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January 30, 2014

Members Can Share Their Stories, Commemorate Black History Month

CSC_2317The UFCW is proud to continue its yearly tradition of commemorating Black History Month each February. UFCW members have been at the forefront of a movement fighting for civil rights and equality, and justice for workers everywhere.

To continue that tradition, the UFCW is collecting stories from members and local unions that illustrate Black History Month by celebrating vicotries and heros of the fight for equality.

Submissions can include stories about UFCW members, staff members, politicians or civil rights leaders who deserve to be honored during Black History Month. Any stories about local unions, past or present, that showcase the fight for equality and the power of a union are welcomed as well.

Members and local union staff can send their stories, photos, suggestions or thoughts to submissions@ufcw.org to possibly be featured on the UFCW website, or can submit them to our ‘share your story‘ form.

January 29, 2014

SOTU Recap

Barack ObamaPresident Obama delivered the State of the Union on Tuesday night, addressing a number of concerns submitted to us throughout the week by UFCW members. Here are highlights from his address:

“Today, the federal minimum wage is worth about twenty percent less than it was when Ronald Reagan first stood here.  Tom Harkin and George Miller have a bill to fix that by lifting the minimum wage to $10.10.  This will help families.  It will give businesses customers with more money to spend.  It doesn’t involve any new bureaucratic program.  So join the rest of the country.  Say yes.  Give America a raise.”

Along with issuing an executive order that creates a $10.10 minimum wage for federal contractors, President Obama called on Congress to pass the Harkin-Miller bill which would raise the federal minimum wage to $10.10, index it to inflation, and ensure no one who works full-time in America lives in poverty.

“Citizenship means standing up for everyone’s right to vote.  Last year, part of the Voting Rights Act was weakened.  But conservative Republicans and liberal Democrats are working together to strengthen it; and the bipartisan commission I appointed last year has offered reforms so that no one has to wait more than a half hour to vote.  Let’s support these efforts.  It should be the power of our vote, not the size of our bank account, that drives our democracy.”

Every single American has the right to vote, but being forced to wait hours to exercise this right is unfair and wrong. President Obama’s bipartisan voting commission has and will continue to take steps towards making sure every eligible voter can access the polls.

“I’m also convinced we can help Americans return to the workforce faster by reforming unemployment insurance so that it’s more effective in today’s economy.  But first, this Congress needs to restore the unemployment insurance you just let expire for 1.6 million people.”

Millions of Americans are still without a job and struggling to make ends meet. President Obama called for the restoration of unemployment insurance because it is simply wrong to cut off assistance to people who lost their job through no fault of their own.

“Finally, if we are serious about economic growth, it is time to heed the call of business leaders, labor leaders, faith leaders, and law enforcement – and fix our broken immigration system.

President Obama, along with most Americans and the UFCW believe that aspiring Americans should be allowed to step out of the shadows and onto a fair path to citizenship.

The State of the Union made it clear that President Obama wants to assist Americans who have not yet seen or felt a full recovery from the Great Recession. It is time for Congress to do their part to help working families find the success they deserve in 2014.

January 28, 2014

UFCW Statement in Response to Hearing on ACA Employer Mandate

UFCWnewsWASHINGTON, D.C. —The United Food and Commercial Workers International Union (UFCW) today released the following statement in response to a House Ways and Means Committee hearing on the Affordable Care Act’s (ACA) employer mandate and its impact on workers’ hours.

“The UFCW appreciates that the House Ways and Means Committee is exploring the very real problem of employers cutting workers’ hours in response to the ACA. However, both the Forty Hours is Full Time Act and the Save American Workers Act are good sounding names for bad policy. Instead of eliminating the incentive for reducing workers’ hours, these bills would make the problem worse by allowing companies to get off scot free for failing to cover those who work between 30 and 39 hours a week—including many UFCW members in the retail industry. This is not about protecting workers—it’s about appeasing large employers that want to avoid paying their fair share for health care. An analysis by the UC Berkeley Center for Labor Research and Education found that this approach would put three times as many workers in danger of having their hours cut. For these workers, fewer hours means less money to support their families. There is a better way forward. The House should pass Congresswoman Jan Schakowsky’s Part-Time Worker Bill of Rights which would amend the ACA to impose a pro-rated penalty on employers who do not provide health care to part-timers. This would effectively end the incentive for cutting hours.”

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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.

January 28, 2014

UFCW Statement in Response to Hearing on ACA Employer Mandate

UFCWnewsWASHINGTON, D.C. —The United Food and Commercial Workers International Union (UFCW) today released the following statement in response to a House Ways and Means Committee hearing on the Affordable Care Act’s (ACA) employer mandate and its impact on workers’ hours.  
“The UFCW appreciates that the House Ways and Means Committee is exploring the very real problem of employers cutting workers’ hours in response to the ACA. However, both the Forty Hours is Full Time Act and the Save American Workers Act are good sounding names for bad policy. Instead of eliminating the incentive for reducing workers’ hours, these bills would make the problem worse by allowing companies to get off scot free for failing to cover those who work between 30 and 39 hours a week—including many UFCW members in the retail industry. This is not about protecting workers—it’s about appeasing large employers that want to avoid paying their fair share for health care. An analysis by the UC Berkeley Center for Labor Research and Education found that this approach would put three times as many workers in danger of having their hours cut. For these workers, fewer hours means less money to support their families. There is a better way forward. The House should pass Congresswoman Jan Schakowsky’s Part-Time Worker Bill of Rights which would amend the ACA to impose a pro-rated penalty on employers who do not provide health care to part-timers. This would effectively end the incentive for cutting hours.”
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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.
January 28, 2014

Labor Movement Mourns Loss of Activist Folk Singer Pete Seeger

1689247_711552288875726_988188916_nToday we are saddened to hear the news of the passing of folk singer and songwriter Pete Seeger, who was an activist with a profound impact on the labor movement.

Over the last few decades, Mr. Seeger took part in hundreds of rallys in support of various labor unions and the civil rights movement, often entertaining them with his music as well.

Mr. Seeger’s involvement with unions dates back to the time in the 1940’s when he worked with the Congress of Industrial Organizations. Aside from his participation in rallys to support labor, he has also teamed up with the likes of Woody Guthrie to record songs like “The Talking Union Blues”, which were often performed during strikes and other union events.

Through his music, Mr. Seeger believed he could bring people together to create change and solve issues. In the past, he was quoted as saying, “We have problems that still need to be solved today, like corporations running the country.” Many today believe that his songs did just that–unite people under a common cause that might not have joined together otherwise. He had a gift that was able to speak to rank and file union members, no matter what issue they were currently dealing with.

Pete Seeger will surely be missed by all those continuing to work for workers rights, but his music will always be here to remind us that when we stand together, we are strong.

Click here for more info.

 

 

January 23, 2014

Member Spotlight: Mechelle Cunningham

In this week’s member spotlight, we’re highlighting the story of another longtime UFCW member, who like last week’s spotlight member, is also from West Virginia.

Local 23 member Mechelle Cunningham caught our attention when we saw how she spearheaded a collection drive at her workplace–Giant Eagle in Morgantown, West Virginia. After hearing about a friend who had donated some water and that trucks were bringing water to people in her state who were affected by the chemical spill in and around Charleston, WV, Mechelle looked at the 3 pallets of water on the store floor in front of her and told her manager she wanted to purchase them and have them removed from the store floor. Her manager, knowing the cost was around $560 dollars, said, “Today?” Mechelle’s response was automatic.

Local 23 members Robin Gable, Teresa Policicchio, Mechelle Cunningham, and Anna Sisler.

Local 23 members Robin Gable, Teresa Policicchio, Mechelle Cunningham, and Anna Sisler.

“I didn’t think about the price–I just knew that my fellow employees would gather together to purchase that water to send down there. I told her that one way or another we’d get the money, and we did!” Together, Mechelle, her fellow union members, and other members of the community were able to send 17 pallets of water to those in need.

For Mechelle, being a union member means “standing up for your rights, and helping one another”. When talking with Mechelle, its clear that the ‘helping one another’ part is big for her, as demonstrated by her role in the donation of the water pallets: “We all really help one another and donate for different causes and support each other, and especially with something that large for our community, you know, people not having water–that’s a main thing, you have to have that.”

Mechelle is coming up on her 40th year as a UFCW member and has experienced first-hand how being in a union means there’s always someone there to help–“to back you and support you”.  Mechelle finds that oftentimes, many people don’t know about the union, and until they sit down and talk about it, don’t fully understand what it is. “I just have such a strong belief in the union,” says Mechelle, which is why she helps spread the word at work about how people–often younger members who haven’t been through strikes for better working conditions like she has–can protect their rights. By sharing her own experiences as a union member, and how it has helped her, she finds that she is helping them understand, even when there isn’t something currently happening.

Active community members like Mechelle inspire us every day. Do you know a UFCW member whose story we could share? Tell us about them at http://www.ufcw.org/resources/members/share-your-story/

 

January 23, 2014

Appy Now for the Union Plus Scholarship!

UnionPlus Logo LargeThe deadline to apply for a Union Plus scholarship is quickly approaching. There are nine days left for union members and their families to submit their applications for a Union Plus scholarship, ranging from $500 to $4,000.

Applications, including essays and a reference letter, must be submitted by Friday, January 31 at 12pm EST.

Union Plus provides $150,000 in scholarships annually to retired or active members who belong to a union participating in any of the Union Plus programs. Spouses and dependent children (as defined by the IRS) are also eligible. For more information about eligibility and how to apply, or to learn more about the Union Plus Scholarship, please visit: UnionPlus.org/Scholarship

January 22, 2014

What’s the State of Your Union?

US Capitol tourism destinationsPresident Obama will be making his fifth State of the Union address this Tuesday, January 8th.

The past few years have shown progress, but too many Americans have yet to see the economic recovery that they deserve.

Working class families are being attacked from all sides. Increasing levels of income inequality are threatening their economic mobility. No rights at work laws are weakening the basic right of workers to stick together. Cuts to jobless benefits and food stamp programs are forcing people who were already struggling to somehow live on even less.

President Obama is expected to touch on these issues and more in his State of the Union address – as he should.

There is a growing realization in America that the income gap has grown to unacceptable proportions. This did not happen overnight. For decades, groups like the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC) have carried water for large corporations and special interests by promoting and passing bills that oppose minimum wage standards and anti-poverty programs.

Working people across the country are tired of being denied their fair share and they’re fighting back. Legislation and referendums seeking to raise the minimum wage have been promoted and passed in multiple states.

There is also hope within both sides of the U.S. Congress that the Harkin-Miller bill, a piece of federal legislation which would raise the minimum wage to $10.10 per hour and index it to inflation, will be considered in the coming year.

Along with policies to help reverse the rising tide of economic disparity, President Obama is expected to renew the push for common sense immigration reform with a pathway to citizenship. A majority of Americans continue to agree that the time is now for comprehensive immigration reform – may 2014 be the year both chambers listen.

What would you like to see discussed in the State of the Union Address? What issues are affecting the state of your union?

Let us know by posting on our facebook page or filling out this online form with the hashtag #MySOTU.

We’ll read your responses and post them on the blog next week before the President’s State of the Union Address. We’ll also tweet some of your responses at President Obama to remind him what working people are saying.

January 22, 2014

UFCW Launches GOLD Internship

Across the country, many young UFCW members have expressed interest in becoming more active within the labor movement.

These are members who believe in the power of sticking together and want to improve workplace conditions beyond their own store or plant. UFCW has created the GOLD internship program with these members in mind.

The GOLD internship program will provide participants with the opportunity to learn and develop new talents.

They will be assigned a project within one of five areas: Legislative and Political Action, Organizing, Collective Bargaining, Civil Rights, and Health and Safety.

The GOLD internship program will be substantive – participants will be involved with critical UFCW projects. The experience will leave GOLD internship graduates with the necessary skills to become future union leaders and activists.

Participants will be paid throughout the internship. Housing and travel costs will also be provided.

Are you interested in being a part of GOLD?

• Rank and file members only

• 40 interns will be accepted in the first year

• All members are committed to the one week education (Phase I) portion of the program. Depending on evaluation, each member could then be invited to participate in a four week (Phase II) action project.

• Local President and Region Director approval is required

• Must apply online by April 1, 2014

• A short essay is required

GOLD Internship Application

For more information please visit: www.goldufcw.org

January 22, 2014

UFCW Launches GOLD Internship

Young WorkersAcross the country, many young UFCW members have expressed interest in becoming more active within the labor movement.

These are members who believe in the power of sticking together and want to improve workplace conditions beyond their own store or plant. UFCW has created the GOLD internship program with these members in mind.

The GOLD internship program will provide participants with the opportunity to learn and develop new talents.

They will be assigned a project within one of five areas: Legislative and Political Action, Organizing, Collective Bargaining, Civil Rights, and Health and Safety.

The GOLD internship program will be substantive – participants will be involved with critical UFCW projects. The experience will leave GOLD internship graduates with the necessary skills to become future union leaders and activists.

Applicants must be able to participate in a five-week summer program.

Participants will be paid throughout the internship. Housing and travel costs will also be provided.

Are you interested in being a part of GOLD?

• Rank and file members only

• 40 interns will be accepted in the first year

• All members are committed to the one week education (Phase I) portion of the program.

• Local President and Region Director approval is required

• Must apply online by April 1, 2014

• A short essay is required

 

For more information or to apply please visit: www.goldufcw.org