Monthly Archives: May 2015

UFCW International President Marc Perrone today released the following statement after the Senate failed to advance fast track legislation.

“All across this country, hard-working Americans from every political stripe have sent a message loud and clear—no more trade deals that destroy American jobs and families. The failure of the Senate to advance fast track legislation is not only a stinging defeat for supporters of the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP); it makes clear that the American people will not be fooled into supporting another bad trade deal.

“Just a few weeks ago, all of the pundits believed that fast track and the TPP were a lock to pass: they were wrong. Our 1.3 million members, the entire labor movement, progressive Democrats, and conservative Republicans have all stood up and spoke out against this disastrous trade deal. More importantly, this is what is possible when we all stand together and fight for what is right for our families, our jobs, and our nation. While this battle is far from over, we can only hope that President Obama and every TPP supporter hears the voices of the American people and understands that this is a fight they cannot and should not win.”

In today’s Washington Post, UFCW International President Perrone also lays out the case against fast track and the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP). Workers “deserve good wages and benefits, fair and reliable schedules, respect on the job and a secure retirement—none of which would come from the Trans-Pacific Partnership trade agreement,” he writes. “The truth is that no elected official truly interested in making the economy better and fairer can support the Trans-Pacific Partnership,” Perrone continues.  “The Washington and Wall Street establishments say this deal will be different. It will not be. So the labor movement, workers and all those who want a fairer and more just America should not be fooled into supporting it.”

Last week, UFCW Local 555 President Dan Clay took issue with President Obama’s visit to the Nike headquarters in Oregon to rally support for the TPP. “It is very disappointing to see President Obama push a trade deal that will hurt hard-working Oregonian families,” Clay said in the Portland Tribune. “To do so by visiting Nike, a company with a long history of sending jobs overseas and exploiting workers is a complete insult. Support from companies like Nike and Wal-Mart shows how terribly flawed this trade deal really is. At a time when we need good jobs and growing income, we are being told to believe in another flawed trade deal, and ignore the self-centered agendas of politicians and irresponsible corporations.”

With votes on fast track expected to come up again, it is more important than ever to let your members of Congress know where you stand. Click here to send them an e-mail.

Thanks to the advocacy of the RWDSU and other organizations, New York City Mayor Mayor De Blasio signed the strongest piece of legislation in the country banning discriminatory credit checks.

Last week, New York City Mayor Mayor Bill De Blasio signed the strongest piece of legislation in the country banning discriminatory credit checks. The “Stop Credit Discrimination in Employment Act,” will ban employers in NYC from requesting or using someone’s personal credit history for hiring, promotion, or job-retention decisions. The bill will eliminate the unnecessary red tape where a credit check is often an arbitrary obstacle to employment in some of the largest job sectors, such as retail and restaurant positions. The legislation passed thanks to the advocacy from several groups including the NYC Coalition to Stop Credit Checks in Employment. The coalition is made up of more than 75 partners including the RWDSU and the Retail Action Project (RAP). A RAP member attended the bill signing at city hall to help represent the retail workers who will see the positive impacts of the legislation.

“For too many New Yorkers there has been a vicious cycle. Their credit rating has been damaged when they have been unable to pay off the debts they have accumulated living in one of the most expensive cities in the world or receiving an education or covering an unexpected medical expense,” said RWDSU President Stuart Appelbaum. “They need jobs to pay off their debts, but their credit rating has prevented them from getting employed and they only fall further into debt. You need a job to pay off your debt, but then you can’t get a job because of the debt you already have. This law will help to break the cycle. It will give working people the opportunity to earn their way out of debt.”

Nearly half of U.S. employers now check job applicants’ credit histories when making hiring decisions. This practice blocks qualified workers from desperately-needed jobs — including people whose credit was damaged as a result of medical debts, divorce, layoffs or other life events beyond their control.  Employment credit checks also discriminate against low-income workers and people of color, who have been disproportionately affected by predatory lending and the economic downturn.