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.