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Constituency Groups, Immigration, Legislation, Packing and Processing, Politics, Press Releases, Social Justice, UFCW Industries, UFCW Values, United Latinos

UFCW Praises Senate Passage of Comprehensive Immigration Reform That Includes Roadmap to Citizenship

Jun 27, 2013

UFCWnewsWASHINGTON, D.C.—Joe Hansen, International President of the UFCW , today released the following statement after the Senate passed comprehensive immigration reform legislation.

“I commend the Senate for taking a major bipartisan step toward making comprehensive immigration reform the law of the land. This bill includes many of the UFCW’s principles including a roadmap to citizenship for those already here, strong labor protections for immigrant workers, and a modernized system for allocating employment-based visas based on hard data, not politics.

“For decades, the UFCW has been a staunch advocate for fixing a flawed immigration system that punishes working men and women, tears families apart, and fails workers, families, communities and businesses alike.  We have been proud to be part of a national movement that has led the way in changing the narrative–so that at this point in time a majority of Americans support comprehensive immigration reform.

“Let me be clear. This is a compromise bill. The ‘border surge’ provision added earlier this week is bad public policy at a high price and the UFCW will do everything in its power to mitigate its impact while making clear no further concessions are acceptable. But we cannot allow the perfect to be the enemy of the good. Senate passage of comprehensive immigration reform with a road map to citizenship sends a clear message that America will no longer penalize aspiring citizens just for trying to make a better life for themselves and their families. It is now time for the House to finish the job.”

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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.

Constituency Groups, Legislation, LGBTQ, Politics, Press Releases, Social Justice, UFCW Values

UFCW Statement on Defense of Marriage Act Decision

Jun 26, 2013

UFCWnewsWASHINGTON, D.C. — Joe Hansen, International President of the United Food and Commercial Workers International Union (UFCW), today released the following statement in response to the Supreme Court striking down the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA).

“Today the Supreme Court put DOMA in the trash bin of history with separate but equal and other discriminatory laws. The Defense of Marriage Act actually defended nothing at all. Instead it was a direct assault on married same-sex couples who were denied more than 1,100 federal benefits and protections by the government’s refusal to recognize their relationship. The UFCW strongly supports full equality for the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender (LGBT) community. That means equal rights in employment, immigration, and yes—marriage. The momentum for marriage equality is growing every day. The Supreme Court today restored it in California, Minnesota recently became the 12th state to recognize same-sex unions, and more are on the way. It is not a matter of if but when all Americans will have the freedom to marry. The UFCW looks forward to that day.”

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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. 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.

Social Justice, UFCW Values

Tell the Turkish Government: Violence Against Peaceful Protesters is Unacceptable

Jun 21, 2013

Demonstrators fill Taksim Square in Istabul. Photo source: BBC

Over the past few weeks, Turkish citizens have taken to the streets of Istanbul, Ankara, and other major cities to peacefully exercise their right to freedom of assembly and expression. The non-violent protests have been met with brutal and unnecessary violence at the hands of the Turkish government forces. At least four innocent protestors have been killed, and many others injured, at demonstration sites that have turned into battlefields.

In solidarity with the International Union of Food, Agricultural , Hotel, Restaurant, Catering, Tobacco and Allied Workers’ Associations (IUF), which represents millions of workers throughout the world, including trade unions of Turkey organized in food, hotel and agriculture sectors, UFCW President Joe Hansen has written to Turkey’s Prime Minister to put an end to the outrageous acts of violence, and the wrongful imprisonment of thousands of people.

In the letter, President Hansen recounts more government violence against Turkish demonstrators from earlier this year, and notes how democracy is being upheld:

We remain concerned that your Government engages in such repression as a regular practice based on earlier episodes. Still fresh in our minds is this year’s May Day Celebrations, which were supposed to take place in Taksim Square in Istanbul. They turned to bloodshed after attacks on demonstrators by security forces using tear gas and other unacceptable police action.

Such brutality is unacceptable …

Rather than continuing repression and anti-democratic measures, the underlying reasons for the demonstrations should be recognized. Since the 2011 elections authoritarian actions by your governance have increased. This included legal and illegal denial of fundamental trade union rights, adoption of laws that discourage rather than encourage the exercise of those rights, inaction, at best, against employers who deny workers’ fundamental rights, abuses in the judiciary system, prevention of de facto application of legal strikes, and violence against trade unionists coupled with limits on freedom of assembly and expression. These constitute attacks on fundamental human rights and democracy.

President Hansen calls for all the legal and practical barriers against the exercise of trade union rights to be removed and the right to strike is respected and KESK trade unionists, detained journalists and all others unjustly held for legitimate acts of protests and opposition to be released immediately.

You can take action too! Here’s how:

  • go here, where you can download a model letter and campaign banner to send to Turkish embassies and consulates near you
  • send a message to the Turkish government through Labourstart.