Good Food, Good Jobs, Good Health: We Endorse Scott Stringer for NYC Comptroller

Manhattan Borough President Scott Stringer supports a bike lane on Houston St. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

New York State's Largest Grocery Workers Union Endorses Scott Stringer for New York City Comptroller 
Union Applauds Candidates "Smart Food Policy" and Opposition to Walmart 

The United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW) Local 1500, New York State's largest grocery workers union with over 23,000 members, today announced its endorsement of Scott Stringer for New York City Comptroller.

"As Manhattan Borough President, Scott Stringer has proven everyday that he clearly understands how important it is to develop an economy that produces not just jobs but good jobs with a living wage. He understands that the success of Main Street is just as vital as the success of Wall Street.

The entire City of New York will be better off having a man of Scott Stringers integrity and intelligence as its Chief Financial Officer," stated UFCW Local 1500 President Bruce W. Both. "The membership of UFCW Local 1500 is excited to support his 2013 campaign for Comptroller and will work hard to see that he is elected."

UFCW Local 1500 represents 23,000 grocery workers across New York State with just over 10,000 members located within the five boroughs. "Scott Stringer was an early supporter of Local 1500's "Building Blocks" Campaign that called on New York City to develop a food policy that focuses on bringing full service supermarkets to under served communities," stated Patrick Purcell, Assistant to the President.

"Scott is dedicated to bringing good food, good jobs and good health to all New Yorkers and will continue to develop smart policies that will grow the cties economy and develop middle class jobs. Most importantly, as Borough President, has been relentless in holding Walmart accountable for their irresponsible business practices and demanding they show real change before they enter the New York City market. Our members are thankful for his leadership."

UFCW 1500 promotes progressive policies such as demanding Wal-Mart be held accountable for it's unethical business practices, supporting the expansion of supermarkets into underserved communities and creating good food, good jobs and good health for all New Yorkers. Other Issues of importance to Local 1500 members include aggressive wage theft prosecution, demanding labor standards be attached to corporate subsidies and strengthening New York City land use laws.

UFCW Local 1500 represents grocery workers in New York City, Long Island, Westchester, Putnam and Dutchess Counties. Members of Local 1500 are employed by Pathmark, King Kullen, Stop and Shop, Gristedes, Key Food. Fairway, D'agastinos and Shop Rite.

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The Politics of Food

Image via Wikipedia
Today at Columbia University, UFCW Local 1500 took part in a conference presented by Manhattan Borough President Scott Stringer on New York's next policy challenge: "Food Policy" Keynote speakers included Mayor Bloomberg & United Nations General Assembly President H.E. Miguel d'Escoto Brockmann, while Pat Purcell of Local 1500 served as a co-moderator for the event. The event filled the auditorium at Alfred Lerner Hall with activists, policy makers and community members.

The overall focus of the conference was to gain insight from participants on solutions to solving the growing problem New Yorkers and people throughout the world are facing, access to healthy affordable food. It asked the question why low income areas are facing riveting diabetes and obesity rates. Questions were raised asking, How can supermarkets be retained and improved? Speakers outlined the recent "decay" of the Supermarket industry throughout New York City and stressed the need for more Supermarkets throughout the city.

It seems that government is finally understanding the big picture. Bodega's that inhabit every street corner throughout the five boroughs fail to provide affordable food, not even healthy food. Gourmet Grocery stores provide healthy foods, but at prices no working class person can afford. The lack of supermarkets force people to rely on shopping at Bodega's, 99 cent stores, Fast-Food restaurants and Drug Stores like CVS or Rite-Aid that have poor quality and limited selections of food. This brings us to where we are today:

• Diabetes now affects over 700,000 people in New York City
• 1.1 Million New Yorkers are obese
• 2 Million are overweight
• 3 Million New Yorkers live in neighborhoods with a "high need for grocery stores and supermarkets"

That's why Local 1500 launched its Building Blocks Campaign. Our plan to bring Good Food, Good Jobs which will bring Good Health to the supermarket starved communities. Please read our principles, and please comment, we'd love to hear your ideas and suggestions.

The Politicker also had a write up on the conference here.