March, 2007

Constituency Groups, Press Releases, UFCW Values, United Latinos

DECLARACI

Mar 12, 2007

Washington, D.C.—Los derechos de los inmigrantes son de los trabajadores.

Miles de personas están participando en demostraciones en el país hoy para demandar una reforma racional y comprensiva de la política migratoria de los Estados Unidos.

La UFCW ha estado luchando por décadas para organizar, representar y mejorar los sueldos y condiciones de trabajo para los trabajadores inmigrantes. Algunas de las primeras industrias que utilizaron la mano de obra de inmigrantes fueron las del empaquetado de carne y del procesamiento de alimentos. Por hecho, la UFCW ha estado metida en esta lucha por cien años.

Los Estados Unidos no tiene una política migratoria que es racional. En realidad, la política de inmigración ha sido privatizada. Empleadores importan y explotan los trabajadores inmigrantes, demostrando poco respeto por la ley federal o las agencias federales encargadas con la ejecución de la ley.

Las cuestiones de inmigración en los Estados Unidos son parte de una tendencia global—la explotación general de la mano de obra. Como parte de su búsqueda para el grupo de trabajadores más explotables, corporaciones exportan trabajos—e importan trabajadores para crear un grupo de trabajadores explotables acá en nuestro propio país.

Una población de trabajadores que viven y trabajan sin derechos existe como consecuencia de la falta de estándares firmes y ejecutables en la política migratoria estadounidense. Estos trabajadores pueden ser reclutados, importados, explotados y dispuestos.

La criminalización de los inmigrantes de los Estados Unidos para remediar el fracaso de la política migratoria estadounidense—como está propuesto en H.R. 4437—es inmoral e hipócrita.

La reforma de la política migratoria tiene que ser comprensiva. Una política migratoria que es constructiva legalizaría los millones de trabajadores inmigrantes que ya están contribuyendo a nuestra economía y sociedad, a la vez que protegería los salarios y condiciones de trabajo de todos los trabajadores—algo menos que eso lastima a todos los trabajadores.

Para mayores informes contacte press@ufcw.org

Constituency Groups, Economic Justice, Minority Coalition, Press Releases, UFCW Values, Workplace Safety & Health

UFCW STATEMENT ON NAACP ENDORSEMENT OF EMPLOYEE FREE CHOICE ACT

Mar 06, 2007

(Washington, DC) – The United Food and Commercial Workers International Union applauds the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People’s (NAACP) endorsement of the Employee Free Choice Act.

As the nation’s oldest and largest civil rights organization, the NAACP’s support demonstrates that the Employee Free Choice Act is an important civil rights issue. If passed, the act would clear a path for workers to have a fair chance to exercise their democratic right to choose a union. Unionized workers have better wages, benefits, working conditions and job security than workers who don’t have a union.

In calling for passage of the act, the NAACP said, “The impact of unions—ensuring that all working Americans are treated well and share in the prosperity—cannot be overstated. Despite the continuing strength and advocacy power of unions, however, some employers continue to treat workers poorly, not paying them a fair wage or providing them with necessary benefits… And some employers continue to fight the legitimate organization of unions.”

Every day, corporations harass, intimidate, threaten and even fire workers who try to form unions for better working and living standards. Corporations deny employees the freedom to decide for themselves whether to form unions. And when corporations do that, they deny working men and women the freedom to pursue a better life for themselves and their future generations.

Constituency Groups, Legislation, Press Releases, UFCW Values, United Latinos, Workplace Safety & Health

UFCW Lauds the Protective Equipment for America

Mar 06, 2007

Washington, DC—The United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW) applauds and supports the ‘‘Protective Equipment for America’s Workers Act,’’ introduced today in the U.S. House of Representatives.  The Act, also known as H.R. Bill 1327, sponsored by Congresswoman Lucille Roybal-Allard (D-CA) and co-sponsored by Congressman George Miller (D-CA), seeks to require the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) to complete its rulemaking on Employer Payment for Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) for workers.  This Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) rule would require employers to pay the costs of protective clothing, lifelines, face shields, gloves and other equipment used by an estimated 20 million workers to protect them from job hazards.

For nearly eight years, OSHA has failed to issue a standard requiring employers to pay for PPE.   The rule was first announced in 1997 and proposed in 1999 by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) after a ruling by the Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission that OSHA’s existing PPE standard could not be interpreted to require employers to pay for protective equipment.  In 1999, OSHA promised to issue the final PPE rule in July 2000.  But it missed that deadline and has missed every self-imposed deadline since.  The agency has failed to act in response to a 2003 petition by the AFL-CIO and UFCW and numerous requests by the Hispanic Congressional Caucus.

By OSHA’s own estimates, 400,000 workers have been injured and 50 have died due to the absence of this rule.   The labor groups say that workers in some of America’s most dangerous industries, such as meatpacking, poultry and construction, and low-wage and immigrant workers who suffer high injury rates, are vulnerable to being forced by their employers to pay for their own safety gear because of OSHA’s failure to finish the PPE rule.

“”Nothing is standing in the way of OSHA issuing a final PPE rule to protect worker safety and health except the will to do so.   It is long overdue that the agency takes action on protective equipment.  The time has come to force OSHA to act,”" said Joseph Hansen, UFCW International President.