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News and Updates
Organizing
April 30, 2013
Union Women’s Summer School Registration Open Now!
Hey union ladies! Want to learn more about the labor movement, and how you can become a stronger leader?
You will learn about these, and much, much more by attending any of the three Union Women’s Summer School programs being offered this summer by The United Association for Labor Education!
Registration is now open for the three programs, each of which are offered on separate dates in different regions of the country.
The Northeast Regional Summer School for Union Women program, called “Raising our voices: Women’s Leadership for Democracy in our work, our country, and our world!“, will take place at the end of July. It will focus on strengthening the knowledge of union who have come together–rank and file members, officers, and staff–about the labor movement, in order to create better leadership skills.
The Western Regional Summer Institute for Union Women program, called “Women Emerging as Leaders” will take place in late June. This course also focuses on leadership skills and community work.
The third program, the Midwest/Southern Women’s School for Union Women will be held in mid August.
The workshops offered at all of these school programs are fantastic tools for women who are looking to get more involved in the labor movement–to protect workers rights and rebuild the middle class.
Go to http://bit.ly/Yhvunu now for more information and to download useful brochures. Register now to reserve your spot for this great opportunity!
April 9, 2013
UFCW President Hansen Statement on NLRB Nominations
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Joe Hansen, International President of the UFCW, today released the following statement after President Obama made three nominations to the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB).
“Senate Republicans have made a mockery of their constitutional responsibility to advise and consent on nominations to the NLRB. Senator Lindsey Graham says the Board is out of control but it is his caucus that has made obstruction an art form. President Obama could nominate Mitch McConnell to the NLRB and Senate Republicans would still likely block him. Their motive is clear—they do not believe in the right to organize and resent that the agency charged with protecting workers is actually doing its job. Later this week, House Republicans will go a step further and consider a disgraceful bill to shut down the Board all together. The Senate now has before it a full package of nominees to the NLRB. It is time for Republicans to put ideology aside, do their job, and allow for prompt consideration. America’s workers deserve nothing less.”
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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.
April 4, 2013
Keany Produce Drivers Say ‘Yes” to a Union Voice with UFCW Local 400
Keany Produce drivers in Landover, Md. overwhelmingly voted to join UFCW Local 400.
On Friday, March 29, Keany Produce drivers stood up for their rights, living standards, safety, and health and retirement security by voting overwhelmingly for representation by UFCW Local 400.
After years of frustration over low pay, inadequate benefits, inconsistent hours, and unfair treatment, many of the 140 drivers decided they needed to empower themselves through collective bargaining. After an intensive, months-long, worker-led organizing drive, they won in a landslide.
“Divided we fall, united we stand,” said Terrance Helm, a Keany Produce driver who spearheaded the organizing effort. “It’s been a collective effort and we all came together.”
“I love my co-workers,” he said. “I have such an appreciation for all the hard work and the sacrifices they’ve made, and the strength they showed in standing up to management.”
Today, in the wake of their victory, morale among the workers is at an all-time high, Helm observed, and they are looking forward to sitting down across the bargaining table with management.
“We’re here to fight until the end,” he said.
Keany Produce is a wholesale produce distributor located in Landover, Md.
February 26, 2013
UFCW Medical Cannabis Members Attend National Conference to Educate Members of Congress
UFCW members in the medical cannabis industry discussed strategies to protect workers at the National Unity Cannabis Conference.
UFCW members in the medical cannabis industry from Locals 5 and 770, along with medical cannabis staff from UFCW Locals 7 and 881, gathered in Washington, D.C., to share ideas with other medical cannabis activists at the first National Unity Cannabis Conference.
The conference featured medical and legal experts, elected officials, as well as seasoned advocates from the U.S. and overseas. It was an opportunity for UFCW members to discuss Labor’s role in the medical cannabis industry and how to develop strategies that protect the interests of workers as the industry continues to grow.
Today, 18 states and the District of Columbia allow legal access to medical marijuana for over one million Americans whose doctors have recommended it. In those states, UFCW members work in accordance with state laws to provide safe access to medical treatment for qualifying patients.
UFCW members ended the conference on Monday with lobby visits on Capitol Hill to educate their representatives in Congress about the impact of the conflict between state and federal medical laws on workers’ job security. They also urged the representatives to support proposed legislations HR 710 and HR 689 designed to provide for the rescheduling of medical marijuana and for an affirmative defense for the medical use of medical marijuana.
“The conference was very helpful to us,” said Jeff Jones, a UFCW Local 5 member who works at the Patient ID Center in Oakland, Calif. “UFCW members have a lot of work to do to educate Congress about the challenges that we face as workers in the medical marijuana industry.”
“Our goal is to give them the dignity that their sincerity deserves,” said Dan Rush, director of the medical cannabis and hemp division of the UFCW, in regards to workers in the medical cannabis industry. He added, as noted in a Bloomberg article, that “this is a growth industry, and people are looking for jobs.”
May 18, 2012
Raley’s Nob Hill Division UFCW Local 5 Members Authorize Strike by 96%
(San Jose, CA) – United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW) Local 5 membersworking for Raley’s Nob Hill division have voted by a 96% margin toauthorize a strike.
Coming on the heels of Raley’s threat to submit a last, best and final offerto the union on April 30, Local 5 immediately set up meetings throughout itsjurisdiction to hold strike vote meetings. Members attended in large numbersand authorized the union’s bargaining committee to call a strike.
Subsequent to Raley’s move to scuttle bargaining the parties agreed to enterfederal mediation.
“”Raley’s actions led the union to call a strike vote in the Nob Hilldivision. When a company threatens to submit a last, best and final offer itsets off a sequence of events that inevitably lead to either accepting aterrible offer or a strike. Both options are bad, but since we alreadycancelled one strike vote in a sign of good faith to further bargaining, weweren’t going to cancel this one. This overwhelming vote will send a strongmessage to the company and hopefully move negotiations to a successfulconclusion,”” stated Ron Lind, President UFCW Local 5.
Negotiations resume with Raley’s-Nob Hill on May 18 under the auspices ofthe Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service in Oakland.
May 16, 2012
Statement on the Supreme Court
(Washington, DC) – UFCW International President Joseph Hansen released the following statement:
“A sharply divided Supreme Court closed the door on millions of women working at Walmart today and overturned 40 years of legal precedence in discrimination cases. In a 5-4 decision, the court ruled that Walmart’s written general discrimination policy was proof enough to overturn a lower court’s determination that Walmart women could join together to address widespread gender discrimination claims as a class. This decision does not make any ruling on the merits of the women’s discrimination claims.
“Today’s decision is deeply disturbing. The highest court in our nation has turned its back on collective remedy for workers facing widespread injustices. The UFCW will continue to demand accountability from Walmart to its workers who deserve fair treatment, fair pay and respect on the job.
“Last week, thousands of Walmart workers announced the Organization United for Respect at Walmart because workers know that they are stronger as a group. Employers like Walmart have long attempted to isolate workers and prevent them from solving problems together. This decision will not stop workers from joining together, through collective action, or prevent them from continuing to pursue their individual claims against Walmart.
The UFCW believes that Walmart is not too big for justice and will continue to hold Walmart to fair workplace standards. Its 1.4 million associates deserve better.”
Making Change at Walmart seeks to promote the American values of equality, dignity and respect in the workplace. The campaign is making change by working directly with Walmart Associates to claim the respect on the job they deserve, holding Walmart corporate managers accountable to hourly employees and the public for their practices and joining with community leaders in major cities across America to make sure that any new jobs offered by Walmart meet strong standards for healthy, growing communities.
May 15, 2012
UFCW PRESIDENT JOE HANSEN DECRIES JUDGE
WASHINGTON, D.C.Joe Hansen, International President of the United Food and Commercial Workers International Union (UFCW) and Chair of Change to Win, today released the following statement decrying a federal judges decision striking down a National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) rule updating and streamlining union election procedures.
This wrongheaded decision is based solely on technical grounds related to the NLRBs internal procedures and not the merits of the rule, which remain sound. The rule seeks only to protect workers right to a fair and timely election. I call on the NLRB to take the steps necessary to remove this procedural roadblock and restore the rule as soon as possible.
April 24, 2012
UFCW PRESIDENT JOE HANSEN ON DEFEAT OF ANTI-WORKER RESOLUTION IN SENATE
WASHINGTON, D.C.-Joe Hansen, International President of the United Food and Commercial Workers International Union (UFCW) and Chair of Change to Win, today released the following statement after the Senate defeated a resolution by Senator Mike Enzi (R-WY) that would have overturned a National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) rule streamlining the voting process for workers to form unions.
I am pleased that the Senate defeated this transparently anti-worker resolution. Senator Enzi and his allies have a clear goal in mind: to legislate unions out of existence. Its no different than what is being done by Governor Scott Walker in Wisconsin and the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC) at statehouses across the country. This NLRB rule is a modest step toward improving the rights of workers to organize. It will help eliminate some of the unnecessary delays and frivolous lawsuits that prevent workers from receiving a fair and timely election. But make no mistake, the NLRB union election process still overwhelmingly favors employers who control workers’ schedules and opportunities for raises and promotions. Majority sign-up, binding arbitration, and true employer neutrality are all still needed to make the system even remotely fair. With this charade over, it is time for the Senate to get to work creating jobs and opportunity for the American people.
April 18, 2012
Statement from UFCW International President Joe Hansen on Final NLRB Election Rule
(Washington, D.C.) — Joe Hansen, International President of the United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW) Union, today released the following statement after the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) approved a final rule to modernize the union election process.
“”This NLRB rule is a modest but important first step toward ensuring a level playing field for workers in the union election process. Preventing unnecessary delays and frivolous litigation means less time for employers to intimidate, harass, and in some cases fire pro-union employees. Every worker has the right to decide whether he or she wants a union, free of interference.
“Now it is time for the Senate to confirm President Obama’s nominees to the NLRB. Leaving the Board short of a quorum in 2012 is unacceptable.”
December 1, 2011
Statement from UFCW International President Joe Hansen on NLRB Election Rule
(Washington, D.C.) — Joe Hansen, International President of the United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW) Union, today released the following statement after the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) took a step toward approving a final rule to modernize the union election process and House Republicans passed legislation to block that rule.
“”The NLRBs proposed rule to streamline the vote for union representation would be a modest but important first step toward fixing a broken process that favors CEOs over workers. Justice delayed is justice denied, and that is too often the case for workers that file a union election petition. Many employers delay, delay, and delay some more through frivolous litigation and other procedural tactics. They use this time to intimidate, harass, and in some cases fire pro-union employees. The result is an unfair election or no election at all. This proposed rule would ensure that when a majority of workers want to have a voice on the job, they will be able to do so, free of interference.
“”With the rule not even finalized, House Republicans have continued their assault on workers by passing legislation to block it. It is the latest act by a party more committed to denying the rights of workers to stick together than fixing the economy and creating jobs. Like the rest of the extreme anti-worker measures passed by the House, we expect this one will be given a quick death in the Senate.
“Union contracts offer the best opportunity for stable, middle-class jobs. The NLRB is charged with protecting the right of every American to bargain for a better life. This proposed rule would do just that. It should be adopted.””