW will not rest until it is defeated once and for all.”
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Join the United Food and Commercial Workers International Union (UFCW) online at www.ufcw.org
We are 1.3 million families standing together to build an economy that every hard-working family deserves.
June 4, 2015
UFCW Members in Missouri Will Not Rest Until Right to Work is Defeated Once and for All
Missouri — Dave Cook, President of United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW) Local 655, Steven Straher, President of UFCW Local 88, and Tom Price, President of UFCW Local 2, representing 20,000 workers across Missouri, today released the following statement in response to Governor Jay Nixon’s veto of right to work legislation.
“On behalf of the 20,000 members of the UFCW in Missouri, we thank Governor Nixon for vetoing a bill designed to silence the voice of workers. Right to work would lower wages and standards across our state and we will continue to fight it tooth and nail until the veto is sustained in September.
“Right to work sounds good on paper, but in reality it means lower paying jobs, fewer benefits, and more dangerous workplaces. It is being pushed by out of state special interests who believe workers do not deserve a say in the terms of their employment. Plain and simple, it’s a corporate giveaway at the expense of everyday Missouri families.
“We’ve been fighting this legislation for 5 years so you better believe we are ready for another three months. Right to work proponents may not have the votes to override now, but the millionaires and billionaires pushing this bill will spend the summer trying to change that. In the meantime, the UFCW will be working with our Republican and Democratic partners in the Legislature to sustain the veto. UFCW members will be reaching out directly to their friends and neighbors to let them know that Missouri cannot afford a future with right to work.
“Simply put, right to work would be a disaster for the hard-working families of our state and the UFCW will not rest until it is defeated once and for all.”
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Join the United Food and Commercial Workers International Union (UFCW) online at www.ufcw.org
We are 1.3 million families standing together to build an economy that every hard-working family deserves.
June 3, 2015
Food Front Co-Op Workers Vote Union Yes
Workers at Food Front Co-op stores have voted to join the United Food and Commercial Workers Union (UFCW) Local 555. After an overwhelming vote in favor of joining the union, 91 workers will become members of UFCW Local 555.
Food Front Co-op has two stores in the Northwest and Hillsdale neighborhoods of Portland. With more than 10,000 member-owners, democratic governance is a foundational value at Food Front. As union members, store workers will now have their own democratic voice in the co-op.
“We are the union at Food Front,” said Russell Kwong. “Our union will help assure customers that we are treated fairly and that the co-op is run democratically. Improving our standards at the co-op benefits employees, customers and owners — and subsequently the whole community.”
For Food Front workers, a union voice on the job reinforces the collaborative values that brought them to the co-op. In the coming weeks, workers will sit down with management to negotiate a first contract that solves existing problems and improves working conditions.
“The bottom line is that we wish to be respected, heard, treated equally and most of all supported,” said Kira Davis, a store worker. “I believe that creating our union can help strengthen us. As a union, we will empower everyone through education, communication and action.”
June 2, 2015
IKEA USA Charged with Violating Federal Labor Law
Labor Board Complaint Alleges IKEA Manager Interrogated Workers, Violated Freedom of Association
BOSTON — The National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) has issued a complaint against IKEA USA alleging unfair labor practices at the company’s store in Stoughton, Mass. The complaint alleges that the company violated federal law by unlawfully interrogating employees about their support for a union. The complaint further finds fault with the company’s social media policy, finding the policy to be overly broad and infringing on the right of workers to engage in protected activity.
“My coworkers and I came together to make IKEA better because we love our jobs and we believed in the company’s values,” said Nancy Goetz, a worker in the Stoughton IKEA. “In other countries, IKEA works collaboratively with the workers’ unions to solve problems. I never thought that IKEA would allow supervisors to intimidate and interrogate us. I expected more from IKEA. I expected that my rights would be respected.”
IKEA Group is a signatory to the United Nations Global Compact (UNGC), an international compact that prohibits companies from interfering with workers’ freedom of association. IKEA has incorporated Conventions 87 and 98 of the International Labor Organization, an agency of the United Nations, into the company’s internal code of conduct. Conventions 87 and 98 relate to freedom of association and the right of collective bargaining.
Freedom of association for American workers is protected by the National Labor Relations Act (NLRA), a law that protects workers’ rights to take collective action, form unions and bargain collectively. The Act also prohibits employers from engaging in certain coercive or intimidating tactics for the purpose of preventing workers from freely exercising their rights under the Act. Prohibited tactics are considered Unfair Labor Practices and are prosecuted by the NLRB.
“This complaint sadly shows that IKEA does not treat hard-working American families with the same respect that the company shows to workers in other parts of the world,” said Marc Perrone, International President of the United Food and Commercial Workers International Union (UFCW). “Every American worker has a fundamental right to come together and take collective action to improve their jobs. The UFCW stands with these workers, and together we will hold IKEA to a higher standard.”
The full complaint filed by the NLRB can be obtained by contacting Moira Bulloch at mbulloch@ufcw.org.
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Join the United Food and Commercial Workers International Union (UFCW) online at www.ufcw.org
We are 1.3 million families standing together to build an economy that every hard-working family deserves.
May 28, 2015
LabCorp Workers Vote Union “Yes” with the Support of UFCW Locals 1167 and 1428
Last week, LabCorp phlebotomists voted to join UFCW Locals 1167 and 1428. The 40 workers are located in seven locations across Southern California. The phlebotomists work in either off-site lab testing facilities, clinics, or doctor offices. LabCorp workers decided to come together and join a union for better wages, working conditions, and improved safety measures. Negotiations are expected to begin in July or August.
“I voted yes to join the union to improve working conditions at LabCorp and to lift the standard of living for my fellow coworkers,” said Leon Gutierrez, a LabCorp phlembotomist. I have been in the phlebotomy for more than 24 years and the conditions for non-union phlebotomists at companies like LabCorp have only gotten worse. It’s time that LabCorp values us like the professionals we are and gives us the respect and dignity we deserve.”
During the campaign, both local unions hosted several union meetings with the workers and collectively they organized phone trees for organizing calls. In response to the campaign, the company hired anti-union consultants to try to convince the workers not to join the UFCW. Workers pushed back during those meetings though and continued to stay united to have a voice on the job.
“I am very proud of my coworkers and myself. Despite how hard LabCorp tried to convince us otherwise, we stuck together in order to make sure that we have the opportunity to better our working conditions. I am excited to become a member of the UFCW,” said LabCorp phlembotomist Veronica Beltran.
This first LabCorp election is the beginning of a larger organizing campaign for LabCorps workers. There are upcoming LabCorp organizing elections scheduled in June for both locals.
May 27, 2015
Workers in LA begin 24-Hour fast & will rally for an end to retaliation and call for $15 an hour and full-time hours
While Walmart continues to dodge questions about the recent sudden layoff of 2,200 workers ahead of upcoming shareholder meeting
LOS ANGELES – Ahead of the company’s June 5 shareholder meeting, Walmart workers in major cities across the country are holding rallies and marches this week, calling for CEO Doug McMillon and the Walton family to end the retaliation against workers who speak out for change, and to publicly commit to pay a living wage of $15 and provide access to full-time hours. Here in Los Angeles, two dozen Walmart workers will begin a 24-hour fast today to highlight the hunger many Walmart associates and their families endure due to the company’s low wages and insufficient hours.
Earlier this year, Walmart caved to worker pressure and announced it would raise wages for 500,000 U.S. associates. But despite the modest increase—and without any guarantee of adequate hours —many workers are still forced to rely on government assistance programs like food stamps to get by. Meanwhile, the company escalated its retaliatory actions against associates to a new level last month when it abruptly closed five stores and laid off more than 2,000 workers, citing “plumbing issues.” Walmart has failed to offer any conclusive evidence of a plumbing emergency that would require the immediate closing of five stores. Workers at the Walmart store in Pico Rivera, Calif., one of the stores closed for alleged plumbing issues, are calling on the company to commit publicly to reinstating all laid off workers when the store reopens for business and to allow all workers, for the time being, to be transferred to one of the nearby 45 Walmart stores.
Walmart workers are prepared to demand change and accountability from the world’s largest retailer at the company’s upcoming shareholder meeting. Worker shareholders will present two resolutions intended to reign in executive compensation and incentivize sustainable investment, such as fair wages and benefits for workers.
WHAT: Walmart workers rally against retaliation and for $15 and full-time
WHEN: Thursday, May 28, 2015 at 5:30 p.m.
WHERE: Cesar Chavez & Broadway Blvds in Chinatown, Los Angeles
WHO: Fasting Walmart workers, community leaders, members of the clergy, elected officials
RSVP/FOR MORE INFORMATION: Marc Goumbri, 202-257-8771,mgoumbri@ufcw.org
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LEGAL DISCLAIMER: UFCW and OUR Walmart have the purpose of helping Wal-Mart employees as individuals or groups in their dealings with Wal-Mart over labor rights and standards and their efforts to have Wal-Mart publicly commit to adhering to labor rights and standards. UFCW and OUR Walmart have no intent to have Walmart recognize or bargain with UFCW or OUR Walmart as the representative of Walmart employees.
May 27, 2015
UFCW President Perrone: TPP Battle is Far From Over
WASHINGTON, D.C.—Marc Perrone, International President of the 1.3 million member United Food and Commercial Workers International Union (UFCW), today released the following statement after the Senate passed fast track legislation.
“Rest assured, the battle over TPP is far from over. President Obama and the supporters of fast track and the TPP want us to believe that this deal is worthy of our nation; it is not. Every hard-working family in this country deserves better than a corporate trade agreement put together in complete secrecy.
“If our elected leaders and the White House truly believe that the TPP is the right thing to do, however, they should respect the American people enough to make the full agreement public today. No more secrecy or backroom deals. UFCW members and all Americans deserve the truth. If the White House refuses to make TPP public, we must all demand it.
“It is no surprise that the American people have lost so much trust in our elected officials. Instead of promoting economic policies that are fair and just, they choose to pursue a trade agreement put together in secret, where even those voting for it, have little idea what’s in it or the impact it will have.
“America’s hard-working families deserve the truth. They deserve a totally transparent process. Let there be no mistake, the American people will hold any Member of Congress accountable who refuses to support their right to know, and every Member of Congress should do what is right and hold the White House accountable for refusing to tell all of us the truth about what’s in the TPP.
“The UFCW will work nonstop to defeat fast track in the House.”
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Join the United Food and Commercial Workers International Union (UFCW) online at www.ufcw.org
We are 1.3 million families standing together to build an economy that every hard-working family deserves.