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Collective Bargaining, Corporate Responsibility, Economic Justice, Packing and Processing, Social Justice, UFCW Industries, UFCW Values

UFCW Local 371 Cosmo’s Workers To Sign First Contract

Sep 11, 2013

Workers at Cosmo’s Food Products, Inc., in West Haven, Conn., are celebrating the signing of their first union contract. This victory comes seven months after the workers at Cosmo’s voted to join UFCW Local 371.

“I’m proud of the union contract that we negotiated,” said Araceli Flores, Cosmo’s Food worker. “This contract will mean more security for our families.”

The agreement provides $1.30 in wage increases over the life of the contract. In the negotiations, the bargaining committee focused on securing guaranteed hours and seniority rights that will provide workers with greater job security. The contract also guarantees seven paid holidays each year and between one and three weeks of paid vacation for the workers.

“From the beginning, this has been about respect. The relationship between workers and supervisors at Cosmo’s really changed when management had to sit down at the bargaining table with us and negotiate,” said Cosmo’s Food worker Guadalupe Muñoz.

UFCW Local 371 Cosmo’s workers celebrate signing their first contract that increases wages, and improves job security.

UFCW Local 371 Cosmo’s workers celebrate signing their first contract that increases wages, and improves job security.

Cosmo’s Food Products, Inc., produces a variety of antipasto specialties under the Cosmo’s brand and for private labels.

Economic Justice, Retail, Social Justice, UFCW Values, Walmart

Walmart Workers and Supporters Hold Nationwide Day of Protests Against Retail Giant

Sep 05, 2013

Wages-Matter-New-NormalToday, Walmart workers and their supporters in over a dozen cities across the country are joining together for a nationwide day of protests—the largest mobilization since Black Friday—to call for better jobs at the country’s largest employer.

Many Walmart workers are struggling to support their families and contribute to their local economies because of low wages, insufficient hours and ongoing efforts to silence workers who are speaking out for better jobs.  Today’s protests come after Walmart failed to respond to a Labor Day deadline set by tens of thousands of Americans calling on Walmart to publicly commit to provide full-time work with a minimum salary of $25,000, reinstate workers who were fired for striking and agree to stop all retaliation against workers calling for better jobs.

Since June, Walmart has illegally disciplined nearly 80 workers, including firing 20 worker-leaders. More than 100 Unfair Labor Practice charges have been filed with the NLRB against Walmart.

There are several ways to help support Walmart workers as they take action today.  You can sign a petition located at http://bit.ly/150trkD.  You can also spread the work on social media by sharing any of the images located at http://bit.ly/17zqsEN or the video posted at http://bit.ly/19fR8K0 on Facebook. You can also go to Twitter to show your support and use the sample tweet: #WalmartStrikers are drawing a line. Stand with them for a real wage & workers’ rights on Sept. 5th bit.ly/1cgXnPA @ChangeWalmart

For photos and video of strikers and their community supporters, visit http://changewalmart.tumblr.com, or follow the conversation and see photos on Twitter at #Walmartstrikers.

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

Low Wage Workers Rising

Aug 30, 2013

Reposted from Making Change at Walmart

It’s been an exciting week and it’s not even Labor Day yet!

This week, low-wage workers of all varieties have gone out on strike to stand up for an American economy that works for working people.

Earlier this week, port truck workers went out on strike in Los Angeles. Today, fast food workers went on strike in more than 50 cities nationwide. And if Walmart doesn’t respond to workers calls by Labor Day, Walmart workers say we’ll see intensified actions nationwide on September 5th.

These dramatic actions come at a time when working people find themselves in a difficult situation. According to USA Today:

Jobs paying less than $14 an hour in fast food, retail, home health care and other fields made up one of every five jobs lost in the recession, but they account for three of every five new jobs in the recovery, according to NELP.

Many of them are held by adults, some of whom were laid off from much-better-paying positions during the recession. Eighty-eight percent of workers in jobs paying less than $10 an hour are older than 20, and a third are older than 40, according to the Economic Policy Institute.

Or as President Clinton’s Secretary of Labor Robert Reich would put it, “The good news as Labor Day approaches: Jobs are returning. The bad news: Most of them pay lousy wages and provide low, if not nonexistent, benefits.”

While everyday Americans continue to struggle with an uneven recovery and more than 7% unemployment, many companies continue to post record profits. Again, according to Reich referencing a NELP report:

…most low-wage workers are employed by large corporations that have been enjoying healthy profits. Three-quarters of these employers (the 50 biggest employers of low-wage workers) are raking in higher revenues now than they did before the recession.

Despite the challenges of the current American economy, low wage workers have dug deep and found the courage to stand up. If you’ve like to stand with Walmart workers, please sign their petition here.