August 31, 2015

Join the UFCW Women’s Network in Supporting Union Women’s Health

The UFCW Women’s Network is a proud supporter of  Coalition of Labor Union Women’s (CLUW) “Getting to Know You and Your Health Needs” campaign.

CLUW’s commitment to empower union women includes providing health information. To assist in tailoring that information, CLUW created a short survey with HealthyWomen. Survey results will allow CLUW to provide union women with the health information they want on a regular basis, delivered via the communications format/s they prefer.

Take the short survey here:

https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/cluw-survey

HealthyWomen will be holding a drawing for a $100 gift card that every woman completing the survey can enter to win!

August 26, 2015

Why Unions Matter: Fighting to Protect Our Jobs

Sylvia Hovington knows first-hand just how important unions are.

Sylvia is a member of UFCW Local 1776 and works for the Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board (PLCB). The Local represents 3,500 members working retail at PA Wine and Spirits Stores and in the warehouses that deliver to licensees such as bars, restaurants, and sporting facilities.

Coming from a “labor family”, Silvia started working for the PLCB in her twenties, seeking a job that that would support its employees and had advancement opportunities.  “Make sure you join the union!” Silvia’s aunt told her. And of course she did; she’s now been a member for 28 years. Sylvia’s daughter is also carrying on the family tradition–her UFCW job enables her to work for the PLCB as she finishes up college.

But in 2013, the job Sylvia loves and the security it provided for her family came under threat. For years, Republicans in the state House of Representatives have been trying to privatize the sale of liquor in their state, meaning 3,500 good union jobs would be lost and sent to retailers like Walmart, which pay low wages and treat their workers poorly, Sylvia notes. In 2013, Republican governor Tom Corbett, who claimed he would stop at nothing to pass a privatization bill, helped push a bill through the state House.

For the first time in her career Syliva was scared for her job. “How was I going to feed my family?” she thought. Her husband also had a good job but they needed more than one salary to pay their mortgage, car payments, her daughter’s tuition, and support the rest of her family. “It’s a very scary thing when your livelihood is about to be snatched away from you. It doesn’t just affect the worker but their whole family.”

But Sylvia and her fellow Local 1776 members “were not going down without a fight.”

As a shop steward, Sylvia was used to keeping her fellow members updated and educating young members about what being part of a union family means. Now, she would be doing that across the state.

In order to stop the privatization bill from passing in the state Senate Local 1776 and members like Sylvia went into overdrive to save their jobs. They held lobby days in Harrisburg, went from store to store talking to Wine and Spirits workers, and sent letters to their representatives telling them not to support this bill that would hurt the families of over 3,500 workers and be bad for the state budget.

After months of mobilizing workers and spreading their message, receiving support from other UFCW Locals and the International as well as other labor unions, Sylvia and fellow union members have come out victorious. This year, Democratic Governor Tom Wolf vetoed the privatization legislation.

“The reason why we still have our jobs is because we belong to a union,” says Sylvia. “Unions keep the jobs flowing.”

She wants the Republicans who have been trying to pass the privatization bill in her state and who have claimed that unions are unnecessary to know a few things.

“The UFCW has helped me so much. My Local offers daycare reimbursement that helped me work when my daughters were young. They make sure you get dental and medical. They make sure we are payed a good living wage. Without them, I might not have been able to take my maternity leave.”

Without the protection and support of a union, says Sylvia, workers are not guaranteed these things. And that is why she is thankful this Labor Day, that unions exist.

The fight for PLCB workers isn’t over since they could face similar legislation again. But they know that whatever happens in the future, the union has their back.

 

August 14, 2015

UFCW Immigration Work will be Honored in September

The UFCW’s immigration programs will be honored by the Center for Community Change at its annual “Change Champion Awards” ceremony on September 17 in Washington, D.C.

Under the leadership of UFCW International President Marc Perrone and UFCW Executive Vice President Esther López, the UFCW is proud to lead the fight for immigration reform through two signature immigration programs which reach all levels of the union and our nation.

The first, known as Union Citizenship Action Network (UCAN), provides members a platform to learn from seasoned immigrants’ rights advocates about the critical skills and tools needed to go through the naturalization process and become U.S. citizens. The second program is designed to help UFCW members get ready for Deferred Action for Parent Arrivals (DAPA).

Representing workers from all over the globe, the UFCW has seen the devastation caused by the broken immigration system in the United States. From ICE raids in meatpacking plants, to the endless threat of deportation, members and immigrant communities across the United States have been failed by the inaction of elected officials. Their deafening silence in the face of exploitative labor practices that have driven down wages, benefits, and the working conditions of all workers only serves to perpetuate a crisis that continues to grow.

Congress has yet to pass legislation, but the UFCW is not sitting back and waiting for politicians to act. Local unions are hosting workshops to help members determine whether they qualify, gather necessary documentation, prescreen their applications, and answer important legal questions. The UFCW is committed to ensuring that when a legal ruling on DAPA is finally rendered, UFCW members will either be ready to file for it or fight for it.

The UFCW is proud to accept this award and is committed to fighting for the rights of all hard-working men and women.

July 30, 2015

Make My Labor Day Sweepstakes for union members

Union members built this country, and our dedication keeps it running. To celebrate the folks that make America possible, Union Plus is bringing Labor Day back to its roots. It’s time to show our appreciation, and cook up a little fun in the process.

Union members should head to UnionPlus.org/Contest to vote for their favorite labor hero. In honor of our heritage, and to make Labor Day even more awesome, three union members who vote and enter will be rewarded with $500. Don’t wait too long to enter, because this sweepstakes ends Saturday, September 12, 2015.

Head to UnionPlus.org/Contest, and vote for one of these labor heroes!

• Cesar Chavez: Inspirational labor leader and co-founder of the United Farm Workers.
• Eugene V. Debs: Tireless labor leader who founded the Industrial Workers of the World (IWW).
• Samuel Gompers: First and longest-serving American Federation of Labor (AFL) president.
• Mary “Mother” Jones: Fearless organizer of Mine Workers once labeled “the most dangerous woman in America.”
• Lucy Parsons: Fought for workers’ rights during the oppressive industrial system of 19^th century Chicago.
• Frances Perkins: The first woman cabinet member who served as Secretary of Labor for 12 years.
• Philip Randolph: Organized the first predominantly black labor union, the Brotherhood of Sleeping Car Porters.
• Walter Reuther: Won unmatched benefits for workers as United Auto Workers president from 1946 to 1970.

Thanks for playing, and let’s make the best Monday ever even better.

 

 

July 15, 2015

President Perrone Speaks at Re-Introduction of the Schedules That Work Act

Washington, D.C. — Today, Marc Perrone, International President of the United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW), the largest private sector union in the nation, attended and spoke at the re-introduction of the Schedules That Work Act.

In his remarks, Perrone described how unfair work schedules put people at a disadvantage.

“Every day, in the interest of maximizing their bottom lines, companies use erratic and last minute scheduling to force people to work harder and longer and be unaware of their shift until the last moment,” Perrone said. “The impact of this is significant. American workers often have no choice but to be a prisoner to their job and this makes it impossible for men and women to adequately plan their lives and prepare for their futures. The Schedules That Work Act takes a meaningful step towards ensuring better work schedules and with it, better lives for workers and their families.”

For proof that providing workers with stable schedules makes a difference, Perrone was joined at the event by UFCW Local 400 member Paul Rickey.

“Thanks to a strong collective bargaining contract, throughout the years Paul has been able to both advance his career and be there for his family when they needed him most,” Perrone remarked. “The Schedules That Work Act will bring that same benefit to all hard working men and women across America, and I believe it should be a priority for this Congress and our President.”

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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

July 1, 2015

Take Part in a Great Cause and Join a Leukemia & Lymphoma Society Light the Night Walk

 

UFCW members all across the country are excited for the 2015 Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS) Light the Night Walks. We hope you will consider joining us this year at this great event.

Light the Night Walks happen in communities all across the country. During these evening walks, participants carry illuminated lanterns – white for survivors, red for supporters, and gold in memory of loved ones lost to blood cancer. The walks are inspirational and memorable for all involved.

Funds raised by your team will go towards discovering breakthrough therapies and cures for people suffering from blood cancers like Leukemia, Lymphoma, Hodgkin’s disease, and Myeloma.

This year, we have a Light the Night website just for the UFCW. As we begin to form our Light the Night Walk teams, please make sure to visit http://pages.lightthenight.org/2015/ufcw.

Here you can:

• Find a Light the Night Walk that is near you
• Register your Local Union’s Light the Night team
• Set up your team’s fundraising page

To get started, talk to your local to see if there is already a Light the Night team. If not, ask about forming one and make sure your local’s team is registered on the UFCW Light the Night page. After your team is registered, you can recruit walkers and send them to your team page to register.

The UFCW Light the Night website will track our fundraising progress as well as keep a list of the top-performing UFCW locals and fundraisers. So be sure to check it often.

For more information about the LLS, please visit www.LLS.org.

 

July 1, 2015

Support America, Support Unions–Your UFCW-Made Fourth of July Shopping List!

This Independence Day, aside from sporting red, white, and blue, show your patriotism by supporting union jobs. If you’re shopping for a 4th of July BBQ, we’ve got a handy shopping list full of products made by UFCW brothers and sisters across the country.

And if you have to run to the store on the 4th, be sure to shop union and thank the men and women who are working this holiday!

Drinks:

• Barq’s Rootbeer
• Coke products
• Sprite products
• Bud Light

Hot Dogs:

• Ball Park
• Boar’s Head
• Foster Farms
• Hebrew National
• Hofmann
• Oscar Mayer
• Hormel
• Nathan’s

Sausages:

• Gianelli
• Kroger Brand

Condiments and Buns:

• French’s and Guldens Mustard
• Heinz Ketchup and Catsup
• Sara Lee Buns

Ice Cream:

• Breyers
• Good Humor

 

June 23, 2015

President Perrone: “Passage of Fast Track is a Historic Bipartisan Failure”

Washington, D.C. — Today, Marc Perrone, International President of the United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW), the largest private sector union in the nation, released the following statement in response to the U.S. Senate invoking cloture on and moving towards passage of Trade Promotion Authority, also known as Fast Track.

“The passage of fast track is a historic bipartisan failure the American people will never forget. Instead of passing laws that will help create jobs and raise incomes, the President, along with many Republicans and Democrats, have proved that they have no regard for the concerns of hard-working men and women who will now lose their jobs or struggle to earn a good income.

“The President, and those members of Congress who voted for this legislation, must now live with the consequences of their actions. While they may choose to diminish our concerns, the passage of the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) will feed a spiral of despair of lower wages, lost jobs, and increased income inequality. History has proved this right, and sadly, it will prove it once again.

“The brutal truth is that the President and the Members of Congress who voted for Fast Track will not be the ones who pay the economic price of another bad trade deal; they will be fine. It is the countless number of workers who will wake up in the years ahead and realize the good job they had is gone, and the only choice they have now is to work at Walmart or McDonalds where they will barely make enough to survive.

“So, let me be very clear, we, and the American people will hold those Members of Congress, especially congressional leaders, who voted for Fast Track, and who may vote for TPP, accountable.  We will not forget this vote. We will expose, when the details are finally made public, the terrible impact that TPP will have on this nation. Above all, we will make sure that our 1.3 million members and their families know exactly who stood up for hard-working families and who did not.”

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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

June 23, 2015

President Perrone: U.S. Senators Should Stand with Hard-Working Families and Stop Stand-Alone Fast Track

Letter Sent to All Members of the U.S. Senate states: “This current stand-alone fast track bill is even worse for workers than the previous Senate bill you voted on a few weeks ago.” 

WASHINGTON, D.C. — In light of an expected vote on fast track in the U.S. Senate, Marc Perrone, International President of the 1.3 million member United Food and Commercial Workers International Union (UFCW), today released a letter to all 100 members of the U.S. Senate urging them to vote no on the stand-alone Trade Promotion Authority (TPA) bill, also known as fast track.

The letter makes clear what is at stake in this week’s vote: “The debate over fast track and the Trans Pacific Partnership (TPP) is not one defined by party or partisanship” he writes. “Nor is it about the President or his agenda. This debate is about whether or not our elected officials will stand with the millions of workers and hard-working families who oppose this trade deal because it is they – not those in Washington – who will ultimately bear the burden of its aftermath.”

In the letter, Perrone listed the many failures of the stand-alone TPA bill. “It gives no guarantee that workers who will lose their jobs and income due to unfair trade deals get assistance,” he writes. “Worse yet, this bill fails to address currency manipulation, climate change, human trafficking, or countries who refuse to play by the rules when it comes to labor standards.”

Perrone gives reasons why every Senator should vote no. “Simply put, no Democrat or Republican should be willing to cede their legislative responsibilities to President Obama, multinational corporations, or special interests and insiders who have negotiated this deal in secret,” he states.

“Instead of barreling towards another unfair trade deal that will fail America’s hard-working men and women, the Senate should slow down and work to pass a responsible bill that will truly protect our economy, our workers and their families,” the letter reads.

The letter from Perrone makes clear the ultimate responsibility that each Senator has to their constituents: “your constituents, our members, and the American people will remember who stood against this trade deal and who did not. For the sake of the better America we must all believe in, please do what is right for the hard-working families you have sworn to serve and vote no on fast track.”

The Senate letter is the latest action taken by the UFCW and its 1.3 million members to highlight the negative impact that TPA and TPP will have on the country. This week, for instance, UFCW is mobilizing its members in every state to reach out and convince their Senators to stop this stand-alone fast track bill.

The full letter from Marc Perrone is copied below.

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Dear Senator,

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 to oppose the stand-alone Trade Promotion Authority bill, also known as fast track.

The debate over fast track and the Trans Pacific Partnership (TPP) is not one defined by party or partisanship. Nor is it about the President or his agenda. This debate is about whether or not our elected officials will stand with the millions of workers and hard-working families who oppose this trade deal because it is they – not those in Washington – who will ultimately bear the burden of its aftermath.

This current stand-alone fast track bill is even worse for workers than the previous Senate bill you voted on a few weeks ago. It gives no guarantee that workers who will lose their jobs and income due to unfair trade deals get assistance. Worse yet, this bill fails to address currency manipulation, climate change, human trafficking, or countries who refuse to play by the rules when it comes to labor standards.

Simply put, no Democrat or Republican should be willing to cede their legislative responsibilities to President Obama, multinational corporations, or special interests and insiders who have negotiated this deal in secret.

While it is easy to rationalize that this trade deal will be different, the facts and history are quite clear. If TPP passes, we can expect more American workers will lose their jobs, more families will struggle, wages will be driven even lower and income inequality will worsen.

Instead of barreling towards another unfair trade deal that will fail America’s hard-working men and women, the Senate should slow down and work to pass a responsible bill that will truly protect our economy, our workers and their families.

Make no mistake, your constituents, our members, and the American people will remember who stood against this trade deal and who did not. For the sake of the better America we must all believe in, please do what is right for the hard-working families you have sworn to serve 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

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