Displaying 2 of 8 Total Records

Hershey Workers in Canada Stand Together for a Better Life

On Oct. 29, about 140 workers at the Hershey plant in the city of Saint-Hyacinthe in Quebec, Canada, joined UFCW Local 1991-P.  The employees at the production facility create confectionery products, including chocolate, under the Brookside brand.

The new bargaining unit includes a variety of production-critical roles that are necessary for the smooth operation of the facility, including sanitation, day laborer, forklift operator, electromechanics, quality controller, operator, and priority day laborer. As members of UFCW Local 1991-P, these workers can count on the expertise and commitment of a union that is dedicated to ensuring fair pay and improving working conditions.

“The certification of UFCW Local 1991-P to represent employees at the Hershey plant in Saint-Hyacinthe marks an important step towards consolidating the rights of workers in the Montérégie region,” said UFCW Local 1991-P President Janick Vallières. “UFCW Local 1991-P will continue its efforts to defend the interests of its members and to promote safer, fairer and more respectful work environments.”

Rite Aid Workers in California Ratify a New Contract

On Oct. 30, about 1,200 members of UFCW Local 8-GS who work at 96 Rite Aid stores in Northern California ratified a new contract that strengthens wages and protects benefits.

The new contract includes critical improvements to wages. The contract also restores members to a union-trusteed health care plan with no premiums for member coverage, and includes job protections that reflect the commitment of union members to their work and communities.

UFCW Local 8-GS is working with the company to calculate retroactive wage payments to be paid by the end of December. The UFCW Trust Fund is also working on additional details concerning enrollment for medical benefits.

“This victory is a powerful testament to our members’ resilience and the unity which has guided us through an incredibly challenging path,” said UFCW 8-GS President Jacques Loveall. “Our members’ journey to secure this agreement took us through multiple rounds at the highest levels of the National Labor Relations Board, where we fought and persevered every step of the way. Despite the company’s recent bankruptcy filing, we remained determined to protect our members’ rights and secure a fair contract. Congratulations to all involved in making this possible. Together, we proved once again that ‘solidarity works!’”