Growing Our Union Family

This year, workers from around the country in a variety of industries made history by joining our union for a better life.

In January, workers at the Whole Foods store in the Spring Garden neighborhood of Philadelphia made history by becoming the first in the Amazon-owned grocery chain to unionize by voting to join UFCW Local 1776.

“We, the workers of Whole Foods’ flagship store in Center City Philadelphia, made history by voting to unionize with UFCW Local 1776,” said the Whole Foods workers in a joint statement. “This victory is not just ours—it belongs to every worker who believes in the power of standing together for fair wages, better benefits, and a safer, more supportive workplace.”

In July, workers at the H&M store in historic downtown Detroit voted unanimously to join UFCW Local 876, marking the first time H&M workers have unionized in Michigan.

“I’m looking forward to negotiating with H&M because we need better pay, a safer workplace, and stability at our job,” said Alexis Byrd, who is a part-time sales advisor at H&M Detroit and served as a member of the organizing committee. “At the end of the day, we are the face of the company to customers, and our value to H&M should be reflected in our pay and working conditions. H&M says it wants to be a great place to work. We’re going to hold them to that and make sure they’re practicing what they preach. We know the company can provide security, fix problems quickly, and pay us more. I’m glad we now have a union to make sure they do better.”

Over 80 workers at Festival Foods in Madison, Wis., voted to join UFCW Local 1473 in August, marking the first time Festival Foods workers have unionized at the company.

“I was a union member at my last job for 33 years,” said Gloria Dickman, who works in guest services at Festival Foods and is a member of the organizing committee. “My whole family was, and is, union – my parents and my husband. My younger co-workers were determined to join a union, and they made this happen. I’m union proud and proud of them for achieving this victory for all of us!”

“Workers should never be afraid to push for more,” said May Bishoff, who works in the liquor department at Festival Foods. “When you stick together, you actually have the power to achieve something. ”

About 45 Sodexo workers at the University of Arkansas in Little Rock, Ark., recently voted to join UFCW Local 2008, marking the first Sodexo unit to be represented by the local.

“We are happy to have a union because we didn’t know how to go about getting better opportunities for ourselves,” said the workers in a joint statement. “Having better pay and benefits will not only help us, but also our families.”

“As you can see, we’ve had a large amount of organizing activity in 2025,” said Executive Vice President and Director of the Organizing Department Dave Young. “Workers across industries from retail grocery and clothing stores to health care and food service have made their voices heard this year. Despite the relentless onslaught of union-busting activity from employers, who feel emboldened by the current administration in Washington, D.C., thousands of workers have stood up to secure a voice at work. I encourage all of you to read the articles below as they are inspirational and a good blueprint for 2026.”

Here are the organizing articles that appeared in OnPoint this year:

Produce Distributor Workers Join UFCW Canada – For Local Unions

Cannabis Workers in New Jersey Join Local 360 – For Local Unions

Social Service Workers Join UFCW Canada – For Local Unions

ACORN Workers Join UFCW Canada – For Local Unions

Sodexo Workers in Arkansas Join Local 2008 – For Local Unions

Coffeehouse Workers in California Vote Unanimously to Join Local 5 – For Local Unions

H&M Workers Vote Unanimously to Join UFCW Canada – For Local Unions

Grocery Workers in Ohio Join Local 880 – For Local Unions

Health Care Workers in New York Join Local One – For Local Unions

Health Care Workers in New York Join Local 888 – For Local Unions

Truck Drivers in Ohio Join Local 1059 – For Local Unions