January 21, 2016

At MLK Conference, UFCW Plays Large Role in Fighting for Justice

The AFL-CIO held its annual Martin Luther King (MLK) Conference last week in Washington, D.C., where UFCW members from across the country attended and participated. The conference, titled “Change The Rules, Be The Power,” revolved around organizing, politics, and other issues, openly discussing race, and activism — including the in-the-neighborhoods activism by its 1,000 delegates. At least one speaker urged the federation to openly endorse and back the Black Lives Matter movement, which has pushed the discussion about racial justice to the forefront of U.S. consciousness. A special AFL-CIO race and justice commission, co-chaired by UFCW International President Marc Perrone, is holding a series of hearings nationwide to get that discussion going.

The MLK Conference also covered issues ranging from ending mass incarceration of minorities and immigrants, to the looming U.S. Supreme Court ruling that would make every state and local government a right-to-work fiefdom. One speaker noted that the right-to-work ruling would disproportionately harm minorities and women.

The conference’s big secondary theme was the need to greatly increase organizing, both by the labor movement and its allies (faith groups, community groups, women’s groups, civil rights groups, environmentalists and others) in order to increase membership and supporters and marshal resources and people to call out and fight against the issues that would harm hard-working men and women in the 2016 election and beyond.

The conference agenda was packed with incredible speakers from union presidents, to community activists, representatives from worker centers, young workers and more. UFCW Executive Vice President Esther Lopez was honored with the distinguished “At The River I Stand” Award at the Sunday night awards dinner. During the conference, UFCW activists participated in many dynamic plenaries, workshops sessions, awards, events and community service projects. Some of the community service projects included cleaning the homes of senior citizens and preparing meal kits and food bags at food pantries. The conference ended on Monday with conference participants joining community members from Ward 8 in Washington, D.C. for their MLK parade.

 

 

January 15, 2016

Alabama RWDSU Rep. Helps Rescue, Reunite Family

This article was originally published by ABC 33/40

A family swept away by floodwaters on Christmas Day got the chance to reunite with the Good Samaritan who helped them to safety. This month, they met at the Retail, Wholesale and Department Store Union Hall in Birmingham with smiles and hugs.

The last time Curtis Gray, who works at RWDSU Mid-South Council, met the Miller family they were on Sweeney Hollow Road in Pinson, Alabama around 5:30pm in the pouring rain with rising flood waters December 25th. Gray was headed home and the Millers to a family gathering.

Rickey Miller had just gotten out of his vehicle to check and see if the road was passable when he yelled to his family to get out; the water was rising too fast. But it was too late and the vehicle was swept into the creek.”I was hysterical. I thought I had lost them,” explained Miller.

Curtis Gray had also stopped along the road a ways back. “Next thing I know, a car come floating down,” said Gray. He got out and first saw Miller’s daughter Faith. “She was screaming help me, help me!” Gray, who says he is not a swimmer, directed her back to the bank where the water was shallower and helped her out. Then Rickey Miller made it out of the creek and they saw his son Ryan surface.

“The car was nose down in ditch and he popped up. We told him to hang on and stay there.” Neighbors on the other side got a rope and helped him to safety. Gray said he had to convince Miller not to go back in the rushing flood waters. It was too dangerous. His wife Jamie was still missing at this point. “The little girl looked at me and said I’m not worried Dad. Mom’s going to be okay,” recalled Gray.

By this time, rescue crews were arriving. Grey walked about fifty feet looking around and heard her faint cries. He spotted Jamie Miller still in the frigid waters hanging onto a branch. They estimate the water was round eight feet deep. Gray alerted firefighters who were able to pull her out. She has a broken collarbone and plenty of bruises, but is otherwise okay.

After their harrowing night, the Millers spent their Christmas night in the emergency room. “We were alive, that was enough Christmas for us to be alive and together,” said Rickey Miller.

They drove from their home in Blount County to thank Gray personally for coming to their rescue giving him a card and gift card.

“I’m just happy God put me in that position to help them out,” said Gray. Both he and the Millers say they have a renewed respect now for those weather watches and warnings. They pledge to stay home when the weather is rough and take no chances. Gray said he’s seen video on the news before of cars and homes being swept away and never dreamed he would see such a thing first hand.

January 15, 2016

Alabama RWDSU/UFCW Rep. Helps Rescue, Reunite Family

This article was originally published by ABC 33/40

A family swept away by floodwaters on Christmas Day got the chance to reunite with the Good Samaritan who helped them to safety. This month, they met at the Retail, Wholesale and Department Store Union Hall in Birmingham with smiles and hugs.

The last time Curtis Gray, who works at RWDSU/UFCW Mid-South Council, met the Miller family they were on Sweeney Hollow Road in Pinson, Alabama around 5:30pm in the pouring rain with rising flood waters December 25th. Gray was headed home and the Millers to a family gathering.

Rickey Miller had just gotten out of his vehicle to check and see if the road was passable when he yelled to his family to get out; the water was rising too fast. But it was too late and the vehicle was swept into the creek.”I was hysterical. I thought I had lost them,” explained Miller.

Curtis Gray had also stopped along the road a ways back. “Next thing I know, a car come floating down,” said Gray. He got out and first saw Miller’s daughter Faith. “She was screaming help me, help me!” Gray, who says he is not a swimmer, directed her back to the bank where the water was shallower and helped her out. Then Rickey Miller made it out of the creek and they saw his son Ryan surface.

“The car was nose down in ditch and he popped up. We told him to hang on and stay there.” Neighbors on the other side got a rope and helped him to safety. Gray said he had to convince Miller not to go back in the rushing flood waters. It was too dangerous. His wife Jamie was still missing at this point. “The little girl looked at me and said I’m not worried Dad. Mom’s going to be okay,” recalled Gray.

By this time, rescue crews were arriving. Grey walked about fifty feet looking around and heard her faint cries. He spotted Jamie Miller still in the frigid waters hanging onto a branch. They estimate the water was round eight feet deep. Gray alerted firefighters who were able to pull her out. She has a broken collarbone and plenty of bruises, but is otherwise okay.

After their harrowing night, the Millers spent their Christmas night in the emergency room. “We were alive, that was enough Christmas for us to be alive and together,” said Rickey Miller.

They drove from their home in Blount County to thank Gray personally for coming to their rescue giving him a card and gift card.

“I’m just happy God put me in that position to help them out,” said Gray. Both he and the Millers say they have a renewed respect now for those weather watches and warnings. They pledge to stay home when the weather is rough and take no chances. Gray said he’s seen video on the news before of cars and homes being swept away and never dreamed he would see such a thing first hand.

January 14, 2016

UFCW 227 Members Advocate for Workers During “We Are Kentuckians Rally”

UFCW 227 members joined allies and friends in the Kentucky State Capitol on January 5 at the “We Are Kentuckians Rally” for the first day of the legislative session. During the rally, members joined activists from the faith, racial justice, voting rights, environmental rights and LGBTQ communities to share their ideas and visions to help create a better future for working Kentuckians and their families. Kentucky’s new Tea Party Governor Matt Bevin has already made national news by reducing the minimum wage for state workers. He is also revoking the voting rights of almost 200,000 Kentuckians who are convicted felons, but have served their time and are looking to be productive members of society.

 

January 12, 2016

UFCW Endorses Hillary Clinton For President

UFCW HIGHLIGHTS LENGTHY MEMBER DRIVEN ENDORSEMENT PROCESS IN ORDER TO SELECT STRONGEST 2016 CANDIDATE

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Since last year, the United Food and Commercial Workers Union (UFCW), the largest private sector union in the nation, has actively engaged and reached out to its 1.3 million diverse members about the issues they care about, and the positions they believe the next President of the United States should embody. Based on the collective opinion of our members, the UFCW is announcing today its endorsement of Hillary Clinton for President of the United States.

Today’s announcement reflects a yearlong commitment made by the UFCW to pursue a thorough presidential endorsement process. As part of this effort, the UFCW conducted a series of nationwide meetings with current members and Local UFCW officers, internal polls of our union members, as well as focus groups with working and middle class non-union families from across the country who currently work or have worked in retail, to determine the issues that matter most to UFCW members and the workers the UFCW fights for every day.

Based on these results, as well as additional discussions with UFCW Local Presidents and the UFCW Executive Board, the collective decision was that Hillary Clinton is indeed the best qualified and positioned candidate to win in 2016 and fight for the issues – such as job security, fair scheduling, paid leave, raising wages, immigration and health care reform – that matter most to our diverse union family.

Marc Perrone, International President of the UFCW, released the following statement about the endorsement of Hillary Clinton.

“For our union family, the 2016 Presidential election is about electing someone who will fight every single day for the issues that matter most to our 1.3 million hard-working members and their families. And, as one of the most diverse unions in the nation, we believe it is critical to select a candidate who is not just ready to be President, but who best understands that the strength of this nation is our unity and diversity.

“It is our members’ strong belief that Hillary Clinton is not just the strongest presidential candidate, but the right one. By working together, we believe our incredible members can help Secretary Clinton create the better America that our union family and all middle- and working-class families have earned and deserve.

“We announce this endorsement with the full belief that the frustrations felt by the American people are real, and that they deserve an America where better wages and better benefits are enjoyed by all who help make this nation great.

“For us, these incredible retail and non-retail workers, who help feed and serve this nation, deserve a president like Hillary Clinton who will fight to make sure that paid leave, stable schedules, and higher wages become more than an election promise – they’ll become a reality.

“We would like to thank our members for their input, and are proud to have taken the time to make a thoughtful decision about this presidential endorsement. These decisions are always difficult, especially when we have good and committed candidates who have dedicated their lives to fighting for America’s families.

“To Sen. Sanders and Gov. O’Malley, we would like to thank them and acknowledge their passion and commitment to the better America we all believe in. Their voices have made a difference in this race, and we hope they will continue to speak out for the issues that Secretary Clinton and all our families care about.

“Looking ahead to the fall, we are dedicated to mobilizing all our 1.3 million members across every state to help make Hillary Clinton the next President of the United States.”

January 7, 2016

UFCW Members Weigh in on What Issues They Want Addressed in Pres. Obama’s Final SOTU

via whitehouse.gov

President Obama’s final State of the Union is Tuesday evening. We asked you what issues you want addressed, or what you’d like to hear President Obama mention in the #SOTU16. Here’s what you said:

Rebuilding the Middle Class:

“How is the middle class going to get back to being middle and not lower?”

“Income inequality. Wall Street and banks are destroying the economy except for themselves. Homelessness. Immigration. People need to care.”

Trade:

“That he is going to VETO TPP!”

“Fair trade. Stop the TPP #SOTU16”

Healthcare:

“Making sure we keep Obamacare”

 

Student Debt:

“Student loan crisis for the older millennials–out of college for nearly a decade and crushed by debt.”

Raising the Minimum Wage:

“Wage increase across the board. People are getting screwed!!”

“$15/hr for ALL working people”

Paid Sick and Family Leave:

“Sick pay for all workers”

 

Many of you also noted that you want to hear about immigration, the cost of childcare, gun control, and counter-terrorism.

 

Here’s more of what some of our UFCW family is concerned about:

“1) Something that will lay the groundwork for future economic reforms 2) Something condemning Citizens United 3) Pride in his recent stances on gun control & environmental issues 4) A recap of his many accomplishments while in office 5)thanks or recognition to his base because we stand strong while taking a thrashing from the right wing everyday. We deserve to be proud of our President!”

“TPP; paid family leave and childcare costs; gun control”

“Break up the banks; labor law reform; minimum wage; student debt; expand Social Security”

“What can the economy look forward to in 2016 for pay wages and employment opportunities and help going back to school whether it’s an high school education or going to or returning to college”

Tune in Tuesday night to hear President Obama’s #SOTU16. We hope to hear aout comprehensive plans for all of these issues and more, as we continue to fight to make our union stronger.