January, 2008

Organizing, Packing and Processing, Press Releases, Social Justice, UFCW Industries, UFCW Values

COLORADO PREMIUM WORKERS VOTE

Jan 17, 2008

Greeley, CO—Meatpacking workers at Colorado Premium stood strong against employer intimidation to vote in favor of representation by the United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW) Local 7 on Wednesday, January 16, 2008.

Colorado Premium workers were dedicated to seeking a union to address basic worker needs on the job—protection from dangerously fast line speeds and access to bathroom breaks.  The results of the first election held on December 7, 2007 were thrown out for unlawful employer conduct. NLRB charges were then filed against Colorado Premium after the company intimidated union supporters and offered raises and other bribes to workers who voted against joining the union.

According to American Rights at Work, union elections are marred by a huge number of illegal actions nationwide. Because the penalties for violating the NLRA are so weak, employers have little incentive to avoid illegal tactics if they will succeed in intimidating workers into abandoning the union effort.

“”The Colorado Premium workers struggled for a voice on the job. Their victory did not come easy. This second election is remarkable considering how difficult it is for workers to organize in the face of employer intimidation,”" said Kevin Williamson, UFCW International Vice President and Director, Region 6.

Constituency Groups, Press Releases, UFCW Values, United Latinos

El Tribunal Apelativo de los EEUU manda Agriprocessors a negociar un contrato con sus trabajadores en Brooklyn

Jan 11, 2008

(Brooklyn, NY)—Trabajadores en el centro de distribución de Agriprocessors en Brooklyn consiguieron una victoria enorme cuando El Tribunal Apelativo de los EEUU mandó la compañía a reconocer sus votos por una unión en el trabajo.

La corte decidió en favor del derecho de los trabajadores a hacerse miembros de la Unión de Trabajadores Comerciales y de Alimentos (UFCW) por medio de su reafirmación del principio antiguo que dicta que todos los trabajadores, aún los sin documentos, tienen el derecho de votar por una unión y negociar colectivamente.  La compañía se negó a negociar después que la mayoría de sus trabajadores en su centro de distribución votaron por la unión en septiembre del 2005.

Agriprocessors mantuvo que, aunque la compañía los contrató, muchos de estos trabajadores no tenían documentos, y según Agrirprocessors, no tenían el derecho de votar o ser miembros de la unión.  La Junta Nacional de Relaciones del Trabajo también mandó contra Agriprocessors, manteniendo que cada empleado y empleada, sin importar se estatus migratorio, tiene el derecho de votar por una unión y negociar colectivamente.  Después de casi tres años, Agriprocessors perdió su apelación a esta decisión en la corte federal.

A pesar de esta decisión positiva, esto es simplemente otro ejemplo del fracaso de nuestro sistema de inmigración, y más que nada, el gran fiasco del proceso de verificación de empleo.  Las leyes migratorias deben complementar, no socavar, la aplicación de las leyes laborales y de empleo.  De lo contrario, los sueldos, beneficios, y condiciones laborales de todos los trabajadores se van a  degenerar.

“Las leyes laborales de los EEUU protegen todos los trabajadores y la UFCW no dejará una compañía dirigir sus negocios fuera de la ley y aprovecharse de sus empleados,” dijo Mark Lauritsen, vice-presidente internacional y director de la División de Procesamiento, Empacado y Manufactura de Alimentos de la UFCW.  “El tribunal apelativo ha mandado un mensaje firme a Agriprocessors y otros empleadores que crean que ellos pueden ignorar la ley y negar sus trabajadores una voz por un lugar de trabajo más seguro y mejores trabajos.”

Agriprocessors es una de las compañías kosher más grandes de la nación.  La compañía produce productos bajo las siguientes marcas: Aaron’s Best, Aaron’s Choice, European Glatt, Iowa Best Beef, Nevel, Shor Harbor , Rubashkin’s, Supreme Kosher, and David’s.

Economic Justice, Packing and Processing, Press Releases, Social Justice, UFCW Industries, UFCW Values

AGRIPROCESSORS SLAMMED BY FEDERAL COURT FOR ILLEGALLY DENYING WORKERS A VOICE

Jan 10, 2008

(Brooklyn, NY) — Workers at the Agriprocessors distribution center in Brooklyn won a major victory when the U.S. Court of Appeals ordered the company to recognize their vote for a union voice at work.

The court ruled in favor of the workers’ right to join the United Food and Commercial Workers Union (UFCW) by reaffirming the long-standing principle that all workers, undocumented or not, have the right to choose a union and bargain collectively.  The company refused to bargain after an overwhelming majority of its distribution center workers voted to join the union in September 2005.

Agriprocessors argued that, despite having hired them, many of these employees were undocumented and therefore, according to Agriprocessors, they could not vote or belong to a union.  The National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) ruled against Agriprocessors, maintaining that every employee, regardless of his or her immigration status, have a collective bargaining vote.  Nearly three years later, Agriprocessors lost its appeal in federal court.

Despite the positive ruling, this is just another example of our broken immigration system, specifically the abject failure of the employment verification process. Immigration law should complement, not undercut, the enforcement of labor and employment laws.  Otherwise, the wages, benefits, working conditions, and labor rights of all workers will deteriorate.

“U.S. labor law protects all workers and the UFCW will not allow any company to operate outside of the law and take advantage of its employees,” said Mark Lauritsen, UFCW International Vice President and Director of the Food Processing, Packing and Manufacturing Division.  “The Court of Appeals has sent a clear message to Agriprocessors and other employers who think they can skirt the law and deny workers a voice to make their workplace safer and their jobs better.”

Agriprocessors is one of the nation’s largest kosher meat producers.  The company produces products under the following brand names: Aaron’s Best, Aaron’s Choice, European Glatt, Iowa Best Beef, Nevel, Shor Harbor , Rubashkin’s, Supreme Kosher, and David’s.