Monthly Archives: May 2021

The UFCW is launching a series of COVID-19 educational Q&A events to provide our members with an opportunity to have their questions about the COVID-19 disease and life-saving vaccines addressed by top doctors and public health specialists. The first two events in the series will be held on Thursday, May 6 at 6 p.m. ET and Monday, May 10 at 5 p.m. ET. The event on May 6 will be conducted entirely in Spanish. 

May 6 Event

The May 6 event will feature Dr. Jose Romero, MD, and Dr. Fabian Sandoval, MD. Dr. Romero is chairman of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices, and also serves as secretary of the Arkansas Department of Health and a member of the Governor Asa Hutchinson’s cabinet. Dr. Sandoval is the chief executive officer and research director at the Emerson Clinical Research Institute and a member of the Leadership Council and Society for Clinical Research Sites. He is also the Emmy Award winning host of the weekly medical TV show “Tu Salud Tu Familia” and a medical contributor for Telemundo in Washington, D.C.  

This event will be moderated by UFCW Local 2 President Martin Rosas, who also serves as secretary-treasurer of United Latinos of the UFCW. This event will be conducted entirely in Spanish and broadcast live on UFCW’s Facebook page at 6 p.m. ET here.

May 10 Event

The May 10 event will feature Dr. Peter Marks, MD., PhD., Dr. José Montero, MD, MHCDS, and Dr. Robert Harrison, MD, MPH. Dr. Marks is the director of the Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research at the Food and Drug Administration, which is the agency responsible for regulating and reviewing the safety and efficacy of COVID-19 vaccine candidates. Dr. Montero is the director of the Center for State, Tribal, Local, and Territorial Support at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, where he oversees support to the U.S. health departments and those serving tribal nations and insular areas. Dr. Harrison is a clinical professor of medicine at the University of California, San Francisco, and an occupational and environmental medicine specialist. He specializes in preventing coronavirus spread in the workplace environment. 

This event will be moderated by Executive Vice President and Director of National Bargaining Milton Jones and will be broadcast live on UFCW’s Facebook page at 5 p.m. ET here.

We are asking locals to encourage members to submit questions ahead of each event using the UFCW’s Soapboxx tool in English and Spanish and Phone2Action in English and Spanish. Members can also text “VaxFacts” to 83071 to RSVP and ask their questions today.  

Graphics and flyers to promote the events are available here.

On April 20, Ascend Dispensary cannabis workers in Springfield, Ill., joined UFCW Local 881 for better wages and benefits and a voice in the workplace. Ascend Wellness Holdings, which owns the Springfield dispensary, is one of the largest privately-held U.S. multistate operators in the cannabis industry.

These workers joined our union family because they wanted a voice in the workplace and the ability to negotiate for better wages and benefits. These workers were also concerned about COVID-19 protections.

“I hope that this win can be a positive step forward for everybody,” said Eric Craddock, who is an agent at Ascend Dispensary. “This victory will provide workers with a voice in the workplace and a future in this industry.”

“Illinois cannabis sales topped $1 billion in 2020,” said UFCW Local 881 President Steve Powell. “These companies can afford to respect their workers! Respect and decency are not expensive business practices. This industry should be creating stable careers, not operating cannabis sweatshops. We look forward to beginning negotiations and we are proud to stand with these brave workers from Ascend as they voice their concerns while working on the front lines!”

UFCW Local 881 represents cannabis workers across multiple states and Ascend Springfield is the fourth group of cannabis workers to join the local since 2020. Windy City Cannabis workers recently joined UFCW Local 881 and the workers at Cresco (Joliet) and Sunnyside (Lakeview) recently ratified union contracts negotiated by UFCW Local 881.