Survey for All Working Women

By: Rhonda Nelson
Recorder, UFCW Local 1500
President, UFCW Women's Network

Until December 4th, we're asking all working women to participate in this National Survey of Working Women.

It is imperative we make our voices heard in this opportunity to tell advocates and the media to understand the challenges working women face, whether it’s on the job, balancing work and family, or leading in our communities.

We need you to tell your story; what stands between you and prosperity, and how we can change the rules together to create a better life for all workers.

Speak Up Together! The results from the survey will be published in a written report and distributed nationally through media outlets, labor unions, and advocates. Through these networks, your thoughts and words will help inform the debate on what women want and bring the voices of real working women to the table.

The survey is being conducted on line from October 27- December 4.   The survey is anonymous and focuses on broad issues of importance to working women.

To ensure that we all have a voice and are represented in the results of this important survey, I encourage you to participate in this survey, and share it with your coworkers.

Take the survey at www.ufcw.org/WWsurvey/ and takes approximately ten minutes to complete.

I look forward to this important dialogue and sharing and discussing the results of the survey with you.

Thank you very much for your support in making the world a better place for all women.

What We're Reading Tuesday Morning: Amish Market gets Busted...Again

“But we believe that workers deserve a paid day off to care for their self or their loved one, without the risk of losing wages or being terminated. Paid sick days should be a basic workplace standard for all New Yorkers.”
 -UFCW Local 1500 Recorder Rhonda Nelson, in Paid-Sick-Leave Fight Escalates in NYC, Expands Across the Nation via In These Times. 

Target's PFresh remodels (yeah the one that closed the Valley Stream store for 7-months) are popping up all over the country, but no others are closing for that extended period of time, weird.  Here's a complete list of all their scheduled re modelings.

A few years ago UFCW Local 1500 was contacted by workers at Amish Market, we eventually helped win nearly $1.5 million in back-pay & unpaid overtime wages for a handful of workers at the chain of stores.  We knew these employers took advantage of their workers, but this week federal authorities charged the nine owners  w/ conspiring to hide $56 million in sales from the IRS.  Stealing wages from low-paid workers, hiding millions from the IRS, way to go guys!  More @ Supermarket News.

16 miles from NYC, Walmart eyes it's first Neighborhood Market in Jersey.

And their express city format store has failed. Walmart plans to close their Chicago Express store, one year to the day that it opened.  Talk about #WMTFail, they said they couldn't survive with a Supercenter nearby.  More @ Chicago Tribune.

Shake Your Head Story: Despite earning a record $4.9 billion profit last year, and projecting a better 2012, manufacturing giant Caterpillar is pushing a six-year pay freeze on workers and a pension freeze for most of the 780 production workers.  But miraculously they did find a way to raise executive compensation including giving CEO $17 million.  Check more @thinkProgress.

Worst Employer in America? Systematically attacking housekeepers? Global Boycott of Hyatt launched, supported by NFL Players Association, AFL-CIO, NOW, Netroots Nation and more. Check out www.hyatthurts.org and find out more.


Must Read: Excellent editorial by the awesome Hamilton Nolan from Gawker: Time to Tie Executive Pay to Worker Pay.

Women's Network Meeting Recap: 3/2/11

UFCW Local 1500 Women's Network Meeting

- by Jessica Lynch, Communications Assistant

Women's Network Meeting

               

            UFCW Local 1500 hosted a Women’s Network meeting on Wednesday, March 2, 2011 at the “UFCW Local 1500 Headquarters”. The meeting focused on “What Women Need to Know About Retirement”, and was presented by Karen Godfrey and Michael McCrain from McCrain Financial Group, Inc.

Michael McCrain and Karen Godfrey

The meeting helped the members learn how to balance bills, pay off debt and build emergency savings. The women were also given helpful advice on Social Security, such as: how to earn benefits, types of benefits available, how much you qualify for and how taxes affect your benefits.  Advice on preparing for retirement was given in a few simple steps: Balance your bills; pay off debt; build emergency savings and to pay off your home. On top of retirement and social security, stocks and bonds were explained thoroughly- informing the women how to invest well. Godfrey and McCrain were able to answer numerous questions throughout the meeting and took time to have individual questions asked on specific situations. 

Women gathered at Local 1500 Headquarters

The Women’s Network were able to come together to learn how to prepare for retirement the best way possible. Many were able to share their stories and educate themselves on how to start preparing for particular situations, while others sat back and learned through others. Overall the meeting was very informative and a great learning experience. For more information on the Women's Network, please email:  info@ufcw1500.org