Monthly Archives: March 2020

Over 1,200 members of UFCW Local 152 who work in the retail departments of Acme Markets stores in New Jersey ratified a new contract on March 3 that improves benefits and raises wages. UFCW Local 152 represents retail clerks who work in the floral, grocery, frozen foods and other  departments in Acme Markets stores in Atlantic, Cape May, Cumberland, and southern Ocean counties in New Jersey.

The four-year contract maintains no-cost-sharing of medical benefits, meaning these Acme Markets retail clerks will continue to pay nothing out of pocket for their health care plan for the duration of the contract. As health care costs continue to skyrocket in our country, this alone is without question a monumental win for our members!

The contract also secures paid sick days, a request made many times in the past. The introduction of the New Jersey earned sick leave law helped the Negotiating Committee leverage this benefit to become a reality. Effective upon ratification, all Acme Markets retail members can accrue up to 40 hours per year of paid sick leave, which can be rolled over into the next year or paid out at the member’s discretion.

The agreement also includes immediate across-the-board wage increases, as well as increases each year for the life of the contract. Most department managers will enjoy an increased premium to reward their skills and dedication. Additionally, a few crucial positions were reclassified to offer additional compensation. Finally, in addition to better clarifying language throughout, the new contract also mandates that schedules be posted earlier, so members can have better control of their work-life balance.

Congratulations to the Negotiating Committee and our members on this big win! The committee consisted of UFCW Local 152 President Brian String; Executive Assistant to the President Daniel Konczyk; Director of Collective Bargaining Daniel Ross, Jr.; Director of Field Services Joe Stathius; Director of Communications Mike Thompson; Union Representative Cary Lawson; and Union Representative Tom Hartle. It also included 11 Shop Stewards: Lou Yacovelli, Bill Brennan, James Frick, Donna Heiler, Kim Broomell, Kathy Belford, Mary Fuller, Arthur Blomkvest, Ruth Spencer-Dunn, Michael Nicholas and Dawn Bertino.

On March 6, the UFCW joined the SEIU and AFT in calling on the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to strengthen protections for first responders fighting the coronavirus outbreak. The UFCW, SEIU and AFT represent thousands of health care workers in the state of Washington who are on the front lines of the COVID-19 response.

“Health care workers represented by the UFCW are bravely stepping up to help so many communities confronting the coronavirus,” said UFCW International President Marc Perrone. “Keeping our patients and families safe starts with strong leadership. The UFCW’s 1.3 million members and workers across the country are calling on the CDC and both parties – Republicans and Democrats – to work together to take the bold steps needed to strengthen the government’s response to this crisis before it’s too late.”

“Our members are displaying extraordinary courage and dedication at the front lines of this outbreak in Washington State, and both the safety of our community and the integrity of our health care system depends on their ability to do their work safely,” said UFCW Local 21 President Faye Guenther in Seattle. “By caring for patients with COVID-19, health care workers are putting themselves at higher risk, and they deserve the highest level of protection.”

“The Trump administration has left health care workers in the dark by spreading misinformation, delaying the release of guidelines and best practices developed by public health experts, and is putting the health of the stock market above the health of people,” said SEIU President Mary Kay Henry. “Nurses, lab techs, environmental service workers, dietary aides, caregivers and doctors in our hospitals, nursing homes and communities are in direct contact with patients, meaning these workers are at high risk of contracting or spreading illnesses. In the face of a health emergency, it is more important than ever to ensure these workers are prepared with the right equipment and ready to take action—not left wondering how to keep themselves, their patients and their families healthy.”

“Furthermore, everyone on the frontlines of care—from hospital workers to home care workers—must have affordable health care and paid sick time they can count on. No one should have to go to work sick because they are worried about being penalized or missing a day’s pay, and no one should have to postpone or forgo treatment because they can’t afford the bill,” Henry added. “The Trump administration, the CDC and OSHA must put worker and patient safety—not cost reduction —first. As the largest union of health care workers, SEIU will continue to push the Trump administration to improve its response. This situation shows the power that working people have when we join together in unions, and it is a good example of why every worker should have the opportunity to join a union—no matter where they work.”

“Nurses, doctors, respiratory therapists and the other workers supporting patient care are at ground zero of this public health crisis, and their voices must be a key part of developing a national plan. Failing to provide adequate protection to health care workers increases the risk that those workers themselves will spread the infection and failing to protect them weakens our response,” said AFT President Randi Weingarten. “Unfortunately, both the CDC and OSHA have done little thus far to engage with workers, and to make sure they’re clear on the protocols for respiratory protection and exposure to infectious disease. That, coupled with these rollbacks, is a troubling sign of our government’s ability to manage this threat to our communities.”