Top 13 Things that Happened Last Week

— TOP 13 INDUSTRY/LABOR NEWS ARTICLES FROM THIS WEEK — 1. #WalmartStrikers Nationwide Action ON Thursday Walmart workers took action around the nation in support of  striking workers who were retaliated against.   We supported workers at an action in Valley Stream....Actions were held nationwide, like this flash mob in North Carolina a flash mob....Three protesters were arrested in NYC. You can head here to sign the petition to support the workers. 2.  "Cancer Isn't An Excuse" was told to a retail worker, check out how the mistreated workers got revenge on their boss. 3.  On Labor Day, too many workers are left in the shadows. 4.  Volkswagen won't fight off a unionization of a plant in Tennessee, and will instead work w/ the union to make a better workplace for employees...  5.  Costco sales are up 6%....Surpassing $100 billion. (yeah, that's not a typo). 6.  Eataly, the italian specialty store in Chelsea NYC, is having a food-festival, and announced they're expanding to Chicago. 7.  Pathmark closed 3 stores today in New Jersey.  Watch how some workers and customers sadly said goodbye. 8. Price Chopper unvieled a new 'Bistro' concept. 9.  Report: Transgender? Likely your rights will be violated at your workplace. 10. Paul Krugman writes in the NYTimes:  Last five-years have been a tragic waste...Before our last financial crisis 63% of adults were employed in the US, after that, it hasn't gone above 59% to date. 11.  On surveillance and online privacy: "The NSA laughs at your encryption efforts"- NY Times. 12.  Stop & Shop is offering Flu shots. 13.  Ignore the headlines, this new jobs report was very bad, according the the Washington Post. (US added 169,000 jobs, unemployment fell a notch down) Elsewhere Bonus 14.  How a Boston University hired Jackson Lewis to prevent Professors from organizing a union. Thanks! Did we miss something? Let us know! Reply to this message or tweet at us @ufcw1500!

WORKERS AT WORLDS LARGEST PORK PLANT RATIFY FIRST-EVER UNION CONTRACT

Image via Wikipedia

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: July 1, 2009

WORKERS AT WORLDS LARGEST PORK PLANT

RATIFY FIRST-EVER UNION CONTRACT

Deal raises Tar Heel workers’ wages and brings up benefits and

working conditions to union standards

(TAR HEEL NC)—Five Thousand workers at the world’s largest pork processing plant have their first-ever union contract, after a majority of workers ratified the agreement over a two-day vote. Members of UFCW Local 1208 will join more than 10,000 other Smithfield workers, and more than 240,000 others who work in the meat packing and food processing industry who have a UFCW union contract.

The new contract includes:

* Wage increases of $1.50/hour over the next four years.

* Continued company-provided affordable family health care coverage.

* Improved paid sick leave and vacation benefits.

* Retirement security through protection of the existing pension plan.

* Continued joint worker/management safety committee, including company funded safety training for workers.

* Guaranteed weekly hours that protect full-time, family supporting jobs in the community

* A system to resolve workplace issues.

* 24 hours of paid funeral leave following the death of immediate family members.

“This contract will completely transform our workplace,” said Orlando Williams. “This is the biggest four-year wage increase Smithfield workers have ever had and it will make a real difference for our families and in this community. We could never have gotten that increase without a chance to bargain with the company. We will finally have a sense of security on the job because through our union we can make sure we have a safe place to work, and that everyone’s treated fairly.”

UFCW members who work at Smithfield's other locations all over the country were paying close attention to the negotiations in Tar Heel. "I know the difference having a union contract makes, said Jim Olson, a steward at UFCW Local 304A and a 35 year veteran of Smithfield's John Morrell Plant in Sioux Falls, SD. "The more meatpacking workers who join our union, the more power we have to raise wages and benefits—in our own local unions, and for everybody who works in this industry. That’s what being in the UFCW is all about.”

This is the first contract covering the hourly production and maintenance workers at the Tar Heel facility and will take effect July 1, 2009.

-30-

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.