Both Re-Elected As International VP

UFCW Local 1500 President Bruce Both

We're pleased to announce Local 1500 President, Bruce W. Both, was unanimously re-elected as International Vice President of the UFCW International Union. The election took place yesterday at UFCW's Convention in Chicago.  

Bruce has held the position of International Vice President since January of 2007.  This is a great day for our union, especially as 30 of our contracts are set to expire in the next 12-months.  The re-election will continue to give our union a strong voice and influence on all national UFCW affairs, and reaffirms Local 1500 as one of the most powerful Local Unions within the UFCW.

UFCW Joins AFL-CIO

AFL–CIO (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Chicago, Illinois – Today, the United Food and Commercial Workers Union (UFCW) affiliated with the AFL-CIO in a bold move toward a stronger, more unified labor movement. UFCW President Joe Hansen, supported by a vote of the UFCW Executive Board, decided to add the 1.3 million private sector members to the AFL-CIO federation in order to build a stronger, more unified voice for the rights of workers. UFCW International President Joe Hansen today released the following statement:

 “We join the AFL-CIO because it is the right thing to do for UFCW members, giving them more power and influence. This is not about which building in Washington D.C. we call home — it is about fostering more opportunities for workers to have a true voice on the job. It is about joining forces to build a more united labor movement that can fight back against the corporate and political onslaught facing our members each and every day.

 “Our affiliation with the Change to Win Federation (CTW) has been a rewarding one. The CTW’s Strategic Organizing Center (SOC) is leading some of the best campaigns to give workers rights and dignity. While no longer an affiliate of CTW, we continue our strong relationships with the Teamsters, SEIU and the Farmworkers. We will remain active in the SOC and bring our AFL-CIO partners into collaboration with private-sector unions in an effort to build more power for workers. “The need for unity became paramount after the 2010 elections. The attacks on workers brought the UFCW into direct strategic partnership with the AFL-CIO and the entire labor movement. Our shared campaign revealed a dynamic and revitalized AFL-CIO and made it clear that it was time for the UFCW to redouble our efforts to build a more robust and unified labor movement.

 “I respect Rich Trumka’s bold leadership of the AFL-CIO and his strategic advocacy on key issues like the urgent need to pass comprehensive immigration reform, fix the Affordable Care Act so workers in multiemployer plans can keep the health care they currently have, and ensure the National Labor Relations Board protects workers’ rights. The UFCW is proud to affiliate with a transparent, strategic and innovative AFL-CIO – an AFL-CIO committed to bringing a union voice on the job to millions of workers from coast to coast.”

Today’s announcement comes as the UFCW Executive Board meets in preparation for its 7th Regular Convention which calls to order Monday, August 12 in Chicago, Illinois. UFCW delegates representing local unions in the U.S. and Canada will chart a course for the next five years and beyond that aims to raise standards and build power for workers in the grocery, retail and food manufacturing industries.

 Inspired by the theme, “Blue. Gold. Bold. Powerful Together,” UFCW delegates will deliberate on taking steps to strengthen the UFCW’s strong base of member activists who are the backbone of creative organizing campaigns, engaged bargaining programs and political activism.

 ###

 Convention details can be found at www.ufcwconvention.org Media Guest Registration will take place in Room W474B on the 4th floor of McCormick Place West beginning Saturday, August 10. For admittance to the Convention Floor, please present a media credential or business card. - See more at: http://www.ufcw.org/2013/08/08/ufcw-joins-afl-cio/#sthash.G4ZasHNf.dpuf

Canada Safeway locks out UFCW Local 401, Food Stamps at all time high, NYC needs Paid Sick Days, Tuesday Morning Read

"For many Americans, Labor Day has become better known as a holiday to mark the end of summer rather than a celebration of the many contributions workers have made to our society -- from the weekend, to safer jobs, to paid vacations and health care. America's unions helped create the middle class, and today, America's unions are essential to our economic recovery. "

-Tom Woodruff, Director of Change to Win's Strategic Organizing Center, in an editorial in The Huffington Post.

Canada Safeway has served notice to the UFCW that it will lock out more than 300 workers at its Edmonton Distribution Centre and Lucerne Ice Cream plant starting at 6 a.m. Today.

More at the Edmonton Sun. And the Calgary Herald.

East End Long Islanders want a Trader Joe's: Southhold residents have created a “Trader Joe’s Riverhead, NY Location Request Group," on Facebook

BJ's reports August sales were down.

The Times says "Middle America has come to the South Bronx"

Food Stamps: More than 35 million Americans received assistance in June through the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, formerly known as the food stamp program — the highest number of recipients ever — according to the Food and Nutritional Service of the Department of Agriculture.

The state of Michigan is offering tax incentives to companies that develop or expand grocery stores in underserved areas.

Target's new billboards in Times Square are turning heads.

New apples in the Big Apple?

The number of union workers rises in Alaska.

Labor Editorials

New York Times: Infighting is Blunting Labor's Clout.


New directions for a labor movement in decline.

Politics

With Swine Flu threat looming, NYC needs paid sick days.

Will Pedro Espada pass the farm workers bill?

And the Naked Cowboy drops out of the mayoral race.

Labor Day, BJ's Sales Down, Labor Day Weekend!

"A strong labor movement is at the heart of American prosperity. Decades ago, America's workers fought to bring us the eight-hour work day and the weekend, health care and paid vacations, safe jobs and pensions to retire on. America's unions helped create the middle class. Today, America's unions will reignite that same spirit and determination to give all working families a stronger voice in the workplace, in our communities, and in the global economy. We will not sit by the wayside. We are a movement in motion."
 -Change to Win Chair Anna Burger -Mobilizing for a New American Dream. in a statement on Labor Day 2009

 

King Soopers seeks to put more restrictions on Union Reps. 

Paula Deen is launching exclusive products at Wal-Mart and Sam's Club...Why is this a story? Two years ago Paula partnered with Smithfield in the midst of a labor struggle.

BJ's Wholesale Club reports sales down in August

Will Whole Foods survive Mackey's latest tirade?  The boycott Whole Foods group has grown to nearly 33,000 supporters, and it seems like there is a protest everyday, in Dallas most recently.

Workers at the Americold plant in Crete, Nebraska, obtained their first-ever union contract. 
this five-year contract negotiated by union members of  United Food and Commercial Workers 

Local 271 provides solid wage and benefit increases

Economy

Today's economy makes it a great time to be a union member.

Report: We need unions to build an economy with good jobs.

Unemployment hits 9.7%, but job losses slow.


Supermarket News covers retail stocks for August.

Politics, City, Elsewhere

"Unfortunately, he's never done anything in New York and he's learning the hard way that it's a union town."

- Sen. Joseph Addabbo, on prospective Aqueduct racino developer Steve Wynn's anti-union ways, in today's Albany Times Union

Nassau County wants to be like NYC, they now want to post calories in restaurants. 

There won't be another push for congestion pricing.

California leaders back a Health Care program for the poor.

More money has been raised in this year’s comptroller race than ever before.

Remember the NYC Labor Day Parade is Saturday Sept. 12.

Thursday Morning One Liners...

Image via Wikipedia

Change to Win and AFL-CIO have united to create a coordinating committee.

D'Agostino to attend New York Food Chain Summit...The summit aims to bring together farmers and agricultural experts to plan a supply cahin from western NY farms to the NYC market.

Retailer Penn Traffic here will close two stores early next month, a company spokesman told SN Monday.
Read more of this story

Governor Patterson expected to OK red light cameras in Long Island.

Atlantic City press asks what would another Wal-Mart do in N.J.?

Bloomberg spends $3 Million on TV ads.

Coney Islands 'marketplace' is unveiled.

Layoffs of 8,700 state employees are set to begin in July.

That excludes non-unionized managers, who acquiesced to concessions.

Union bosses say this will put lives at risk.

Trader John's is no more, Wal-Mart pays more fines....

Image via WikipediaThe South Hampton Press writes on grocery stores permitted to sell wine.

Wal-Mart's paying Minnesota $14 Million.

Trader John's is no more, after a court ruling yesterday, here's a photo of them covering the sign up.

More @ city life: Another defeat for Castamatidis. Lots of blogs are having fun with this story.


Wal-Mart, which used to enjoy good business despite the economic slowdown, is experiencing the bite of the ongoing recession on its sales, said outgoing Wal-Mart chief executive officer H. Lee Scott.

Lee Scott regrets not addressing his critics.


Wal-Mart & the American Labor Movement

• Can Labor Revive the American Dream? [The Nation]
  This simple amendment to federal labor law, which would, among other things, allow workers to unionize when a majority sign cards rather than requiring a bruising election, has galvanized the business community in a way even the $700 billion bailout couldn't. "I get the sense that this is more important to them than even taxes or regulation," says the AFL-CIO's director of government affairs, Bill Samuels. "This is about power. And the business community is not going to give up power willingly." Wal-Mart CEO Lee Scott said as much to a meeting with analysts in October. "We like driving the car," he told them, "and we're not going to give the steering wheel to anybody but us."
  

• Passage of US Employee Free Choice Act is Key to Global Organising Drive [UNI Global Union (Switzerland)]
  Jennings on Tuesday chaired a meeting with leaders of US unions affiliated to both the AFL-CIO and the Change to Win federation, who are working together to get the legislation passed. UNI President and UFCW President Joe Hansen and AFL-CIO President John Sweeney spoke at the opening of the meeting, which also included representatives from the International Trade Union Confederation and trade union centres from around the world.

The Fresh Market to open first Connecticut store in Novermber.

Politics

Freshman State Sen. Brian X. Foley has landed a plum committee chairmanship as Democrats assume control of the Senate for the first time in 43 years

New Yorkers want Cuomo over Kennedy.

Here's more on Suozzi and seat.

Related articles by Zemanta

• Unions in the American Economy-Becker
• Wal-Mart Settles 63 Lawsuits Over Wages