March 24, 2015

UFCW Local 555 Pushes For Paid Sick Leave in Oregon

More than 50 UFCW Local 555 members went to the Capitol building in Salem last week to convince legislators to pass a paid sick leave law that will cover every worker in Oregon.

“I’m here to help pass a first day paid sick leave law that will benefit every worker in Oregon,” said Jane Killduff, a 17-year member of UFCW Local 555 who works at Albertsons. “It’s important to have paid sick leave on the first day – right now it doesn’t begin until you’ve been out for three days. It’s a major disconnect when the current paid sick leave policy makes it so hard for people who work around food all day to stay home when they’re sick.”

The push for paid sick leave resonates with UFCW members on a personal level. From the checkout lane to the deli, they want customers and the food they buy to be safe and healthy. The issue has inspired many UFCW Local 555 members to lobby for the first time.

“I can’t wait to tell all my coworkers what a blast I had today,” said Justin Dupuis, a five-year UFCW Local 555 member who works at the Safeway distribution center in Portland. “I learned about the legislative process and what it takes to pass good laws. Most of all I just felt like being here was making a difference. Passing paid sick leave for the entire state is going to make Oregon stronger and healthier.”

Over the past few years, members of UFCW Local 555 have helped Oregon’s two largest cities, Portland and Eugene, pass paid sick leave laws. These victories have created momentum. Local 555 members like Ricardo Morales, who works at Safeway in The Dalles, feel like paid sick leave can and should be adopted statewide.

“I’m at lobby day because I believe we can help pass better laws that will give workers better lives,” said Morales. “Our two largest cities have passed paid sick leave, why not the entire state?”

Members who work in Portland, the first place in Oregon to adopt paid sick leave, were excited to share their experience with legislators who were on the fence.

“I was inspired to be here today to help pass paid sick leave,” said UFCW Local 555 member Amber Hamilton who works at QFC. “I live in Portland where it already passed and it’s been great. I want every worker in the state to have it. People are a lot happier. When you get sick, it’s nice to know you have the time to recover. I wish more UFCW members would lobby. As the saying goes, the more the better.”

It was difficult to walk down a hallway in the Capitol without seeing a flash of gold. UFCW members quickly realized that their presence was having an impact both inside and outside of meetings.

“Just standing in the hall, people stop by and tell us ‘great gold shirts!” said Ellen Hudson, a UFCW Local 555 member who works at the Oregon City Fred Meyer. “It’s a great form of recognition. I wish every UFCW member would take time to lobby their elected representatives. I don’t feel you have the right to moan and groan and complain if you’re not willing to step out of your comfort zone and do something. I learned a long time ago that if you don’t speak up, you get rolled over. If we can find the courage to speak up, we’ll always be heard.”

March 24, 2015

Young Workers From Across the Country Participate in the AFL-CIO Next Up Young Worker Summit

Last week, over 1,000 young workers and union activists headed to the AFL-CIO Next Up Young Worker Summit in Chicago, eager to share and learn more about how we can work together for economic and social justice.

Over 70 UFCW and RWDSU members were in attendance, including many of the 2014 GOLD internship program participants.

UFCW member and former GOLD intern Erica Clemmons proudly introduced AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka at the conference.

Erica joined the UFCW Local 1059 as a cashier at Kroger, and is now an organizer with Local 881. She also sits on the AFL-CIO’s Young Workers Advisory Council. Erica’s dedication to economic and racial equality has inspired many other young workers.

Erica was also one of the many UFCW and RWDSU activists who led workshops at the conference. Workshops focused on issues such as empowering different minority groups, raising the minimum wage, and gender equality. There were also workshops dedicated to sharing skills and tips for things such as digital organizing and collective bargaining.

Attendees of the conference also participated in two local actions to show solidarity for workers fighting for justice. RWDSU hosted an action in support of Guitar Center workers, who have been fighting for a voice on the job. The UFCW hosted another action which began at a local McDonalds, where workers have been calling for a living wage of $15 an hour, and then marched on to a Food 4 Less location. Employees at Food 4 Less have been standing together for better wages and benefits, respect on the job, and union representation. Kroger Company, which owns Food 4 Less, pays its other brand employees more than it does its Food 4 Less workers.  Many AFL-CIO affiliated unions joined these actions in solidarity with the workers, in addition to 18 UFCW locals unions.

Read more and watch a clip from the rally here.

Other highlights of the summit included speakers such as Labor ally Danny Glover, who spoke about the importance of activism, and Liz Shuler from the AFL-CIO, who emphasized why young workers are so important to the labor movement.

AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka

Danny Glover addresses the crowd

Former GOLD intern Tracy Officer supports Food 4 Less workers

Next Up attendees and workers shut down McDonalds

The rally at McDonalds

Former GOLD intern Miranda Tribble on her way to the Food 4 Less rally

UFCW members and former GOLD interns Mike Roberts, Simplice Mabiala, and Josh Greenlee

UFCW members and former GOLD interns Kira Johnson and Ariana Davis

UFCW member and former GOLD intern Erica Clemmons introduces AFL-CIO president Richard Trumka

March 23, 2015

Scott Walker’s “freedom” sham: Legalized bribery, ALEC and an assault on workers

BY TYRONE SUTTON

When Governor Walker signed the unfair “right to work” bill into law he proclaimed, “Wisconsin now has the freedom to work.”

When I heard that line, I didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. I wanted to laugh because I knew he was wrong. I wanted to cry because I knew this law was going to make life more challenging for myself, my family, and my friends.

I work at Fair Oaks Farms in Kenosha and am a proud member of United Food and Commercial Workers Union (UFCW) Local 1473. Every few years my coworkers and I sit down with Fair Oaks Farms and negotiate workplace rules, pay raises, health care, and other terms of our employment. There are disagreements, but we have always managed to work out a fair deal.

This “right to work” law upends that entire process by giving corporations all across Wisconsin the right to divide workers. The motivation to undermine worker unity is simple – greed and profits. If the worker side of the bargaining table is weaker, then corporations won’t feel like they have to pay them as much or provide them with as good benefits.

These aren’t just personal fears of mine – they’re facts.

Study after study has shown workers in “right to work” states are poorer, sicker, less likely to have retirement security, and are more reliant upon government programs like food stamps and Medicaid.

That doesn’t sound like freedom to me. That sounds like a fiasco.

Most concerning of all, this “right to work” law was pushed through and bankrolled by an out of state organization called the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC).

Here’s how ALEC works. They bring corporations and state legislators together at lavish conferences and wine and dine them to their hearts content. In exchange for being given a ritzy vacation, state legislators are sent home with model legislation that’s written by the corporate attendees.

ALEC wrote the Wisconsin right to work law. It’s legalized bribery.

I understand the value of belonging to a union because I wasn’t always a part of one. My life was pretty tough before I became a UFCW member. I was always finding myself in jobs with an unreliable schedule. As a result, the only thing I could truly rely on was my paycheck being too small. I had no stability, no benefits, and no chance to get ahead.

When I started full time at Fair Oaks Farms almost four years ago I became a member of the UFCW and my life improved dramatically.

I started having a fair schedule that provided me with full-time hours. There was health insurance available for my family that I could actually afford. Before the UFCW I had no insurance at all.  I finally started earning enough money that I could start saving for my retirement and my son’s college education.

Most importantly, walking into work every day filled me with pride because I was providing my family with a good life.

When working people are allowed to stick together in their workplace and bargain for better wages and benefits their employer is much more likely to respect their needs. That shouldn’t be too much to ask.

This “right to work” law is an attempt to hurt every worker in Wisconsin. The politicians who helped pass it are stripping us of our stability because their corporate donors want to pay us all less so they can make more profits. It’s shameful and wrong.

Living with this unfair law will not be easy, but if Wisconsin workers stand shoulder to shoulder in their workplaces, we’ll still be able to earn the hours and wages that we deserve.

http://www.salon.com/2015/03/23/scott_walkers_freedom_sham_legalized_bribery_alec_and_an_assault_on_workers/