February, 2013

Packing and Processing, Retail Food, UFCW Industries

USDA Food Inspection Threatened by U.S. Budget Cuts

Feb 12, 2013
beef (AP)

Associated Press: “USDA says shutting down meat-packing plants would limit supplies and lead to higher prices.”

Impending across-the-board budget cuts could mean fewer government food safety inspections and higher prices for meat at the grocery store according to a White House memo. “The public could suffer more food-borne illness, such as the recent salmonella in peanut butter outbreak and the E. coli illnesses linked to organic spinach, as well as cost the food and agriculture sector millions of dollars in lost production volume,” the memo read.

The federal budget cuts, known as sequestration, would mean 2,100 fewer food facility inspections by the Food and Drug Administration, “putting families at risk and costing billions in lost food production.” The cuts are set to take effect on March 1.

While the USDA oversees meat safety and is required to have a constant presence at meatpacking plants, the FDA conducts infrequent inspections at manufacturing facilities for most other foods. A reduced number of FDA inspections would mean less vigilance overall and could have an impact on public health, advocates say.

Department of Agriculture inspectors could be also furloughed for up to 15 days, meaning meatpacking plants would have to intermittently shut down and there could be less meat in grocery stores. This would result in about $10 billion in losses for the more than 6,200 plants affected.

Meatpacking industry officials immediately responded to the USDA furlough threat, saying it would devastate the industry.  Agency officials add that meat industry workers risk losing more than $400 million in personal wages while consumers could face limited meat and poultry supplies and a possible price increase as a result of shortages.

On Monday a coalition of 38 organizations representing various livestock and poultry producers, food processing and manufacturing, and retail wrote to USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack to express their strong concerns with the possibility of furloughing the nation’s federal inspectors if sequestration goes into effect.

The White House and congressional Democrats are hoping to find a way to avert the cuts, while some congressional Republicans have signaled that they will not oppose them.

Legislation, Politics, Social Justice, UFCW Values, Workplace Safety & Health

Why the Violence Against Women Act Needs to be Reauthorized. Now.

Feb 11, 2013

Three women a day are killed as a result of domestic violence. Every one out of  five women are raped in their lifetime. These sobering statistics are why reauthorization of the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) should be above petty politics. Unfortunately, House Republicans are casting aside their moral compass for their political one and women across the country are being left vulnerable.

The annual incidence of domestic violence has decreased by more than 53 percent since VAWA became law in 1994 and reporting by victims has also increased by 51 percent. This dramatic improvement helps explain why the VAWA has been reauthorized twice since 1994 without controversy.

The latest version of the bill, which has bipartisan support in the Senate from Democrats and Republicans, broadens the law by expanding its provisions to cover Native Americans, gays, and lesbians. The bill would also give more emphasis to sexual assault prevention and take steps to reduce the rape kit backlog.

While the bill is expected to pass in the Senate with bipartisan support, House Republicans are balking at the prospect of allowing tribal courts to prosecute non-Native Americans who commit domestic and sexual violence on reservations. Perhaps they should look at the statistics.

Compared with other groups, Native American women are more likely to be raped and abused. The National Congress of American Indians released findings that showed 39 percent of American Indian and Alaska native women will experience violence by a partner in their lifetimes.

Currently, non-Native Americans who abuse their spouses often go unpunished because federal authorities don’t have the resources to pursue misdemeanors committed on reservations.

At UFCW, we have a long, proud history of standing up for fair and equal treatment of all workers both inside and outside of the workplace. Expanding the VAWA to Native Americans, gays, and lesbians isn’t just an essential step towards ensuring the domestic abuse crisis in this country is met, it’s also the right and fair thing to do.

Moderate House Republicans should call on their leadership to pass the bipartisan Senate bill as soon as they are able. Lives are depending upon this bill getting off the back burner and passing. The battered and abused don’t have time for these political games.

Corporate Responsibility, Walmart

Walmart Workers in Maryland and Texas Walk Off Job

Feb 07, 2013

Walmart workers in Maryland and Texas walked off the job today in protest of the company’s attempts to silence workers. OUR Walmart issued the following statement regarding today’s action:

Walmart Workers in Maryland and Texas Walk Off Job

Colby Harris, OUR Walmart member

Washington, DC-  Today at noon, Walmart workers in Maryland and Texas citing Unfair Labor Practices (ULP) committed by Walmart, walked off the job in protest of the company’s attempts to silence workers who speak out for better jobs.  The worker action comes in response to reports of Walmart managers in Maryland and across the country telling Walmart workers that their actions taken last Black Friday were illegal, any future attempts to strike would be illegal and punishable, and for associating or even talking with Organization United for Respect at Walmart (OUR Walmart) could lead to termination.

“What I know based on my conversations with other OUR Walmart leaders and other associates from Walmart Associates in Kentucky, Florida, Illinois, Maryland and other states last week Walmart managers started reading a memo to employees stating that their right to strike are illegal and if they did not stop taking action against the company they would be punished,” said Colby Harris, a Dallas, TX Walmart Associate, OUR Walmart leader and striker.  “Not only are such statements to employees illegal but they are threatening and intimidating and no one should have to endure that.  I along with other Walmart associates work hard to support our families and support our community, as a worker I should have the right to do my job free from intimidation and threats.”

Walmart workers have been speaking out about the company’s manipulation of hours and benefits, efforts to try to keep people from working full-time and discrimination against women and people of color, but rather than listening to the concerns facing 1.4 million Walmart workers, Walmart has attempted to silence them.

Last October, OUR Walmart leaders held the first-ever strikes against the mega-retailer.  At that time, workers walked off their jobs in more than 12 cities and with the support of national and local leaders, held protests at more than 200 stores. Since then, workers have walked off the job in Richmond, CA and Dallas, TX, and support for OUR Walmart, the associate organization calling for Walmart to publicaly commit to address labor rights and standards, has continued to grow.

Striking warehouse workers, who move billions of dollars of merchandise for Walmart, joined the call to speak about the retaliation they have experienced for speaking out against unsafe working conditions, including extreme temperatures, broken and unsafe equipment and inadequate access to clean drinking water.  The workers from the Inland Empire, outside of Los Angeles, held a 15-day strike that included a six-day, 50-mile pilgrimage for safe jobs last September.

Energy around the calls for Walmart to publicly commit to changing its treatment of workers and communities has been building.  Last year, thousands of Walmart Associates and their supporters took unprecedented actions against Walmart in response to illegal actions the world’s largest private employer has been taking against its workers.  We saw Walmart workers walk off the job from California to Maryland, in protest against the company’s attempts to silence workers who labor rights, and standards.  And in the fall for the first time in the history of the company, we saw the first group of Walmart associates go on strike.  As a result nearly 1,200 protests and actions took place at Walmart stores for  its treatment of employees and the communities they occupy.

“The reason I decided to strike was because I cannot allow Walmart to mislead, threaten and intimidate myself or my fellow associates.  We have rights and legal protection and if we don’t stand up to these misleading and downright untruths now, Walmart will continue its behavior and that is just unacceptable. We must hold Walmart accountable for their actions,” said Harris.

Following the protest at Walmart’s Laurel, MD store, Harris and other Walmart workers went to the National Labor Relations Board to file an official complaint against Walmart for their latest action to silence and intimidate workers.

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OUR Walmart’s purpose is to help Walmart employees as individuals or groups in their dealings with Walmart over labor rights and standards and their efforts to have Walmart publically commit to adhering to labor rights and standards.  OUR Walmart has no intent to have Walmart recognize or bargain with it as the representative of Walmart employees.