source: Associated Press

On the same day that the Senate passed comprehensive immigration reform legislation, Macy’s agreed to pay a $175,000 civil fine to resolve a U.S. Department of Justice probe regarding its treatment of immigrant workers.

According to the U.S. Department of Justice, Macy’s allegedly engaged in unfair documentary practices against some immigrant employees, which is in violation of the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA).  The INA prohibits employers from demanding more or different documents, or changing documentation rules, based on people’s immigration status or national origin. In addition to the fine, Macy’s has agreed to set up a $100,000 fund to compensate these workers, and to improve training and revise its employment eligibility reverification policies regarding the legal status of workers.

For more information, visit http://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/2013/June/13-crt-724.html.

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.

Survivors of the Tazreen factory fire pointing out clothing at Walmart made by workers in Bangladesh

Many people would be surprised to know that garment making is quite possibly the most dangerous job “outside of war zones,” as Washington Post writer Harold Meyerson puts it in a recent article about the dangerous cycle that is the garment industry.

The death toll from last month’s building collapse in Rana Plaza, a garment factory in Bangladesh, has climbed to over 1100. Bangladesh comes second only to China in clothing and garment exports. The scale of this tragedy is immense, and heartbreaking, but it is by no means an isolated incident, or even the most recent event to have claimed the lives of workers in Bangladesh for that matter. Since the collapse of the Rana Plaza factory, which was structurally unsound, a fire that broke out in another facility last week, claiming eight lives. Another fire at Bangladesh’s Tazreen factory killed over 100 workers in late 2012. In most cases, workers cannot escape the fires due to a lack of fire doors and stairways, which are supposed to be in place.

Now, the major retailers that are supplied by Bangladesh garment factories are being forced to face the facts and take responsibility. Some companies have admitted to inadequate safety inspections, where inspectors made sure there were on-site fire extinguishers and things of that nature, but failed to ensure “the structural soundness” of the buildings.

Thanks to pressure by unions and activists around the world, a number of these mega-retailers have agreed to adhere to a plan to finally make working conditions for workers in garment factories safer. As per the plan, these companies have agreed to pay for renovations of these factories as well as “independent inspections” that will ensure the new safety measures are maintained.

Although H&M, the  biggest buyer in Bangladesh, as well as companies like British-owned Primark have agreed to the plan, only one American company has done so. PVH, which is the parent company of Tommy Hilfiger, Calvin Klein, and Izod, have taken this step towards responsible business, major American companies like Gap and Walmart have so far refused, and don’t show any signs of doing the right thing.

Why can’t the Walton family, with their $116 billion fortune, commit to these measures when others have readily done so? The value of human life is greater than cheap clothing, but that doesn’t seem to be the way these companies see it.

Meyerson notes that it is not Bangladesh that is the problem- the industry has faced many hurdles surrounding safety since its existence. But incidents like the triangle shirt-waist factory fire have taught us how to change for the better. But instead of taking these lessons about worker safety and using them to do good, companies like Walmart have taken the problem “to a new level.”  Meyerson continues:

“By depressing wages at its retail outlets and at every point along its supply chain, [Walmart] has helped create an underpaid buying public compelled to shop for discount clothing. Everyday low wages create a demand for everyday low prices — a downward spiral that hits bottom in the deathtraps of Bangladesh.”

This trend in the retail industry affects all Americans, but it hits very close to home for many UFCW members. In a statement issued about the pact to improve workplace safety in Bangladesh, UFCW President Joe Hansen stated:

“Thousands of UFCW members work in the retail industry, including at H&M, and the UFCW will continue to honor the workers who died or were injured in Bangladesh by supporting workers here and abroad who are struggling to protect their basic rights, and by calling on other retailers that have a strong presence in Bangladesh—such as Walmart—to do the right thing and sign this agreement.”

It’s time for these retailers to take action.

You can make awesome Mother’s Day cards like this one at http://mamasday.org/ , thanks to The Strong Families Initiative

Mother’s Day is when we give back to the women who gave us life. Why not also make it a day to give back to and support union workers who help keep our country going? It’s easy to pamper mom with union-made gifts, or make her a home-cooked, union-ingredient meal!  With help from resources like Labor 411 , the AFL-CIO, and Union Plus you can find everything you need- check out our guide below!

Click here for a variety of delicious dinner ideas that you can impress mom with–like Roasted Almond Crusted Salmon with Pomegranate Glaze, Creamy Garlic Pasta with Shrimp & Vegetables, or Turkey Mignons with Blue Cheese and Balsamic Glaze–all with union-made ingredients!

No time to cook? Fear not–you can cater to Mom’s sweet tooth with any of these union-made treats:

• See’s Candies
• Godiva
• Ghirardelli (UFCW)
• Almond Roca
• Russell Stover

Or, if you’re looking to make Mom feel pretty (even though she’s already the most beautiful woman on earth), these union-made beauty products are perfect:

• Avon (UFCW)
• Caress skin care (UFCW)
• Dove beauty care (UFCW)
• Lander personal care (UFCW)
• Revlon

If mom likes a drink every now and then, don’t forget about the many union-made beers, wines, champagnes, and liquors available! Click here to see a complete list.

“I was honored to participate in today’s hearing which highlighted the economic struggles of part-time workers, especially those in retail,” said Congresswoman Chu.  “Millions of Americans are only able to find part-time jobs, and too many of these jobs do not provide health insurance, family and medical leave, or pension plans. That’s why the Part-Time Worker Bill of Rights Act, which would extend benefits to part-time workers, is so critical. In today’s economy, we need to make sure that all hard-working Americans can afford to put food on the table and have a safety net to protect them and their families.”

The Part-Time Worker Bill of Rights builds upon the progress of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) and ensures that part-time workers (defined as working less than 30 hours a week) and their families have access to critical workplace benefits.  The ACA penalizes employers who fail to provide health insurance to full-time workers, but includes no such penalties for employers who deny health coverage to part-time workers.

“There are too many people in search of work who can only find part-time jobs—and many of these jobs do not include critical work-related health and retirement benefits,” said Lola Smallwood Cuevas, a project director at the Los Angeles Black Worker Center at UCLA’s Center for Labor Research and Education and a member of the National Retail Justice Alliance. “Policies like the Part-Time Worker Bill of Rights are needed to address the increasing number of Americans who are working without a safety net for retirement, health care, and family leave.”

In addition to Chu and Cuevas, state and local leaders, economic experts and part-time workers also spoke at the hearing which took place at East Los Angeles College.

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The National Retail Justice Alliance is dedicated to raising the living and working standards of retail workers in the United States.  By working in collaboration with a broad base of opinion leaders, organizations and communities, the National Retail Justice Alliance builds support for workers in the retail industry through advocacy, education and research to promote sustainable jobs, living wages, affordable health care and fair public policies.  For more information, visit www.retailjusticealliance.org.

The reasoning behind this claim, according to Amelia Gentleman, who wrote the piece, is that women who work such jobs have very limited opportunities to better their pay or position from minimum wage.  When looking at women in the workplace, it is unrealistic to only focus on “a few outsider women at the top”, rather than a more accurate cross-section of working women. Although there have been “incremental gains” for women in powerful, top positions, women still hold many of our country’s low-skilled, low-wage jobs.  Unemployment rates for women in the low-wage job market are also much higher than for those that are qualified for higher paying positions.

So, what does all of this mean? It means that “we have a long way to go to close the gender AND inequality gaps,” states a recent Business Insider article.

Gentlemen is correct when she says the solution to such inequality is to “raise the standards for working-class jobs and create better pay structures across the board.”

This chart shows that across Europe, among full-time workers, women fill more low-wage jobs than men.

Workers at the Thomaston Wellness Connection medical marijuana dispensary (photo source: Andy O’Brien via The Daily Chronic)

Yesterday, history was made when a poll found that, for the first time ever, more than half of the US is in favor of legalizing marijuana.  The survey, done by Pew research center, found that 52% of Americans were for legalization, and 45% against, meaning support for legal pot has grown 11 percentage points in just three years.

Young Americans make up a majority of those who support legal marijuana. Most supporters believe that the costs of focusing law enforcement on marijuana outweigh its benefits, and may even be counterproductive.

In the wake of increasing public support and emerging state laws that allow medical cannabis dispensaries, the medical cannabis industry has grown drastically.  But as the industry grows and more workers are employed in medical cannabis facilities, workers realize that they need to stick together and address the concerns they face in the workplace.  That is why thousands of medical cannabis workers nationwide have decided to organize and join the UFCW. They work predominantly in dispensaries, coffee shops, bakeries, patient identification centers, hydroponics stores, and growing and training facilities.

The most recent workers to launch a unionization effort come from The Wellness Connection of Maine, which operates four dispensaries in the state. In addition to poor treatment by the dispensary operators, workers decided to form their union after several failed attempts to resolve issues surrounding the use of pesticides on the cannabis plants, a clear violation of state law  Despite an overwhelming majority of the workers having decided to join the UFCW, Wellness Connection of Maine has so far refused to honor their choice and recognize the workers’ union.

“We will continue to fight for our right to have our union so that we can help our employer work in accordance with state laws and provide the people we serve in the state of Maine with safe access to medical marijuana,” said worker Amanda Kaler.

UFCW members in the medical cannabis industry understand that in order to gain dignity and respect and ensure medical cannabis jobs are good jobs with benefits that can support a family, they must support each other and speak with one voice in the workplace. We are proud to be the union of medical marijuana workers, and together, we can achieve just that.

Walmart likes to claim that they are organic, sustainable, and all about healthy options. But in reality, Walmart is a driving force in the unhealthy lifestyles that have led to an “epidemic” of weight and diet-related health problems in our country.

Walmart’s share of the grocery market stands at an unprecedented and increasingly-growing 25%.  This means that Walmart has an alarming amount of control over what American eats.

According to an article from Truthout, Walmart has “recast its relentless expansion as a solution to ‘food deserts.’” However, when looking at the stats, it isn’t hard to see that this claim is more of a PR stunt:

“Although Walmart has made food deserts the vanguard of its PR strategy in urban areas, most of the stores the chain has built or proposed in cities like Chicago and Washington D.C. are in fact just blocks from established supermarkets, many unionized or locally owned.  As it pushes into cities, Walmart’s primary aim is not to fill gaps but to grab market share.”

Aside from Walmart’s bogus reasoning behind its rapid expansion, what is truly worrisome is this:

“Walmart’s takeover of our food system has been to intensify the rural and urban poverty that drives unhealthy food choices.  Poverty has a strong negative effect on diet, regardless of whether there is a grocery store in the neighborhood or not, a major 15-year study published in 2011 in the Archives of Internal Medicine found. Access to fresh food cannot change the bottom-line reality that cheap, calorie-dense processed foods and fast food are financially logical choices for far too many American households.  And their numbers are growing right alongside Walmart.  Like Midas in reverse, Walmart extracts wealth and pushes down incomes in every community it touches, from the rural areas that produce food for its shelves to the neighborhoods that host its stores.”

Farmers and food workers are now struggling more than ever to make a living now too, thanks to Walmart’s control of the industry.  In order to avoid being crushed by  the mega-corporation, food companies have been forced to merge and consolidate in hopes that they can supply for Walmart. The result is that 4 meatpacking companies slaughter more than three quarters of America’s beef, and a single dairy producer handles 40% of the country’s milk.  With monopolies like this, the ability for businesses to compete is all but zilch.

The effect of all of this? It comes down to less pay for farmers and food workers, a decrease in the value of the consumer dollar, and higher grocery prices overall.  But since Walmart’s prices are so low, many are forced to shop there, creating a vicious cycle: “As Walmart stores multiply, fewer families can afford to eat well.”

But let’s not forget the other huge reason Walmart is downright unhealthy: It doesn’t provide its hard-working associates with living wages, affordable healthcare, or oftentimes, even a safe working environment.  When the workers who make Walmart the success it is have to decide between food for their family or paying the electric bill, can’t go to the doctor because if they miss work they will be fired, or are afraid to speak out about issues in the workplace because of harassment and intimidation, healthy living becomes impossible–regardless of food choice.

source: timeanddate.com

Tomorrow is the first day of Passover- what better way to celebrate your Passover seders than with union-made foods and ingredients?  Check out the list of products below, all made by UFCW members, as well as our brothers and sisters at UFW, IAM, and IBT,  brought to you by Labor 411 and the AFL-CIO:

Matzo Products, Crackers and Farfel
Manischewitz (UFCW)

Meats
Empire Kosher (UFCW)

Wine and Grape Juice
Arbor Mist (UFCW)
C.K. Mondavi (UFW, UFCW)
Chateau Ste. Michelle (UFW, IBT)
Gallo of Sonoma (UFW)
Turning Leaf (UFCW)
Minute Maid Grape Juice (UFCW)
Welch’s Grape Juice (UFCW)

Bonus:
Here’s an Empire Kosher’s recipe for glazed and spiced matzo stuffed chicken breasts. For this recipe, there are plenty of union-made ingredients to incorporate:

6 tablespoons Empire Kosher Rendered Chicken Fat, divided
4 cups Passover Matzo Farfel (Manischewitz)
Salt and pepper (Morton Salt [UFCW, IAM] and Durkee Pepper [UFCW])
6 Empire Kosher Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts
½ teaspoon cayenne pepper (Durkee [UFCW])
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon (Durkee [UFCW])
¾ cup white wine (see union-made options here).

Be sure to check out Labor 411 for all things union-made!

Thanks to union member activism during the November elections, California’s legislature is occupied by a worker-friendly majority.  Having allies in leadership positions is key for workers who want to stand up for their rights.

Another trend that has led to increased union membership in the state–  immigrant workers have organized in other industries that simply cannot be “shifted overseas”.  As noted in a recent Guardian article, jobs in arenas such “as healthcare, food service, retail, and transportation” are in need of workers here at home. Indeed, “some work – flipping burgers, administering flu shots, or driving the city bus – just can’t be shipped to China.”

Also, retail is the fastest growing industry in America, with new jobs emerging every day. The large number of retail and service positions opening up in states like California are great for the middle class. However, there is also the potential for workers in these sectors to be exploited by their employers.

As America’s retail union, the UFCW wants to make sure these new jobs are good jobs. Workers who join a union have more access to better benefits, wages, and hours than non-union members, and can stand together to ensure their voice is heard.

The new contracts include:

• Wage increases per hour for full and part-time workers ranging from 95 cents to $1.62 over three years.

• Scheduling language that protects current part-timers working over 30 hours per week from any ACA-related pressure to cut hours.

• Mechanisms that keep part-time workers in the existing Taft-Hartley benefit plans for ancillary benefits while investing in health savings accounts for part-timers to use in conjunction with a plan on the state exchange.

• A number of new structures, depending on the collective bargaining agreement or state, for part-time, new hires to connect with their union for health coverage.

Ratification meetings were held in all five local unions this past weekend and the contract was overwhelmingly accepted by members across New England.

The five locals are a perfect example of what we can all achieve when we stick together in solidarity.

CHICAGO, ILL.

President Hansen’s statement follows:

“Now is the time to pass comprehensive immigration reform – not next year or the year after but right now.  We can no longer accept an immigration system that breaks up families, harasses workers, and deports people who are simply trying to achieve the American Dream.  We can no longer be a nation that turns away aspiring citizens.

“For centuries, immigrants have come to America’s shores with the dream of making a better life for themselves and their families — from Ellis Island to the Florida Keys to the Rio Grande.  But for today’s immigrants, this dream has become a nightmare. Young adults who were brought here as children and have grown up in America—the Dreamers—still do not have a clear path to citizenship.  Workers face discrimination, abuse, retaliation, and sometimes worse.  Families are unable to reunite.

“Our immigration system is obviously broken. But worse than that, it flies in the face of our values as a nation.  So we must reform it.    No one is better to lead that reform than the labor movement.  It is the workers we represent who are most victimized by our current immigration system.

“For the UFCW, this issue hits close to home.  We remember the ICE raids in 2006 where our members were treated like criminals.  We remember hearing the stories of workers terrorized just for doing their jobs.

“Other unions have suffered similar experiences, as Wild West immigration enforcement has become the rule instead of the exception.  So as a movement, we are as united as ever to make comprehensive immigration reform the law of the land.

“The UFCW is joining our allies in the labor movement and in our communities to mobilize our members in support immigration reform that includes:

• A road map to citizenship for those already here
• An effective mechanism for determining employment eligibility
• Smart and humane border enforcement
• Streamlined family reunification
• A fair process for allocating employment based visas

“But most of all, we want an immigration system that gives immigrants hope, not fear.  We want to be a nation that builds dreams, not border fences.  We want the families of immigrants to be united, not divided.  We want immigrant workers to have rights, not wrongs.

“America has always prided itself on being a country where anyone who is willing to work hard and pursue their dreams can find success.   We must live up to that ideal. We must pass comprehensive immigration reform.”

###

 The United Food and Commercial Workers International Union (UFCW) represents more than 1.3 million workers, primarily in the retail and meatpacking, food processing and poultry industries. The UFCW protects the rights of workers and strengthens America’s middle class by fighting for health care reform, living wages, retirement security, safe working conditions and the right to unionize so that working men and women and their families can realize the American Dream. For more information about the UFCW’s effort to protect workers’ rights and strengthen America’s middle class, http://www.ufcw.org/, or join our online community at http://www.facebook.com/ufcwinternational and  www.twitter.com/UFCW

Now, the agreement is awaiting legal review, and then ratification by the locals: Local 328, Local 371, Local 919, Local 1445, and Local 1459.

Two of the main elements of  the tentative agreement will deal with wages and healthcare, regarding coverage for part-time employees in particular. Although the Affordable Care Act penalizes employers for not providing health insurance to full-time employees, there is no such penalty for not covering part-time workers.  Therefore, the members involved in the joint negotiations have been fighting hard to ensure all workers are provided affordable coverage.  The UFCW also supports the Part-Time Worker Bill of Rights.

Here’s to a fair contract that allows for good wages and benefits to the hard-working members at New England Stop and Shops.

For more information, click here.

The Center for Economic and Policy Research poses this question:

“Suppose the minimum wage had kept in step with productivity growth over the last 44 years. In other words, rather than just keeping purchasing power constant at the 1969 level, suppose that our lowest paid workers shared evenly in the economic growth over the intervening years.”

As the graph displays, in the past, when minimum wage was tied to productivity, workers benefited:

“This should not seem like a far-fetched idea. In the years from 1947 to 1969 the minimum wage actually did keep pace with productivity growth. (This is probably also true for the decade from when the federal minimum wage was first established in 1937 to 1947, but we don’t have good data on productivity for this period.)

As the graph shows, the minimum wage generally was increased in step with productivity over these years. This led to 170 percent increase in the real value of the minimum wage over the years from 1948 to 1968. If this pattern of wage increases for those at the bottom was supposed to stifle growth, the economy didn’t get the message. Growth averaged 4.0 percent annually from 1947 to 1969 and the unemployment rate for the year 1969 averaged less than 4.0 percent.

This changed in the 1970′s, when the real value of minimum wage declined sharply and only kept up with inflation. This major shift in policy change happened without any public debate it would seem. The Center for Economic and Policy Research notes that if “the minimum wage had kept pace with productivity growth it would be $16.54 in 2012 dollars”.

A Business Insider piece also quotes Op-Ed columnist Ezra Klein, who notes that:

“a minimum wage is like a proxy labor union; sure it may have some employment effects, but it effectively raises the wage bargaining power of those workers who do manage to find employment. In the absence of such bargaining power, we can’t expect any meaningful increase in wages at the low end of the income spectrum.” 

The article also cites a study in which found that minimum wage increases had no adverse effects on employment, and actually lead to increased employment rates among single women with children. Some date also backs the idea that reasonable wage increases affect wage hikes further up the pay scale (and also decreases the wage gap), and also provide workers with motivation to be more productive.

The fact is, raising the minimum wage would raise living standards for millions of workers who are currently living at or just above the poverty line.

As for the second argument, that $9.00 an hour still is not enough to provide a decent living for millions of working class Americans, we agree for the most part.  However, not only is $9/hour a step in the right direction, it is also good for union members, who stand to seek even greater wage increases in their contracts, if they make more than the current minimum wage of $7.25.

In fact, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, “unionized food service employees have median weekly salaries that are $100 higher than non-union workers.”

Also, although the President is pushing for a $9 minimum wage, several state governments are pushing for $10 or more, as in Maryland.

$9 an hour is not a perfect solution.  It will not raise all of America out of poverty.  However, it is certainly a great stride towards providing more Americans a platform to the middle class-  something that all of America should agree we need to rebuild in order to restore our economy. As President Obama noted in his SOTU address, no American working a full-time job should be living under the poverty line and nor should, if we can help it, anyone else.

source: www.wina.com

At UFCW, we believe that no one should be discriminated against in the workplace, regardless of race, religion, gender, sexual preference, or political affiliation.  Our union, along with many others, works hard to ensure we can all enjoy a working environment free from harassment or discrimination, and that treats everyone fairly and equally.  That is why we celebrated more than a year ago when the military’s “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” policy was overturned.  The former policy, which required that military members not disclose or ask about sexual preference, alienated many individuals, and created a stigma surrounding homosexuality in the military.

At the time of the reversal, Secretary of Defense Leon E. Panetta also vowed to look into “reviewing benefits that had not previously been available to same-sex partners based on existing law and policy.” We couldn’t agree more with Panetta’s statement that “it is a matter of fundamental equity that [the military] provide similar benefits to all of those men and women in uniform who serve their country.”

This past week, Panetta announced even more good news:

“I am pleased to announce that after a thorough and deliberate review, the department will extend additional benefits to same-sex partners of service members. Taking care of our service members and honoring the sacrifices of all military families are two core values of this nation.  Extending these benefits is an appropriate next step under current law to ensure that all service members receive equal support for what they do to protect this nation.”

It is wonderful to see that the military has taken these steps on the path to equality.  However, as Panetta notes in his statement, the military cannot grant full benefits to same sex-partners because of the Defense of Marriage Act, the federal law which defines marriage as a union only between man and woman, therefore denying same sex-partners the same benefits that heterosexual unions receive.

We applaud Secretary Panetta and other leaders for their dedication to ensuring fair and just treatment of the many brave members of our United States Military.  More work has to be done now to ensure that equality is fully realized and implemented.

Although the military is not unionized, being a union member has helped ensure that countless government workers, and of course workers in other leading industries such as UFCW members in retail, retail food, and meatpacking and processing, are able to work in jobs that don’t discriminate and that offer equal treatment to all of their workers.  Standing union-strong is the best way to get to a place where workers enjoy equality and good jobs that will help them follow their dreams.

For Secretary of Defense Leon E. Panetta’s full statement on the extension of benefits to same-sex partnerships in the military, click here.

source: Labor 411

According to the National Retail Federation, Americans will spend $1.6 billion on candy this year to celebrate Valentine’s Day.  UFCW members across the country, along with members of many other unions, have worked hard to make this holiday a little sweeter this year, by helping to create your favorite candy, chocolate, gifts, and other Valentine’s day products! Refer to the list below, brought to you by Labor 411 to help you find last-minute, union-made goodies.

Chocolate:

• See’s Candy
• Russell Stover
• Ghirardelli Chocolates (UFCW)
• Hershey Kisses and Hugs
• Necco Sweethearts
• Tootsie Rolls
• York pepper mint patties

Champagne:

• Andre (UFCW)
• Cook’s (UFCW)
• Eden Roc (UFCW
• J. Roget (UFCW)
• Jacques Bonet (UFCW)
• Jacque Reynard (UFCW)
• JFJ (UFCW)
• Le Domaine (UFCW)
• Tott’s
• Wycliff (UFCW)

C0logne and Perfume:

• Hugo Boss
• Pierre Cardin (UFCW)
• Avon (UFCW)
• Old Spice (UFCW)

Making dinner for your Valentine? Then pick up what you need from a union grocery store near you, with the help of the UFCW mobile app. Then pick out some union-made wine to go with it!

You can also make these Chocolate Peanut Butter cupcakes with the union-made ingredients provided in the recipe for your sweetheart. You’ll be sure to impress.

And if you really screwed up last V-day, why not purchase some jewelry from fellow union members at department stores like Macy’s?

We hope that with the help our our tips, you and your honey have a happy, union-made Valentine’s Day!

The US Department of Agriculture says that the nation’s cattle herd shrunk by 2 percent in 2012, and the herd is now at its lowest levels since 1952. The cattle shortage is being driven by a severe, two-year drought that has dried up soil and wilted crops throughout America’s heartland and affected more than 80% of our agricultural land. As a result, there’s less corn, alfalfa, and hay available for feed.

So far, the drought has hit the beef industry the hardest, because cattle are typically raised in the states hardest hit by the drought. Unfortunately, if nothing changes there’s likely to be a ripple effect through the pork and poultry industries as well as the beef industry, threatening jobs of meatpacking and poultry workers, jeopardizing the livelihood of farmers who can’t afford to feed cattle, increasing prices at grocery stores across the country, and eroding consumer demand for beef – which in turn threatens even more jobs. The unfortunate reality is that this drought affects people across all industries – right down to butchers working in grocery stores thousands of miles away from the nearest feed lot.

Compounding the problem is the ethanol mandate – part of the 2007 Energy Act which requires billions of gallons of corn-based ethanol be mixed into the US gasoline supply. Because so much of America’s corn crop must go to fuel, it exacerbates the scarcity of corn already caused by the drought. The high demand for corn and its low supply means the cost of corn for feed is extraordinarily high. The situation makes it difficult and barely profitable to raise cattle and bring them to market in drought-ravaged states like Texas, Oklahoma, Nebraska and Kansas.

Advocacy work on behalf of UFCW members at the federal level has already begun. Our union will be working with the USDA and other agencies to consider meatpacking workers along with farmers and ranchers in its drought relief programs.

Elsa Gordillo is a steward at Cargill Meat Solutions in Schuyler, Nebraska and a member of UFCW Local 293. She, along with dozens of other UFCW stewards and staff attended a USDA regional workshop with USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack to discuss the agency’s drought recovery efforts held in Omaha at the end of last year. “We went to the USDA meeting so they could hear from UFCW members and meat packing workers. Everyone left knowing that people who work in plants are suffering from this drought too, and that our jobs and in many cases, our entire communities are at risk of plant closures. When the USDA or Congress takes action to help farmers and ranchers, they should also consider workers in our industry who are also at risk.”

UFCW members will also be working to advocate for meatpacking workers by educating members of Congress about how the drought, the ethanol mandate, the price of corn, and the cattle shortage hurt the livelihoods of meatpacking workers.

To learn more about UFCW’s food workers and meatpackers, visit http://www.ufcw.org/industries/fairnessforfoodworkers/

Stop and Shop supermarkets has now begun putting ads in local newspapers to hire temporary workers, or strikebreakers, in the event that a strike will take place- an insult to the company’s hardworking union members. These tactics are designed to scare and intimidate workers.

So far however, the difficult negotiations have yielded some results, and Stop and Shop has removed some its negative proposals from the bargaining table.  Still in negotiation are issues surrounding holiday premiums, sick pay, and job transfers – all important issues to our members.  On an even bigger scale though, are conflicts involving pensions, health and welfare, and wages, which will be discussed next week.

Stop and Shop is owned by the Royal Dutch company Ahold, which makes more than half of its profits in the U.S. That revenue came to more than 25.8  billion dollars in 2012, keeping it in competition with the likes of Walmart and Target. Yet, the company is greedy to expand those profit-margins further, by implementing low wages and taking away healthcare and other benefits from its Stop and Shop employees, as well as those who work for its many other grocery stores and businesses.

Although these contract negotiations are often long and difficult, the five locals have already made progress by standing together in solidarity. By working in unity, UFCW and Stop and Shop can come away with a deal that is fair for both parties.

Stay tuned to updates by visiting http://ufcwstopandshopnegotiations.com/

WASHINGTON, D.C.

“This decision is misguided. When President Obama made appointments to the NLRB during a Congressional recess he was merely exercising his Constitutional authority. The real issue here is the Senate’s inability to confirm qualified nominees. Senate Republicans, aided by a broken rules system, are carrying the water of big business and denying workers and unions a fair shake. This entire fiasco underscores the need for true filibuster reform and proves that the modest agreement on Senate rules reached yesterday is nowhere near good enough.”

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The United Food and Commercial Workers International Union (UFCW) represents more than 1.3 million workers, primarily in the retail and meatpacking, food processing and poultry industries. The UFCW protects the rights of workers and strengthens America’s middle class by fighting for health care reform, living wages, retirement security, safe working conditions and the right to unionize so that working men and women and their families can realize the American Dream. For more information about the UFCW’s effort to protect workers’ rights and strengthen America’s middle class, visit www.ufcw.org, or join our online community at www.facebook.com/UFCWinternational and www.twitter.com/ufcw.

The garment workers wait, ready to confront any management that may return to gather equipment. They believe the motive for the abrupt move by the management is a plot to shed long-time employees, and then re-open, in order to avoid paying for the benefits of workers who have seniority.

Without their pay and without work, many of the workers cannot afford rent, and have been evicted.

This scheme is not new.  Many other suppliers for Walmart and other large retail chains employ these tactics to take advantage of temporary workers, and to make unionization and job benefits for workers virtually impossible.

To support the workers who have come together to demand what they are owed, Warehouse Workers United and other organizations are calling on Walmart to force the supplier to pay the workers their severance.  A corporation as powerful and wealthy as Walmart should not wait around for outside organizations to tell them to do what is right- they should simply do it.  How many more factory, garment, and warehouse workers will be mistreated before Walmart holds its suppliers accountable, or prevents such things from happening? Whether the offense is dangerous working conditions or unfair wages, Walmart needs to be more responsible and help create better jobs for the countless workers that help make Walmart the powerful business that it is.

Click here for more information, and watch the video of the Cambodian garment workers below:

H&M members from other stores helped to organize workers by discussing the benefits of standing together in solidarity and having a voice on the job.

“As a steward, I want all my H&M co-workers to have the same benefits and protection that I have. When I spoke to the new workers, I shared how having a union voice helped me and others in my store,” said H&M steward Charlie Truitt.

H&M worker Alicia Williams-Timo said,“When it was time for me to come speak to the new workers, I was happy to share my own story and how being part of a union helped me to stay with the company and develop within my job.”

Retail worker Carolina Ferreyra led her co-workers through the process of filing their claims for the wage theft settlement.

On December 20, over 100 current and former retail employees of Mystique Boutique in New York City received back wages through a $950,000 wage theft settlement obtained by the New York State Office of the Attorney General which investigated workers’ claims of non-payment of minimum wage and overtime. The settlement includes funds for restitution as well as independent monitoring for ongoing compliance with wage and hour laws.

Workers brought their claims to the New York State Attorney General through a campaign to clean up illegal labor practices in retail chains initiated by the Retail Action Project (RAP), working in partnership with the RWDSU. RAP is a membership organization of retail workers dedicated to improving workplace standards in the industry.

Carolina Ferreyra, a former Mystique Boutique employee of two years, led her co-workers through the process of filing their claims. She explained, “Mystique thought they could get away with violating the law because many of us are young immigrants. But we came together and exercised our right to fair and legal wages. My days of working 60-70 hours a week with no overtime, raises, or respect are over, and today I’m thrilled to be finally getting back what I’ve earned.”

Phil Andrews, Director of the Retail Organizing Project at the RWDSU, added, “SoHo is an important part of the city’s retail economy. When retailers like Mystique pay below minimum wage, they hurt standards for all retail workers.”

Our very own UFCW President Joe Hansen was one of the featured executives in the article. Here’s what Joe had to say:

“As we work toward 2020, strengthening the middle class is essential to rebuilding our economy, and retail employers must lead the way in making sure that retail jobs are good jobs with benefits so that more retail workers have a pathway to the middle-class.
In supermarkets across the country you will find United Food and Commercial Workers International Union members stocking the shelves, working the deli counters and cash registers, and carefully bagging groceries.

Despite the fragile economy, retail food jobs are growing and these jobs are setting the working and living standards for thousands of American workers. Moving forward, it is critically important that all employers in this industry compensate workers with the kind of pay and benefits that allow them to live in the middle class.

Academic studies, including a recent report by Demos, provide quantitative evidence that retailers, workers and the U.S. economy can benefit if retail companies invest in their workforce. According to the Demos report, raising wages for full-time retail workers at the nation’s largest retail companies (those employing at least 1,000 workers) would result in improving the lives of more than 1.5 million retail workers and their families who are currently living in or hovering above poverty.”

With the help of the union, many of these workers are enjoying good jobs, and in turn they work hard to ensure the success of their companies.  But there is much more to be done in order for all working voices to be heard, and to ensure a bright future for the industry and America’s middle class.

Rush Limbaugh ranted that paychecks declined in order to pay for “another Obama vacation,” and similar (outrageous) complaints have been made by other conservatives with large followings as well.

None of these are true.  In reality, the decrease in paychecks is due to the expiration of the payroll tax holiday, which went into affect on January 1st. According to Working America, the payroll tax cut expiration was, among other things, the result of “the lack of attention to job-creating policies that help workers pay their bills, and devotion of Republicans and some Democrats to ‘cutting spending’ while protecting the interests of their wealthy and corporate sponsors.”

Here’s a bit more background, based on actual facts, not accusations:

-The payroll tax cut lowered payroll taxes from 6.2% to 4.2%, and went into effect in 2010. It was set to expire in December 2011, but after a vote was extended until January 1st, 2013.

-As the new year approached, the “Fiscal Cliff” was created in order to set a deadline about how to offset the national debt.

-President Obama, in his initial offer to Boehner, wanted to extend the payroll tax holiday, however he was rejected because the offer did not extend Bush tax cuts to the wealthiest 2% of Americans. During the series of concessions and offers that took place during the fiscal cliff negotiations, the payroll tax holiday extension was dropped, as a concession by President Obama to House Republicans.

-Regardless, experts predicted the concession of the payroll tax holiday extension as early as September 2012, before the country knew who our next President would be.

source: Wonkblog

But what’s even more exciting is that this session of Congress is the most diverse in our country’s history. The diversity in the new, 113th Congress includes more minorities, women, religions, sexual orientations, and backgrounds than ever.  Included in the new members was the first Buddhist to be elected to the Senate, as well as the first Hindu member and openly bi-sexual woman to the House. With such a broad range of congress members, the likelihood that a wider range of Americans will actually be heard and represented only increases.

UFCW membership is incredibly diverse, reflecting the increasing diversity in the U.S. UFCW members feel it’s about time that our elected officials were more representative of our ever-changing, fast growing country.

To read more about the 113th session of Congress, see the Washington Post article.

photo credit: The Washington Post

Wendell W. Young III

We are saddened to hear of the passing of Wendell W. Young III, president emeritus of Local 1776 and longtime Pennsylvania labor leader.

Starting at the age of 16 as a part time clerk at the Acme market in Philadelphia, Mr. Young dedicated his life to the labor movement. As a young clerk, with his father serving as his inspiration to get involved with the store’s union, Mr. Young was soon elected shop steward by his co-workers.

His influence as a labor leader spread quickly and by age 22 Mr. Young became the business agent of Retail Clerks Local 1357 which had 5,000 members at the time, then a year later was elected local president, making him one of the youngest labor leaders in the state’s history.

Throughout Mr. Young’s 43-year tenure, the union’s bargaining unit grew from only representing clerks in Philadelphia to advocating for 24,000 workers in the region and across Pennsylvania. Under Mr. Young, the union grew to represent other industrys as well and became more diverse.

Mr. Young will be remembered for the great work he did as a job creator and innovative negotiator.  He was a key player in the creation of Super Fresh Markets and a creative employee stock ownership bid that saved Acme Markets and thousands of jobs throughout the region.

To read more about the impact that Mr. Young had on the labor movement, click here.

With the momentum of the Walmart worker movement, the new year has the potential to see great changes in the labor sector. Walmart, who is largely responsible for the downward spiral in worker’s wages across the retail industry, has the potential to reverse that trend, thanks to its sheer size and influence on retail everywhere. If Walmart listens to its workers, and changes its ways for the better, our country’s economy will benefit greatly, and staggering wage inequality will be reduced.

By utilizing social media, and new labor strategies, these workers have become a force to be reckoned with. Instead of waiting for the government or Walmart to help them change working conditions, workers got together themselves and organized to create a unified voice for Walmart associates. A core group of workers have stood strong against obstacles to the movement, and are continuing to gain supporters and followers, from walmart workers to community allies.

But workers cannot change a system of low wages and poor working conditions alone. So with the new year, OUR Walmart is planning to focus on educating politicians and elected officials about their cause, and creating communities that will stand behind their working fellows.

To read more about the movement, check out the In These Times article.

Josh Eidelson, who has been covering the efforts of all those involved in the fight for better jobs at Walmart, has now written a great, comprehensive article for The Nation, detailing what has happened, and effect it is having in the industry.

Although Walmart denies retaliating against its workers, many associates who have spoken out have been threatened or punished. Yet, those involved in the movement continue to stand together, because the cause is worth it, and they know they are part of something that is already creating change and inspiring other workers around the world.

Read Josh’s piece, “The Great Walmart Walkout”, here.

To be honest, all the hype and political buzz about the fiscal cliff can be confusing, or downright annoying.  Many workers may be wondering, “What does it mean?” or “Will it affect me and my family?”

Well, the Washington Post does a pretty good job of breaking down the fiscal cliff, in a series of graphs and GIFs. To get a better understanding of what the fiscal cliff is, and for a few laughs, check it out here. Seriously, who doesn’t like GIFs?

credit: Washington Post

Made in America Holiday Gift and Stocking Stuffer Guide from the AFL-CIO (features products from the UFCW as well as Unite Here, USW, IAM, UAW, RWDSU, and many more)

Union-Made Holiday Sweet Treats from BCTGM

Make it a union-made holiday from the UAW is a guide to union-made toys and electronics, plus other lists of union-made products

The Union-made Holiday Shopping List from Labor 411 features a variety of products from multiple unions, and even has price listings.

Also, check out our UFCW Pinterest board of union-made products for more ideas! The AFL-CIO has one too.

image source: http://www.homesteadcards.com/ , where you can buy union-made holiday cards!

A few weeks ago, Walmart workers, including OUR Walmart members, held strikes, protests, and other actions in the days leading up to and on Black Friday.  The actions brought to light the longstanding efforts of these workers to stop Walmart from retaliating against them when they spoke up about, among other things, the lack of full time shifts, disrespect on the job, and a continuous cycle of low-wages that keep many Walmart associates in poverty.

In doing so, Walmart workers brought the issue of low-wage jobs into the national media spotlight, and now, perhaps building off the momentum of those Walmart workers’ actions, workers in other industries are speaking out for better, “living wage” jobs. Last week, fast food workers in New York made history by striking as well, and continued to grab headlines.

From fast food to Walmart to home health care, workers have the same needs: Living wages, guaranteed hours, and stable schedules.

UFCW members know the importance of good jobs, and what a good job entails.  Member of Local 348-S came out to show their support to the cause last Thursday in Times Square, where thousands of union members rallied with other workers and supporters, to call for change in what has become a “low-wage economy.”

Una Brown and Thelma Johnson-Bailey work at Americare, one of city’s largest home health care agencies, where thousands of Local 348-S members are currently bargaining for a new contract. They were joined by car wash workers, supermarket workers, retail workers, airport workers, and many fast food workers at the Times Square rally. The action followed one-day strikes all across New York last week by 200 workers at Wendy’s, McDonald’s, Burger King, Domino’s and Taco Bell, demanding better pay and working conditions. At Thursday’s rally workers chanted “Can’t survive on $7.25!”

Labor leaders from around New York pointed out that too many workers throughout the city are making near or below minimum wage and have to rely on public assistance to get by, while CEOs are making record incomes and pushing elected officials to cut spending on social programs and extend tax cuts for the rich.

Just like many other workers who spoke at Thursday’s rally, Brown said Americare workers are struggling to achieve a stable weekly schedule with guaranteed hours. Speaking out in front of thousands of fellow labor activists under the glowing neon signs of Times Square was an overwhelming experience, she said.

“I was so happy to be with all of them,” Brown said. “I didn’t know they were paid so badly. We all need to take a big step forward.”

Brown and Johnson-Bailey are part of the negotiating committee that is working to create change at Americare, ensure that home health aides deliver quality patient care, and win the respect they deserve.

“Everybody needs to hear what we have to say,” Brown said, because “we’re all fighting for the same thing.

Greenway is the oldest and largest medical cannabis dispensary in Santa Cruz, and will now be part of the UFCW’s Medical Cannabis and Hemp Division.  A “card-check” election took place on November 15 in an atmosphere of optimism and solidarity between the union, the Greenway workers and its management.  Now, workers are preparing to negotiate a collective bargaining agreement. The employer involved in the election voluntarily agreed to remain neutral and agreed to abide by the wishes of the workers to become union which was demonstrated by employees signing union authorization cards.

The medical cannabis industry, now in 18 states plus the District of Columbia, is known for its passionate community of workers, patients and business leaders. The UFCW and its members has been working relentlessly to stabilize the industry, bring good jobs to workers and build community based on compassion and common goals. It has become increasingly successful at simultaneously bringing dignity and strength to industry workers and the enterprises they work in.

Ron Lind, President of UFCW Local 5 commented, “The workers involved in this recent organizing drive are dedicated and passionate advocates for their industry. They also want to make sure that their jobs are sustainable and can support a family. The union is here to assist them in that effort”.

“I am very excited to become a UFCW union member, said Greenway employee Willie Kramer, I am proud of the work I do, and now I have an organized voice with other workers who share that pride.”

“We are very pleased to have our employees represented by UFCW,” said Lisa Molyneux, founder of Greenway Compassionate Relief. “This is a win, win relationship for all of us. ”

Based on data from a recent report by the National Employment Law Project, the nation’s 12 largest companies compensate their employees the least.  The list is comprised of national restaurant chains and national retailers, most of which pay minimum wage- a rate that is worth about 30% less than it was in 1968, as far as purchasing power goes.  Many of the companies on the report’s list, if not paying minimum wage, still pay $10 or less, classifying their employees as “low-wage” workers.  The big corporations on the list also have histories of poor labor relations, including long and irregular hours, unsafe working conditions, and a lack of full-time positions.   

Yet, pay and perks for executives at these companies are higher than ever.  In fact, the six Walton heirs combined are worth more than the entire bottom 41% of Americans.  And despite the fact that 9 of the 12 companies have been profitable for the past three years straight, lay-offs and wage and benefit cuts have only increased.

Why on earth is such wealth being given only to a few, already extremely wealthy individuals, instead of rightly shared with workers who help ensure the success of these companies?  It’s time to call these corporations out.  This is why unions are great – research shows that workers who work at union retailers make more on average in addition to better hours, benefits, and a union voice on the job That is the union difference.

Below are the five largest companies in America, who provide poor wages to their employees.

Click here to see the full story and list.

1. Walmart

2. Yum! Brands (Includes Pizza Hut, Taco Bell, and KFC)

3. McDonald’s

4. Target

5. Sears

Home for the Holidays? Not for Walmart Workers

Wanted: Store Associates who will work for low pay, poor working conditions, erratic schedules — including working on Thanksgiving Day — and not enough hours to qualify for health care. Associates must be willing to live on public subsidies at taxpayer expense in order to survive. Those who try to speak out or unite as a group to address workplace issues will be silenced and possibly terminated. Please apply within your local Walmart store.

As the six members of the billionaire Walton Family — heirs to the Walmart superchain — prepare to sit down to a sumptuous Thanksgiving dinner with their families, the holiday will be very different for the 1.4 million Walmart associates who work for them. For the second year, Walmart is planning to put profits before its workers by beginning its Black Friday sales at 8 p.m. on Thanksgiving Day, and forcing its workers — many of whom are part-time — to abandon quality time with their own families during a cherished American holiday.

This latest move by the biggest retail employer in our country is the most recent blow to Walmart associates, who are already struggling to survive on an average hourly wage of $8.81, and are punished or fired for sticking together to address the erratic work schedules that do not provide enough hours to support a family or qualify for benefits. The retail sector is the largest industry by employment in the United States, and Walmart’s sheer scale in size means that its practices have an enormous impact on our country’s labor, business, and employment climate. The retail giant’s drive to put profits ahead of its workers has influenced other retailers to do the same, and this low-wage business strategy has, in turn, led to depressed wages across the retail and manufacturing sectors and forced more and more workers to rely on public subsidies at tax payer expense.

It doesn’t have to be this way. A recent study by Catherine Ruetschlin, a policy analyst at Demos, titled “Retails Hidden Potential: How Raising Wages Would Benefit Workers, the Industry and the Overall Economy,” shows that raising wages to $25,000 per year for full-time retail workers at the nation’s largest retail companies (or those employing at least 1,000 workers) would result in improving the lives of more than 1.5 million retail workers and their families who are currently living in or hovering above poverty. A higher wage increase would create more purchasing power for retail workers, which would generate $4 to $5 billion in additional annual sales for the industry, keep prices low for shoppers, and create more than 100,000 jobs.

Walmart — which paid its top six executives $59 million in compensation in the last fiscal year — can afford to pay its workers more. But instead of investing in their workers, the Walton family — whose combined family fortune is estimated to be over $100 billion — has chosen to engage in elaborate stock buybacks that take earned corporate profits and put them back into the hands of shareholders. For Walmart, stock buybacks have been the reason the Walton family’s interest in the company has risen to 51 percent — shifting the control of a so-called public company into the hands of a private family.

The United Food and Commercial Workers International Union is more than familiar with Walmart’s tactics of silencing workers who want to unite as a group to address work-related problems. But as so often happens in our resilient American workforce, employees are taking the lead in changing the Walmart culture themselves.

Last fall, the new employee association, the Organization United for Respect at Walmart (OUR Walmart), was formed by and for hourly associates in Walmart stores to help change the way Walmart does business. In just one year, OUR Walmart has grown from a group of 100 Walmart associates to an army of thousands in hundreds of stores across 43 states. Last month, members of OUR Walmart participated in first-ever strikes and protests in cities across the country — including Chicago, Dallas, the Washington, D.C. area, Miami, Orlando, Seattle, and from Southern California to Sacramento and the Bay area.

It’s time to restore some balance between the wealthy few and the rest of America, and we can start by making sure that our country’s biggest retail employer lets its workers have a voice and a seat at the table. On Thanksgiving Day and Black Friday, these brave men and women will take a stand against the retail giant to protest Walmart’s attempt to silence workers who speak out for change. Will you join us?

According to the report, a lot could happen.  This is because the retail sector boasts employment to more than 15 million workers, and has significant leverage over workplace standards across the entire supply chain. That enables retail to have a lot of influence on our economy, and the American standard of living.

The Demos Report- Retail’s Hidden Potential: How Rasing Wages Would Benefit Workers, the Industry and the Overall Economy

The Demos study proposes that, if a new wage floor for the lowest-paid retail workers was raised to $25,000 a year, up from $18,500 (the amount most cashiers make), then 700,000 American workers would be lifted out of poverty.  Raising these workers out of poverty would also help the 50% of workers in poverty who support their families to provide better lives for their kids and spouses as well.  And with this 27% pay raise, many who’s economic standing hovers just above the poverty line, would increase to above 150% over the poverty level.  That’s a lot of Americans raised out of poverty.

Not only would many people be lifted out of poverty, but more than 100,000 jobs would be added. The added number of jobs would raise the country’s Gross Domestic Product between $11.8 and $15.2 billion in a year. This is because families in poverty spend virtually 100% of income meeting basic needs.  Added dollars of income can be spent on extras, that in turn pump more money into the economy.

Oftentimes, the argument against raising wages, is of course that it would be too expensive for the company.  But the data by Demos shows that the raised wages would only cost a small fraction of total sales, around 1%.  And the cost to customers?  Just cents more- totaling about less than $30 more a year.

However, the sad truth is that the trend of deflated wages and retail workers struggling to make ends meet, will not end unless big retailers take action.  Retail is one of the nation’s leading industries, and accounts for about 6% of our GDP.  They have to the power to do so.

America’s largest retailer, Walmart, should be the leader in this movement. If Walmart were to make the standard hourly rate $12.25 an hour ( a number that they claim to be average for their associates, yet tends to be closer to $9) thousands of workers would enjoy poverty free lives, and many otherpeople would benefit indirectly.

Walmart employs 1.4 million workers and is the America’s largest private employer of any kind. The report cites the way in which Walmart has dominated the retail industry:

So far, Walmart has used this power to lower wages, cut hours, and deny benefits to its workforce, reducing the quality of retail jobs as a whole. The company’s history of using extreme methods to push down the cost of labor stretches back at least to the 1960s, when founder Sam Walton set up shell companies to dodge federal minimum wage laws that would have forced him to pay employees $1.15 an hour.³⁰ While Walton was ultimately forced by federal courts to drop the scheme, Walmart’s continued practice of paying poverty-level wages and operating at the limits of the law to discourage unemployment and workers’ compensation claims and deter employees from working overtime has been well documented.³¹

The fact is, these huge corporations, including other big boxers like Target, can afford to pay their employees more, and they will benefit by doing so.  We think that its about time these retailers started investing in the millions of people who make their companies run.  Without them, they wouldn’t exist.

Up with Chris Hayes show:1 of 4 segments that start with OUR Walmart member Greg Fletcher and Raymond Castillo from Warehouse Workers United, both from Southern California.

“Walmart Workers Protest” – CNBC on the Squawk Box: OUR Walmart member Colby Harris, from Dallas, TX makes it very clear why workers are standing up and going on strike.

“Walmart Strike Spreads to Texas as Organizers Promise Massive Black Friday Protest” -The Nation

“Black Friday Protest Plans are Making Walmart Nervous” -Daily Kos: This headline speaks for itself…

“Walmart Walkout: 1,000 Protests Planned Nationwide On ‘Black Thursday’“ – Inquisitr: This article mentions the potential for massive striking on what has been dubbed Black Thursday, in addition to what will take place on Black Friday.  Warehouse workers kicked things off last week when they walked off the job.

“Walmart Workers Protest Ahead of Black Friday” – Federal Way Mirror: A spread of photos from actions in Seattle last week.

photo credit: Federal Way Mirror

We polled our members and asked if they voted.  The results show that UFCW members had great voter turnout, and played a big role in supporting and re-electing President Obama! Here are some  member reactions to the  big win:

“amen!!!”

“yes sir, i voted- we as union workers are the big winners tonight!!”

“God bless America.”

“Thank god!! now if we can just get  our congress and senate to work for the people and r president …life will be grand!”

“i am very happy again”

“yes, it is time too celebrate and work hard for a stronger America!”

“yea lets move forward”

Richmond, California–On the heels of first-ever strikes by Walmart workers across the country, workers at the Walmart Supercenter in Richmond walked off the job this morning as the store held its grand re-opening.  Joined by community leaders who have been calling for changes at Walmart, workers are on strike in protest of the attempts to silence and retaliate against workers.  At the Richmond store, Walmart workers have been working hard to help the store reach today’s grand re-opening date all while facing illegal intimidation from a store manager, including racist remarks and threats of physical violence.

“We will not be silenced by Walmart for standing up for respect and against harassment, intimidation and retaliation,” said Mario Hammod, a worker at the Richmond Walmart.   Hammod is one of thousands of members of the national worker-led Organization United for Respect at Walmart (OUR Walmart) that has been calling for changes at the company.  “In the spirit of Martin Luther King, Jr. and Cesar Chavez, I am taking a stand against Walmart’s illegal bullying tactics and practicing my right to peacefully hold a sit-in.  We want to be able to celebrate the store’s re-opening, but we cannot continue to work under these conditions of retaliation.”

In an expression of the building frustration that Walmart has not only ignored workers calls for change in Richmond and across the country, but actually retaliated against workers who do speak out, national leaders from civil rights, immigrant rights and women’s rights communities, religious institutions, unions and community leaders have committed to join striking workers in a wide range of non-violent activities on and leading up to Black Friday, including rallies, flash mobs, direct action and other efforts to inform customers about the illegal actions that Walmart has been taking against its workers.

“We cannot stand by while Walmart retaliates against workers who are standing up for a better future for their families,” said Rev. Phillip Lawson, Co-Founder of the Black Alliance for Just Immigration.

Rev. Lawson, along with other supporters and community groups across the country, has been calling for change through the Unified Call to Change Walmart. “Racist and threatening comments from Walmart will not be tolerated here in Richmond or anywhere.  Walmart should be creating good jobs, not threatening workers and turning its backs on the hard-working people that made this ribbon-cutting possible.”

Walmart workers in Richmond, CA on strike

The group protested outside the Supercenter with signs reading, “Stand Up, Live Better, Stop Retaliation” and “Stop Trying to Silence Us.” This comes just weeks after Walmart workers walked off the job in more than a dozen states, including stores in the East and South Bay. At the same time, workers went on strike at Walmart’s largest distribution center outside of Chicago, IL and were joined by hundreds of clergy and community supporters, some of who were arrested by riot police during the peaceful protest. And earlier this fall, workers in Walmart-controlled warehouses in Southern California went on a 15-day strike that included a six-day, 50-mile pilgrimage for safe jobs.

Walmart Associates at Richmond have been calling on management to end the retaliations against workers who speak out against harassment and poor working conditions, as well take home pay so low that many Associates are forced to rely on public programs to support their families and understaffing that is keeping workers from receiving sufficient hours and is also hurting customer service. As frontline Walmart workers face such hardships, the company is raking in almost $16 billion a year in profits, executives made more than $10 million each in compensation last year.  Meanwhile, the Walton Family – heirs to the Walmart fortune – is the richest family in the country with more wealth than the bottom 42% of American families combined.

Energy around the calls for Walmart to change its treatment of workers and communities has been building.  In just one year, OUR Walmart, the unique workers’ organization founded by Walmart Associates, has grown from a group of 100 Walmart workers to an army of thousands of Associates in hundreds of stores across 43 states. Together, OUR Walmart members have been leading the way in calling for an end to double standards that are hurting workers, communities and our economy.

The alleged Mexican bribery scandal, uncovered by the New York Times, has shined a light on the failure of internal controls within Walmart that extend to significant breaches of compliance in stores and along the company’s supply chain.  The company is facing yet another gender discrimination lawsuit on behalf of 100,000 women in California and in Tennessee.  In the company’s warehousing system, in which Walmart has continually denied responsibility for the working conditions for tens of thousands of people who work for warehouses where they move billions of dollars of goods, workers are facing rampant wage theft and health and safety violations so extreme that they have led to an unprecedented $600,000 in fines.   The Department of Labor fined a Walmart seafood supplier for wage and hour violations, and Human Rights Watch has spoken out about the failures of controls in regulating suppliers overseas, including a seafood supplier in Thailand where trafficking and debt bondage were cited.

Financial analysts are also joining the call for Walmart to create better checks and balances, transparency and accountability that will protect workers and communities and strengthen the company.  At the company’s annual shareholder meeting in Bentonville, OUR Walmart member Jackie Goebel brought a stadium full of shareholders to their feet applauding her call for an end to the short staffing that’s hurting workers and customer service.  A resolution proposed by Associate-shareholders to rein in executive pay received unprecedented support, and major pension funds that voted their shares against Walmart CEO and members of the board this June amounting to a ten-fold increase, and overall 1 in 3 shares not held by the Walton family against the company’s leadership.

These widespread problems have also thwarted Walmart’s plans for growth, particularly in urban markets.  Calling the company a “bad actor,” New York City mayoral candidates have all been outspoken in their opposition to Walmart entering the city without addressing labor and community relations’ problems.  This month, the city’s largest developer announced an agreement with a union-grocery store at a site that Walmart had hoped would be its first location in New York. In Los Angeles, mayoral candidates are refusing to accept campaign donations from the deep pockets of Walmart, and in Boston, Walmart was forced to suspend its expansion into the city after facing significant community opposition.

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“This is the clearest choice labor has had in a presidential election in my lifetime,” said Vice President Biden. “Not only is labor at risk, but the whole middle class is at risk.”

“You, workers, are the only folks keeping the barbarians from the gate,” he continued. “Organized labor built the middle class… These guys are all out of the same mold – Kasich, Walker, Scott, Ryan, Romney, the National Chamber. They may be decent men personally, but you are on their list…You can’t kid yourselves.”

“Guys, we need you. We need you to vote and make sure every labor household votes for us – and we need you to go out there and make the case,” said Vice President Biden. “You guys vouched for me before. Remember. This is not your father’s Republican party…This is not a hard choice…Don’t compare Barack to the Almighty. Compare him to the alternative. And the alternative, for labor, is bleak, if the other guys get elected.”

Listen to the full remarks here:  Joe Biden Telephone Town Hall – November 1, 2012.

And then get out and vote! Tell your friends and family to vote! Want more info on how to vote, and how to vote early? Click here to find out more. Remember, as the Vice President said, “The future depends on you.”

Once you’ve voted, let your friends and family know! Share this button on your Facebook page today and show your UFCW pride.

Early voting has already begun in many states! Why wait until November 6^th when you can vote today? Avoid long lines at the polls and other potential issues, and make sure you make your voice heard in this important election. Click here to use our early voting calendar and find out when, where, and how you can vote early in the next week!

Why is this election so important? Because President Obama is pro-worker, pro-union, and pro-middle class.  Mitt Romney has made it his agenda to get rid of labor unions as we know them, and supports right-wing policies that will only make it harder for workers to have a voice on the job.  So vote to stand up for your rights.

While Representative Paul Ryan has tried to shape-shift himself into a man who cares about the poor and middle class, his budget plan—which has been embraced by Mitt Romney—tells a different story. Romney and Ryan have made it clear that they plan to pay for more tax cuts for the wealthy at the expense of America’s workers and the poor, including ending Medicare as we know it, and cutting Medicaid and other programs that serve the working poor. They believe that 47 percent of Americans are “victims” who take no responsibility for their lives, and Vice President Biden made it clear that he took 47 percent comment personally.

“These people are my mom and dad — the people I grew up with, my neighbors,” Biden said. “They pay more effective tax than Governor Romney pays in his federal income tax. They are elderly people who in fact are living off of Social Security. They are veterans and people fighting in Afghanistan right now who are, quote, ‘not paying any tax.’”

President Obama and Vice President Biden have been unyielding friends to America’s working men and women and have fought for a budget that rebuilds our economy, creates good jobs, revives America’s middle class and protects our most vulnerable citizens. They have experience and the world view to lead this country forward in the next four years, and have made it clear that they want to represent all Americans, and not just the wealthy few.

For a full transcript of the debate, click here.

One of the bios that intrigued us the most was that of Eno Awotoye, a Vendor Selling Specialist at Macy’s Herald Square.  As a unionized retail worker, Eno makes a good salary at 21.50 an hour, plus bonuses. Originally from Nigeria, she now lives in the Bronx, and enjoys great employee benefits including vacation, paid sick days/paid time off, medical & vision & dental insurance, and 401k with employer matching. Below, Eno answers questions from Current.com: 

- What worries you the most about your job? What worries you most about your life outside of work?
“At work, I want to make sure that our union stays strong and that no anti-worker legislation is passed. Outside of work, I want to focus on my personal growth, and how to find time to continue to do art.”

- Are you in a union? Does your industry have unions? Do you think your industry should unionize?
“Yes, I’m a member of RWDSU’s Local 1-S (Retail, Wholesale and Department Store Union) at Macy’s on 34th Street in Manhattan. Unfortunately, only about 4 percent of the retail industry is unionized, and I think it should be much higher.”

- What is your proudest career accomplishment?
“My proudest career accomplishment has been being able to take what I’ve learned from almost 20 years of working at Macy’s to help other retail workers. I teach free customer service training classes, as well as professional sales classes such as building client books, visual merchandising, fine jewelry, etc., to retail workers seeking better jobs in this economy. Through this, I’m able to help folks who work in an industry with a lot of job growth get better jobs, while teaching them about their rights on the job.”

-If you could change one thing about your job, what would it be? (More flexible hours, better benefits, higher salary, better job security, pension plan, etc)
“I get all of the benefits listed above at my job because of our union contract, but most non-union retail workers don’t get these benefits. What I wish is that I can help workers get these basic protections and benefits at their jobs.”

Because she and her co-workers are about sticking together in their union and improving their workplace, Eno has many benefits that non-union retail employees may not.  We think it is awesome that she works hard to help other retail workers who aren’t yet as fortunate, to teach them skills and inspire them to come together for their rights on the job.  Although only a small percentage of retail workers currently enjoy good jobs like Eno’s at Macy’s, if we all stick together we can work for a brighter  future for workers.

]]> http://www.ufcw.org/2012/09/19/an-american-worker-eno-awotoye/feed/ 0 http://www.ufcw.org/2012/09/18/stand-up-to-walmart/ http://www.ufcw.org/2012/09/18/stand-up-to-walmart/#comments Tue, 18 Sep 2012 13:30:23 +0000 mperry http://ufcw.org/?p=13925 This October 10th, join your fellow workers, friends, neighbors, and family members, and Stand Up Walmart!

Why? Because Walmart is dragging its workers down in our economy, and needs to raise its standards. Countless workers who have served as Walmart associates for years simply can’t make ends meet because Walmart will not give them enough hours to work. Necessities like rent, childcare, and food are becoming unobtainable, and for some, its either one or the other.

Its not only Walmart who abuses its workers this way, however as the largest private employer in America, Walmart effects all of our nation’s retail workers.

So what can you do about it? Go to ChangeWalmart.com and register a Walmart near you that you’ll stand up, so that workers everywhere can live better.

Firstly, the decision, although perhaps only temporary, is a big motivator for all those involved in this year’s earlier anti-walker protests.  After investing countless resources into the movement to stop his anti-worker legislation from passing, and recall the governor, it was disheartening to lose the battle.  Working families see that our efforts were not in vain.

Another point made in the article suggests that now, political polarization and opinion on the issue is not going to fade away, and will only be rejuvenated.  Because of the Friday decision, Democrats and Republicans are less likely to compromise on their beliefs regarding right-to-work legislation, essentially giving the labor movement a second wind. Collective bargaining is now back in the spotlight, front and center.  The debate is not over.

This is good news folks.  Even if the judge’s ruling doesn’t stand up, we know that the fight will not be over.

Here’s why these companies do NOT need more tax cuts, and why Romney’s energy plan is not good for America:

• According to the Center for American Progress Action Fund, Big Oil earned a combined $137 billion in 2011, or $261,000 per minute.
• Big Oil advocates claim that they need the existing tax breaks to create jobs and increase oil production. But even with these tax breaks, some of these companies have produced less oil and laid off thousands of workers over the past six years. In fact, an analysis by the House Natural Resources Committee Democrats found that “ExxonMobil, Shell, and BP combined to reduce their U.S. workforces by 17,500 jobs between 2005 and 2010.”
• Big Oil and gas companies, their lobbying arm the American Petroleum Institute, and various oil-funded nonprofits have already spent more than $20 million on paid advertising to oppose President Obama’s proposal to eliminate the Big Oil tax breaks, and generate public support for oil drilling off protected coasts and other oil issues too.
• His plan, following the lead of the Ryan budget, would force huge cuts to critical programs including Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid.  Gov. Romney is apparently willing to increase the deficit to continue tax breaks for Big Oil companies and cut their taxes even further.
   

credit: Center for American Progress Action Fund

The continuation of tax subsidies for Big Oil reflects the industry’s longstanding political influence.

America needs to pay close attention to the specific plans Romney has in mind for our country if he were to win the 2012 election. The facts show that President Obama’s actions while in office, as well as his plans for the future, are what’s best for young Americans, working families, and the middle class.

Health care was unaffordable and the lack of respect by management for employees’ hard work made the work environment increasingly unfriendly.

 Fed up and deciding to do something about the unfair working conditions at the co-op, Grandin and his coworkers formed an organizing committee and reached out to UFCW Local 1459. Once approximately two-thirds of the 75 workers at the Franklin Community Co-op demonstrated their interest in unionizing, Grandin and the others moved forward in the process. 

“Some people had a false idea that the union was coming in to take over,” said Grandin. “It wasn’t the union coming in to take over, it was workers coming together for change.”

While the co-op board backed the workers, organized opposition forced another vote.  Other union workers, members of Local 1459, Jobs with Justice, and the local Occupy movement united with co-op members to show their support for the organizing workers. And it paid off.

On August 15th, the co-op board recognized the workers’ new union, Local 1459, and they will soon begin
bargaining for a new contract.

“I think it’s the best thing that ever happened to the co-op,” said Grandin.

The efforts of workers fighting for better jobs, as well as the Locals of UFCW and other organizations in our communities can together make progress our country’s working people.  Fair treatment and good jobs should be a right, and when we stick together, they are a reality.

“We have rights, and we have to express them. We shouldn’t be scared of our supervisors,” said UFCW member Julius Powell.

The Southern Workers Assembly was the first of its kind for southeastern union groups. Workers from North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Louisiana, West Virginia, Mississippi, and Tennessee attended, though some came from as far as California, New York, and Michigan. Workers from both the private and public sector spoke about the importance of having a voice on the job and the struggles of being in right to work states. Southern workers who are traditionally excluded from labor movements, including undocumented immigrants and former convicts, spoke at the assembly as well.

Among other groups that attended were Southern International Worker Justice, United Electrical, Radio and Machine Workers of America, and the Farm Labor Organizing Committee.

Although more than three quarters of our population have a steady, secure supply of food, a growing percentage of people suffering from food insecurity, or in other words, a limited access to food due to a lack of money or other resources, is simply unacceptable. 

That is why UFCW Partnerships with groups like Feeding the Hungry are so important.  The good jobs unions help provide allow us to live well, and put food on the table for our families, but there are many Americans whose jobs don’t allow them to make ends meet.  Food should not be a something that someone should have to sacrifice, it is a human right. 

The work we do in our communities, like holding food drives, can make a difference, and so can standing together, to achieve a voice for what’s right.  It is also important to make sure we vote to keep President Obama in office this November, so government programs that help feed families and individuals who don’t know when their next meal will be won’t disappear.

We must keep sticking together for good jobs that pay people enough to keep themselves and their families fed, because letting people starve is not an option. 

The Center for American Progress found that, of 21 core values and beliefs garnering majority support among these young Americans, only four of those values were classified as conservative. Forty four percent of young Americans self-identified as progressive or liberal, in contrast with the 28 percent identifying as conservative or libertarian.

That’s no surprise to us, and it certainly dosn’t bode well for Mitt Romney, who espouses an arch-conservative, antiquated set of ideals that would be detrimental to a majority of young Americans.

If elected President, Mitt Romney’s policies would be harmful to young Americans.  Here are just a couple of reasons why:

• Young adults are now eligible to stay on their parents’ health insurance plans as they enter the workforce, until they turn 26, thanks to President Obama’s Affordable Care Act. Since the health care law passed, 3.1 million young adults—traditionally the group least likely to be insured—gained insurance. Mitt Romney adamantly opposes the Affordable Care Act.
• Romney has said that he will not increase Pell Grant Awards or help pay off student loans. In fact, Romney’s higher education plan could provide a basis for reducing or eliminating programs like Pell grants, income-driven repayment plans and loan forgiveness, and consumer-friendly regulations like the gainful employment rule. Absent a feasible plan to reduce the cost of college and lower skyrocketing tuition, this could be a financial disaster for thousands of college students and graduates.

America needs to pay close attention to the specific plans Romney has in mind for our country if he were to win the 2012 election. The facts show that President Obama’s actions while in office, as well as his plans for the future, are what’s best for young Americans, working families, and the middle class.