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On Feb. 14, workers at Blank Street Coffee in Brooklyn, N.Y., joined UFCW Local 1500 for the better wages and benefits that come with a union contract. Blank Street Coffee is the first coffee shop represented by UFCW Local 1500.

The 34 workers, who are  employed as baristas, service pros, and shift leads, joined our union family because they were concerned about safety, maintenance and scheduling issues, as well as the lack of paid time off, scheduled raises, and a fair grievance process.

During the organizing campaign, UFCW Local 1500 organizers spoke to workers after their shifts, developed worker leaders, and guided workers to speak with each other about the union. Organizers also hosted group meetings and developed a social media campaign to further engage these workers.

“I moved to unionize my workplace so that my job could be the best version of itself it could be,” said one of the workers. “UFCW Local 1500 helps me feel more optimistic about my financial and mental stability as a Blank Street employee going forward.”

The UFCW Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) Office recently held two health and safety trainings in Dumas and Hereford, Texas, for UFCW Local 540 members.

At the training session in Hereford, 20 UFCW Local 540 stewards who work at the local Cargill meat processing facility got together on a Sunday morning to receive training about OSHA standards, hazard recognition, anhydrous ammonia, and the role that they play as stewards in the workplace. The training session in Dumas included 13 more stewards who work for the local JBS plant. These stewards, who range in seniority from one year to 45 years with the UFCW, also sacrificed a Sunday to participate in a training session designed to increase their knowledge of health and safety and the many hazards they face on the job.

The stewards viewed the trainings as a way to improve their ability to serve and protect their peers at their meat processing facilities.     

“These trainings are vital to assist us on what to do to keep us safe,” said Isidro, who participated in the health and safety training in Dumas.  

These health and safety trainings are available to all UFCW locals. If your local is interested in working with the OSH Office to hold a training session, have your Region Director contact Roy McAllister, the director of the OSH Office, at rmcallister@ufcw.org.