About 19 workers who are employed in the Product Release and Component Labs division of the American Red Cross in Tulsa, Okla., joined UFCW Local 1000 on Feb. 13. These workers are responsible for processing blood products after the units have been received from donors, and packing and shipping blood products and samples for hospital orders.
The workers joined our union because they wanted better wages and benefits and were concerned about workplace safety issues. One of the reasons the organizing campaign was successful was because UFCW Local 1000 showed the workers how to form an organizing committee and how to reach out to their fellow workers to get their voices heard in the workplace.
“Forming our union wasn’t just about better wages—it was about respect, safety, and having a real voice in the workplace,” said Murphy Moua, one of the workers at the American Red Cross. “Now, we stand together to make sure our hard work is valued, and that every task we perform is done with the care and dignity it deserves.”