The UFCW proudly represents thousands of immigrant members in industries like meatpacking, food processing, and retail. Our union has always upheld the belief that the voices of all workers deserve to be heard, no matter where they were born. As Congress considers new changes to immigration policy, the International has created suggested contract language to help locals protect the workplace rights of immigrant members of our union family.
With strong contract language, locals can ensure that members have time off to deal with immigration-related legal proceedings. Locals can also ensure that the rights of workers are protected, and employers abide by the law during immigration enforcement actions.
The model language allows members to update or correct their employment records, including if they have a discrepancy pertaining to their Social Security number. It also protects workers from unnecessary government scrutiny under the E-Verify program and provides for the translation of employment-related documents, including UFCW contracts.
The model immigration contract language is available on SharePoint here. If you have any questions, contact Sarai King in the International’s Legal Department at sking@ufcw.org.