May, 2013

Workers at Guitar Center Unionize!

Damian Dovarganes/AP Photo

Damian Dovarganes/AP Photo

Last week, 57 workers at Guitar Center’s flagship store in Manhattan voted to form a union with UFCW/RWDSU.

The union victory at the Manhattan store will help ensure that workers will enjoy better working conditions and will put a stop to declining wages.  Several other New York City Guitar Centers are expected to organize as well, with the potential for other store locations across the country to follow suite, according to Rolling Stone.

Workers at Guitar Center began organizing for union representation late in 2012, when they began to see decreased wages, and many struggled to make ends meet.  Big name rockers like Tom Morello and Ted Leo took notice and were among the many supporters of the workers campaign to unionize.

Some workers noted that, by supporting good jobs and working conditions at Guitar Center, the union is also supporting the music, since many of the new union members are in bands themselves.

 

Have a Union-Made Memorial Day Weekend!

It’s Memorial Day Weekend! Which means that you have another opportunity to buy union-made products to celebrate at your BBQ, weekend getaway, or maybe even the first day at your neighborhood pool!

Thanks to the AFL-CIO and Labor 411, you can refer to this grocery shopping list that makes buying union-made products a breeze. 295090_10151659223141153_1295056525_n

Labor 411 is also hosting “Support UFCW Week” this week–you can find the UFCW-made items from the list below–what better way to support your brothers and sisters than to buy the products that they make?

All listed Hot Dogs

Condiments

  • French’s Mustard
  • Guldens Mustard
  • Heinz Catsup and Ketchup
  • Vlasic

Sodas & Bottled Water

  • Barq’s Rootbeer
  • Coke & Diet Coke
  • Sprite & Diet Sprite
  • Pepsi
  • American Springs
  • Poland Springs

Sausages

  • Gianelli
  • Hofmann
  • Kroger

Sara Lee Buns

Breyers & Good Humor Ice Cream

Bud Light

National Labor College Updates

source: fpdunion.org

source: fpdunion.org

Interested in labor education classes? Want to learn how to be a stronger leader in your union? The National Labor College offers courses that will enrich your educational experience with the skills you need to be an active member of your union.

 

New AA degree offered -

NLC was recently approved to offer an Associate of Arts degree (the first two years of college). We will now be an even better option for union members who want a college degree but have few or no college credits.

 

Hands-on training programs expand -

NLC will continue to use union facilities for our Bonnie Ladin Union Skills courses. In addition to the 4-5 day residential offerings, NLC is now offering 1 ½ -day workshops in Washington, DC on popular topics like public speaking and conflict resolution.

 

For more information about the NLC and what it has to offer, check out their site.