Retail Food

RSS

Corporate Responsibility, Economic Justice, Retail Food, Safeway, UFCW Industries

UFCW Locals 21, 367 and the Teamsters Stand Together for Fair Grocery Contract

Jul 24, 2013
Members from UFCW Locals 21 and 367 join the Teamsters and fight for good contracts for grocery workers in the Pacific Northwest.

Members from UFCW Locals 21 and 367 join the Teamsters and fight for good contracts for grocery workers in the Pacific Northwest.

Thirty thousand  members of UFCW Locals 21 and 367 and International Brotherhood of Teamsters Local 38 in Washington state are covered by contracts at grocers Albertsons, Safeway, Fred Meyer and Quality Food Centers and many other local independent stores that are up for bargaining this year. As the companies have proposed elimination of healthcare, cuts to pay, and denied paid sick days, UFCW and Teamsters members have responded with more solidarity than ever.

In the month of July, hundreds of members of the three union locals were joined by hundreds of community supporters at informational pickets in front of stores in more than ten communities to seek the support of customers as they try to reach a fair deal. The next week, they leafleted thousands of fans at “Union Solidarity Night” at the Seattle Mariners’ Safeco Field.

“All we’re asking for is fair pay and benefits for our hard work,” said Barbara Rhodes, a UFCW Local 21 QFC deli worker and member of the bargaining team.

“That lets us focus on caring for our families and taking care of the customers that depend on us.”

By mobilizing the customers they serve every day and standing shoulder-to-shoulder with their union brothers and sisters and community supporters, members of the locals are hopeful they will be able to build a better future for all grocery workers in the Pacific Northwest.

Legislation, Retail Food, UFCW Industries

UFCW Members Efforts Help Stall Liquor Privatization in Pennsylvania

Jul 10, 2013
Lobbying efforts and political mobilization by members of UFCW Locals 23 and 1776 helped stop liquor privatization in P.A.

Lobbying efforts and political mobilization by members of UFCW Locals 23 and 1776 helped stop liquor privatization in P.A.

Over the past two and a half years, UFCW Locals 23 and 1776 in Pennsylvania have been fighting back against efforts to privatize state liquor stores. This past week, both locals were able to secure a victory when the Pennsylvania Senate failed to move the liquor privatization bill forward. This means that over 3,500 UFCW members will keep their jobs.

According to Wendell Young, President of UFCW Local 1776, success was due in large part to coordination across both locals and other groups within Pennsylvania.

“Everyone acted in unison. It was a great effort with Local 23. We absolutely worked as one unit on this. This was the largest member mobilization ever. The ability for everyone to become easily and actively involved was the key to success. If there was one thing that made the difference, it’s our members. They were our greatest strength.”

UFCW members lobbied at the Capitol in Harrisburg every single day during the session. Some often drove hours across Pennsylvania, arriving with spouses, children, and neighbors to help convince legislators that liquor privatization was the wrong direction for the commonwealth.

UFCW Local 1776 member Rob Peters, a Wine Specialist and Shop Steward in the Ardmore, Pa., PA Wine & Spirits store said, “Our stores generate more than $700 million a year for the state treasury. UFCW members keep alcohol out of the hands of minors and visibly intoxicated people. We take pride in our jobs.”

In addition to lobbying, members from UFCW Locals 23 and 1776 wrote letters to the editor, called in to TV shows, and held multiple strategy sessions every week. All of this helped to educate and re-educate members about the issue and guarantee that the debate stayed visible to the public.

To help financially support their campaign, members donated an extra $5 per paycheck to help put together a multi-million dollar fund. This went towards producing advertisements and hiring lobbyists to help make their case to state legislators.

As the session came to a close last week, the effort to privatize the liquor industry faced bipartisan opposition. The ability for the UFCW to gain support from both Democrats and Republicans underscored the success and effectiveness of their messaging and mobilization campaign.

Liquor privatization efforts are expected to resume in the fall legislative session but members are ready and optimistic to continue the fight.

Retail, Retail Food, UFCW Industries, UFCW Values

UFCW Local 1245 Joins Community Group to Successfully Keep Walmart Out of Neighborhood

Jul 08, 2013
Members from UFCW Local 1245 and community leaders celebrate their successful campaign to keep a Walmart from being built.

Members from UFCW Local 1245 and community leaders celebrate their successful campaign to keep a Walmart from being built.

UFCW Local 1245 members in Hawthorne, N.J., joined with local community organizations to successfully stop a Walmart Neighborhood Supermarket from building in the area. About 40 members partnered with community leaders in a campaign that led to Walmart withdrawing their building application.

UFCW Local 1245 hosted a shop stewards day to educate members about the campaign and recruit volunteers to help participate.

Members then joined community groups and canvassed local neighborhoods to distribute door hangers to residents asking them to support local businesses and good jobs by keeping Walmart out of the area.

Members work at a Shop Rite and a Kings Supermarket within a short distance from where the Walmart was supposed to be built. A Walmart entering the area would significantly hurt local businesses and union jobs. As a result of the campaign and public demands, Walmart withdrew their application and does not intend to return to the Hawthorne area.