Monthly Archives: August 2014

President Obama signs an executive order designed to ensure that the United States only does business with companies that follow labor laws and respect workers’ rights.

UFCW International President Joe Hansen released the following statement in response to President Obama’s executive order designed to ensure that the United States only does business with companies that respect workers’ rights.

“The President’s executive order makes clear that the U.S. will not do business with companies that violate our nation’s labor laws. Employers who cheat workers out of wages, fail to provide safe workplaces, and illegally retaliate against those who try to organize a union should never be considered for a government contract. On the other hand, companies that uphold our laws and treat their workers with dignity and respect should be given preference when it comes to federal procurement.

“Today’s announcement builds on years of work by UFCW members and our partner unions to create a system that is fairer for workers and encourages a race to the top when it comes to labor standards. These efforts included a 2013 resolution passed unanimously by delegates to the UFCW convention calling on the creation of a ‘High Road’ procurement process.

“In the last several years, the meat and poultry industries have received over 1 billion dollars from taxpayers. Many workers in these industries work full-time yet are not paid enough to support themselves or their families. They also must endure dangerous workplace conditions and chronic underreporting of injuries by their employers. This executive order sends a message that companies who engage in this type of anti-worker activity must change the way they do business or lose access to their government contracts.

“I want to thank President Obama, Secretary of Labor Perez, and all those involved in crafting this executive order. Today’s announcement is an important first step in ensuring our government is doing everything in its power to protect America’s workers.”

For the the GOLD internship Health and Safety action project, interns traveled to different poultry factories and spoke with workers who had been injured on the job.

By: Mike Roberts, Local 881, Occupational Safety and Health Action Project

I worked with Matt Greeley from UFCW Local 1473 on the GOLD internship Health and Safety action project. This project involved traveling to different poultry factories and speaking with workers who had been injured on the job. After speaking with them, we documented whether they had received any medical attention and, if so, the type of medical treatment they received from their company’s nurse. Matt works at the Nestle plant in Eau Claire, Wis., and I work at Pinnacle Foods in Mattoon, Ill. A major highlight of the internship for both of us was seeing how other plants across the country operate.

The first stop for us was the House of Raeford plant in Columbia, S.C. Set along a river, the town is heavily concentrated around the plant and there is not a lot of space for additional construction to support the plant. Workers are forced to park three blocks away and cross a busy highway to get inside the plant.

We spoke with numerous workers who had suffered injuries and carpal tunnel was the most common injury. The working conditions inside the plant were not ideal. Workers had to maneuver around tight quarters and work in close proximity to one another. Hearing their stories reinforced to us both how important it is for workers to have a union voice on the job.

The next stop was the Pilgrims Pride plant in Athens, Ga. We were able to talk to a few workers and learned some interesting things. This plant is not a “kill” plant, so the chicken arrives there ready to be cut into various pieces and processed for the fast food industry.

Chicken from this plant is shipped to Chick-Fil-A and KFC. There are employees who do nothing but cook chicken in fryers all day and perform tests on the chicken. They test for taste, color, and consistency.

The final stop was in Live Oak, Fla., at another Pilgrim’s Pride plant. With the help of stewards in the plant, we were able to speak with workers who were injured on the job and capture their stories.  Their stories of carpal tunnel were very similar to the ones we heard about in the Columbia, S.C., plant.

Throughout this project we worked with three great union reps from the UFCW Local 1996 based out of Atlanta, Ga.  The issues they face are different than the ones we face at my plant in Illinois or Matt’s plant in Wisconsin. They have a very tough job at the plants they represent since they are all in “Right to Work” states. In spite of this, all of the plants we saw showed tremendous solidarity. Everyone we spoke to was happy to have a union voice and fight for their rights and their safety at work.

It gives me a sense of pride that my union cares as much as it does for the safety of its members. Without this support, I can’t imagine how much different workplaces would be. The GOLD internship has been a great experience. It was incredible to see firsthand how hard union members fight to better their jobs and the industries they work in. We all come from different places and have different struggles, but we are all fighting for the same cause.