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News and Updates
March 6, 2014
Local 1208 Hosts “Poultry Worker Appreciation Day”
Local 1208, which is largely made up of Smithfield Foods workers in Tar Heel, North Carolina, recently hosted a rally as part of a “Poultry Worker Appreciation Day“. The event was created to bring awareness to the need for improved working conditions and living wages for the workers at the Mountaire Farms plant, which processes chicken.
About 65 Local 1208 members served baked beans and chicken to the plant workers, staying from 4 a.m. on Wednesday until around 2:30 a.m. the following morning, to make sure they were present for all of the workers’ shift changes. The UFCW members, wearing their UFCW gold, held signs to support the plant workers, demanding equal rights, and calling for more reasonable work-weeks.
Local 1208 Secretary-treasurer Terry Slaughter, who was present at the rally, said that “the workers are the ones that put chicken on our tables and get the poultry orders out. It is hard to feed your family on $9 an hour. These employees need more money and more respect for the job that they do.”
Standing in solidarity with the plant workers, the UFCW is supporting these workers, who have begun trying to organize and join a union. In fact, more than 400 of Mountaire’s 2,000 workers have signed union cards, indicating such interest.
“We’re trying to get management to show more appreciation for their employees … all the things that a job is supposed to show employees,” Slaughter said.
Yesterday, attorneys with Local 1208 filed charges of unfair labor practices with the National Labor Relations Board in Winston-Salem, N.C. The union is asking for an immediate injunction to stop severe and widespread violations of federal labor law.
“We are tired of the treatment and low pay we endure daily at Mountaire,” said Jasmine Isom, who has worked there for three years. “We work hard full time jobs and $10.00 an hour is not enough to raise our families on.”
The charges, which you can learn more about on Local 1208’s facebook page, say that Mountaire Farms has been disciplining employees for their union activity, threatening to have employees arrested, engaging in surveillance and coercion, interrogating employees, threatening termination and change in personal working conditions if employees support the union – all in violation of workers’ legal rights under the National Labor Relations Act.
“The Mountaire workers are standing up to this company and saying we will not be abused and disrespected any longer. We stand proudly with these workers,” said Keith Ludlum, President of Local 1208. “Anytime Mountaire violates the rights of workers we will hold them accountable.”
March 6, 2014
UFCW States Council, Locals and Members Meet California Lawmakers on Lobby Day
Special Guest Post From http://www.ufcwwest.org/
UFCW members and locals were out in force yesterday at the state Capitol in Sacramento wearing UFCW blue and gold and handing out reusable plastic bags to show California legislators that we will be paying attention to issues that affect working families this year.
The States Council, along with members and leaders from locals 135, 1167, 1442, 324, 1428, 648, 770, 5 and 8 met at the offices of the California Labor Federation at 9:15am for a quick rallying point before making our way to Speaker Perez’s caucus room for an address and update by legislators’ staff on issues that union members care about. UFCW then filtered out to the halls of the Capitol for meetings with key district legislators and their staff on two important bills that UFCW will be pushing for this year: SB270 and AB1792.
SB270, which would ban single-use plastic bags in grocery stores and pharmacies across California, is a bill co-authored by Senator Kevin de León and Senator Alex Padilla and supported by UFCW in partnership with the California Grocers Association. The bill creates a statewide standard for banning plastic bags, rather than the patchwork of existing local ordinances, and will reduce costs, protect jobs and help cleanup the environment. As UFCW met with lawmakers on this important bill, members and leaders passed out reusable plastic bags with our UFCW brand and CGA’s logo, and there were many sightings of the bag across the Capitol as the day went on.
UFCW also put out the word about AB 1792, the Public Benefit Disclosure Bill authored by Assemblymember Jimmy Gomez. AB1792 is a bill that would be a step in the right direction for the State, capturing data about the number of workers receiving public assistance in both the private and public sectors in order to create accountability. The Council believes that some very large employers — Walmart being the biggest — are taking advantage of a loophole in the President’s Federal Health Insurance Program that encourages bad players to reduce workers’ weekly hours, pay low wages and deliberately push their workers unto the state’s Medi-Cal program for health insurance. UFCW members and leaders asked their legislators what they would be doing to ensure that these companies pay their fair share and protect individual taxpayers from increased taxes, and our hope is that lawmakers will feel accountable to this question in the months to come.
The day was a big success for the union, and we feel that by coming out early and often on these issues, we can push lawmakers to support our priority bills and future UFCW-sponsored legislation. Stay tuned for an announcement of the next States Council lobby day in March, and for updates on these bills and upcoming political fights coming soon.
March 4, 2014
UFCW Local 555 Member Shares Her Story, Makes a Difference for Grocery Workers
Last month, during UFCW Local 555’s Oregon Lobby Day, shop steward Sarah DeMerritt testified before the Senate Judiciary Committee in support of legislation that would ease penalties for those who unknowingly or inadvertently sell alcohol to a minor for the first time.
UFCW Local 555 shop steward Sarah DeMerritt (center) testified before the Oregon Senate Judiciary Committee in support of a bill that would ease the penalties for those who unknowingly or inadvertently sell alcohol to a minor for the first time.
In June of 2013, while working as a checker at Safeway in Lake Oswego, Oregon, she sold a six-pack of beer to someone she believed was of legal drinking age. But instead the customer was part of an Oregon Liquor Control Commission sting. A police officer interviewed and cited DeMerritt in her check stand as customers looked on.
“It was very humiliating,” she said. Despite having more than 12 years on the job and no previous offenses, DeMerritt was fired and charged with a Class A Misdemeanor. “Why would I risk my health benefits, my job, my seniority, my life?” she told the committee. “I thought the customer looked old enough to purchase alcohol and was a familiar neighbor that I had carded and sold to in the past.”
DeMerritt stressed that she takes her responsibility to keep alcohol out of the hands of minors very seriously and had passed all previous stings. Senate Bill 1546 would make penalties for first time offenders more proportional.
The Oregon House passed this legislation, joining the Senate in giving it overwhelming support. Oregon Governor John Kitzhaber said he will sign it into law.
“I do not want other employees to have this experience,” DeMerritt said. “I do not want them to have to fight so hard.” By having the courage to share her story, DeMerritt is helping make the system fairer for all grocery workers in Oregon.
February 27, 2014
Congressional Budget Office: 40 Hours Bill Could Cost 1 Million Workers Their Health Care
Check out this blog from the AFL-CIO which highlights a new Congressional Budget Office (CBO) report showing that H.R. 2575, the misleadingly named Save American Workers Act, could cost 1 million workers their employer provided health care.
February 26, 2014
UFCW President Hansen Statement on Arizona Discrimination Bill
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Joe Hansen, International President of the United Food and Commercial Workers International Union (UFCW), today released the following statement opposing Arizona Senate Bill 1062.
“I urge Governor Jan Brewer to veto SB 1062. It is nothing more than a hate bill passed under the guise of protecting religious freedom. The legislation was drafted so broadly as to allow discrimination against nearly any Arizonan on religious grounds. But make no mistake—its target is members of the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender (LGBT) community. At a time when LGBT equality is advancing on several fronts, the Arizona legislature is seeking to relegate some of its citizens to second-class status. This is both shameful and unconstitutional. There is significant and growing momentum for equality across America on everything from employment nondiscrimination to the freedom to marry. Those who want to stop this momentum and protect the status quo are desperately trying to fight back. That is what SB 1062 and similar efforts are all about. At the UFCW, we have always been on the side of equality, both in our contracts and the law. We stand with business, labor, Republicans, and Democrats in calling for SB 1062 to be vetoed.”
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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.
February 26, 2014
UFCW President Hansen Statement on Arizona Discrimination Bill
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Joe Hansen, International President of the United Food and Commercial Workers International Union (UFCW), today released the following statement opposing Arizona Senate Bill 1062.
“I urge Governor Jan Brewer to veto SB 1062. It is nothing more than a hate bill passed under the guise of protecting religious freedom. The legislation was drafted so broadly as to allow discrimination against nearly any Arizonan on religious grounds. But make no mistake—its target is members of the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender (LGBT) community. At a time when LGBT equality is advancing on several fronts, the Arizona legislature is seeking to relegate some of its citizens to second-class status. This is both shameful and unconstitutional. There is significant and growing momentum for equality across America on everything from employment nondiscrimination to the freedom to marry. Those who want to stop this momentum and protect the status quo are desperately trying to fight back. That is what SB 1062 and similar efforts are all about. At the UFCW, we have always been on the side of equality, both in our contracts and the law. We stand with business, labor, Republicans, and Democrats in calling for SB 1062 to be vetoed.”
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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.
February 26, 2014
UFCW Members Lobby Legislators in Kentucky and Missouri
UFCW members in Kentucky and Missouri spent February 25th lobbying legislators inside their State Capitols. Both states are facing tough attacks from anti-worker forces.
In Kentucky, UFCW Locals 227 and 75 spent the day in Frankfort where they spoke with legislators about raising the state’s minimum wage and preventing Kentucky from becoming a right to work for less state.
In Missouri, UFCW Locals 655, 88, and 2 lobbied legislators in Jefferson City about expanding Medicaid and how harmful a right to work for less law would be to Missouri’s working families.
UFCW members who participated in lobbying felt like they were making a difference. “Lobby day is important because if we don’t come to Frankfort and tell our law makers exactly how we feel about certain subjects, they may never know,” said Amy Beasley from Local 227. “I think we did a great job, we were well prepared to talk about the issues. We all went into our meetings educated on right to work and the minimum wage bills that we need help from our legislators on. It seems like everybody had a good time and they feel encouraged about how the bills are going to proceed forward.”
UFCW member Jimmy Lappe from Local 655 was most pleased about the UFCW’s show of strength in the Capitol. “It’s incredibly important to come here and show legislators that workers support one another. We have to show legislators that we are a force who stands together and deserves to be heard. Right to work is a threat to all of us, not just a few of us.”
Members from both lobby days said they left knowing legislators better understood their concerns.
February 25, 2014
UFCW Local 555 Member Shares Her Story, Makes a Difference for Grocery Workers
Earlier this month, during UFCW Local 555’s Oregon Lobby Day, shop steward Sarah DeMerritt testified before the Senate Judiciary Committee in support of legislation that would ease penalties for those who unknowingly or inadvertently sell alcohol to a minor for the first time.
It is an issue she knows all too well. In June of 2013, while working as a checker at Safeway in Lake Oswego, Oregon, she sold a six-pack of beer to someone she believed was of legal drinking age. But instead the customer was part of an Oregon Liquor Control Commission sting. A police officer interviewed and cited DeMerritt in her check stand as customers looked on.
“It was very humiliating,” she said. Despite having twelve and half years on the job and no previous offenses, DeMerritt was fired and charged with a Class A Misdemeanor. “Why would I risk my health benefits, my job, my seniority, my life?” she told the committee. “I thought the customer looked old enough to purchase alcohol and was a familiar neighbor that I had carded and sold to in the past.”
DeMerritt, who now works at Haggen, stressed that she takes her responsibility to keep alcohol out of the hands of minors very seriously and had passed all previous stings. Senate Bill 1546 would make penalties for first-time offenders more proportional.
Yesterday the Oregon House passed this legislation, joining the Senate in giving it overwhelming support. Oregon Governor John Kitzhaber said he will sign it into law.
“I do not want other employees to have this experience,” DeMerritt said. “I do not want them to have to fight so hard.” By having the courage to share her story, DeMerritt is helping make the system fairer for all grocery workers in Oregon.
February 19, 2014
UFCW President Hansen Statement on Gap’s Decision to Raise Wages
WASHINGTON, D.C.-Joe Hansen, International President of the United Food and Commercial Workers International Union (UFCW), today released the following in response to the Gap’s announcement that it would raise wages for its workers.
“Today’s announcement by the Gap that the retail chain is raising hourly wages for its 65,000 hourly retail workers serves as a challenge to Walmart. The Gap realizes that paying its hourly workers enough to support themselves is an investment in their business and in our economy.
“It is time for Walmart to stand up and lead by investing back into its 1.4 million U.S. workers with hourly pay increases. Academics at the University of California-Berkeley estimated that Walmart could well-afford a wage increase to at least $12.00 an hour for workers with minimal impact on consumer prices. DEMOS researchers outlined a clear plan for Walmart to cut back on its stock buy back program and raise wages in a way that benefits workers and shareholders alike.
“The time is now for Walmart to show leadership and responsibility to its workers and our communities-follow the Gap’s example and raise wages for every hourly Walmart worker.”
February 19, 2014
UFCW Local 555 Members Hold Oregon Lobby Day
Members of UFCW Local 555 spent February 12 at the Oregon State Capitol in Salem lobbying their legislators on issues important to working families. The legislative priorities discussed included paid sick leave, combatting wage theft, easing penalties for grocery clerks who unknowingly or inadvertently sell alcohol to a minor for the first time, and requiring disclosure of chemicals in children’s products.
UFCW members had a visible presence throughout the Capitol and found their lobbying experience extremely rewarding. “I am here today so that they can see me and I can speak from my heart about the issues instead of it being just a black and white piece of paper with a checkbox,” said Natalie Someda, who works at QFC in Portland. “Having the gold in the building today makes me feel proud that we are strong and that we are willing to work and sacrifice for union members and non-union workers.”
Ricardo Morales, a meat cutter at Safeway in The Dalles, agreed. “We’re all effected by the anti-worker laws that are trying to make it into Oregon. We won’t be bullied. We won’t go down without a fight.”
Several members talked about the impact lobbying can have. “If we have our representatives standing behind us, we will have a better life for us and our families,” said Barb Bilinowich, who works at Safeway in Springfield.
Heidi Stock, a pharmacy tech at Fred Meyer in Oak Grove, added, “Being here allows us to take things to the next level.”
The UFCW delegation was not lost on Senate President Peter Courtney. “The physical presence stands out and the gold really pops,” he observed. Members said they looked forward to an even bigger and better lobby day next year.