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UFCW, Food Manufacturers Form Alliance on Senate Immigration Bill

May 08, 2013

UFCWnewsWASHINGTON, DC –The United Food & Commercial Workers International Union and the Food Manufacturers Immigration Coalition (FMIC) yesterday announced their partnership on comprehensive immigration reform in a letter sent to the Senate “Gang of Eight,” praising them for their efforts on S. 744. The labor-business coalition is also seeking improvements to the Senate bill in the areas of visa allocation and employment verification.

“We write in support of the comprehensive immigration reform process and thank you for your critical and constructive efforts in support of this legislation,” says the letter signed by UFCW International President Joe Hansen and Barry Carpenter of FMIC.

The labor-business coalition said they support the Senate bill’s provisions to establish a roadmap to citizenship, protect family based immigration, promote smart, effective border enforcement, implement a workable, transparent employment verification system, and create an occupational visa for non-seasonal, permanent positions. However, Hansen and Carpenter are also calling for commonsense improvements to S. 744 in the areas of visa allocation and employment verification.

The labor-business coalition asked for more flexibility when it comes to employment verification. “Allowing employers to use Self-Check in a uniform, nondiscriminatory fashion will create greater transparency for new employees, and will enable employers to ensure that their new hires are not circumventing E-Verify,” the letter reads.

Moreover, the letter outlined: “If an employer takes the extra step of deterring identity theft through the uniform use of Self-Check, then the employer should be presumed to have acted in ‘good faith’ with respect to the E-Verify confirmations it receives.”

Finally, the labor-business coalition requested that Senators direct the U.S. Departments of Homeland Security and Justice to create regulations that would provide specific rules of the road “describing a course of conduct…that satisfies employment verification requirements and concurrently avoids anti-discrimination liability.” “If an employer follows these regulations, then the employer is presumed to have complied with both the verification and anti-discrimination rules,” the letter reads.

The labor-business coalition said they look forward to working with the Senate to improve S.744 and seeing comprehensive immigration reform become the law of the land.

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Economic Justice, Legislation, Politics, Retail, Retail Food, UFCW Industries, UFCW Values, War on Workers

Another Attack on the American Worker

Apr 15, 2013

(Source: Huffington Post) Republican House majority leader Eric Cantor

Republican House Majority leader Eric Cantor is spearheading a bill that has the potential to deny low-wage workers of their overtime pay. It’s being pushed by the Retail Industry Leaders Association (RILA), a lobbying firm that represents large U.S. retailers – among them Walmart and Target.

The name of the bill — The Working Families Flexibility Act – poorly masks its true effects on working families.

If this bill were to be passed, employers could offer employees who work overtime the opportunity to earn future time off rather than overtime pay (which is typically one and a half times the normal hourly wage). As Vicki Shabo, a director at the National Partnership for Women & Families points out, this bill creates an unfair situation for workers.

“Employers would essentially be getting an interest free loan from their employees. They are taking the work today and are paying by giving time off or cashing out wages at a later time, up to 13 months later.”

The bill also ignores the realities of today’s workplace. Making the decision to accrue time off or accept overtime pay may not always be solely up the individual worker. Workers are often pressured by their employers to obey instructions, without argument, or face the risk of being fired. It’s easy to consider a scenario where a worker may feel forced into accepting time off instead of increased pay for working overtime.

Even if workers were able to fairly choose between time off or increased pay, there would be no realistic guarantee that time off an employee earns could be used when they need it.

Eric Cantor’s proposal is just another attempt by House Republicans to push down wages and weaken workers so that big retailers have more power over their workforce and are able to share less profits with them as well.

Although the bill is expected to pass in the House of Representatives, it is not being seriously considered by the Senate due it’s vagueness and inability to ensure that employees would actually be free to choose between time off and additional pay.

Workers have a right to enjoy the wealth that their labor helped create. This type of legislation underscores the importance of workers sticking together and speaking up for their rights.

For full details of The Working Families Flexibility Act, click here.

Legislation, Politics, War on Workers

UFCW Local 655 Members Rally Against Anti-Worker Bills in Missouri

Apr 11, 2013

Earlier this week, members of UFCW Local 655 rallied in St. Charles against anti-worker legislation being considered in the Missouri legislature. St. Charles is represented by Senate Majority Leader Tom Dempsey—a Republican whose caucus has been pushing no rights at work and paycheck deception bills.

The rally was attended by about 200 members. Among them was Will Flesch who said, “Right to work is wrong for Missouri. There’s already a law that says no one can be forced to join a union. It’s unnecessary and frankly, unfair. They’re just playing politics.”

UFCW Local 655 member Laura Kelley added, “A lot of voters don’t know what’s going on in Jefferson City, but when they hear what working people are facing and how wages will fall if these bills are passed, people are very concerned. Politicians should realize that constituents are paying attention.”

The rally was the latest event in an ongoing campaign by UFCW Local 655 against these measures. They are also participating in weekly canvasses, lobby visits, and other education and outreach efforts.

See what else working people in Missouri are saying about anti-worker legislation in their state here.