A labor union is a 501(c)(5) nonprofit, democratic organization of workers who have formally come together to promote their interests and advocate on each other’s behalf.
What is the purpose of a union?
Why start or join a trade or labor union? Unions in practice, push for better wages or working conditions with specific employers, defend individual workers when their rights are violated on the job, champion state and federal laws and new legislation that protect workers rights, and hold irresponsible companies or government agencies accountable in court or by other means when they don’t do their jobs properly.
A few ways we do this is through negotiating contracts between workers and employers that clearly spell out wages and benefits in writing and makes company promises legally binding, through lobby days to make sure elected officials listen to the workers’ side of the story and aren’t just hearing from highly-paid corporate lobbyists, and through helping get the word out to the general public about the importance of issues impacting working people.
Why unionize with UFCW?
At UFCW, we also just like to have fun together and support good causes. UFCW members participate in events like Light the Night walks for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society, food drives like Stamp Out Hunger, and other social activities together like amusement park days or parades, and hold toy drives to benefit local charities.