Posts Categorized: Allies and Affiliates

On August 27, over 140 workers at two INEOS Pigments plants in Ashtabula, Ohio, joined the ICWUC/UFCW and International Brotherhood of Teamsters. INEOS is a global chemical company, and INEOS Pigments is one of the largest producers of titanium dioxide in North America.

This organizing victory is the result of a five-year effort to organize workers at INEOS Pigments. The company refused to recognize the ICWUC/UFCW or the International Brotherhood of Teamsters and its efforts were supported by the previous administration’s National Labor Relations Board. INEOS Pigments also hired union busting lawyers to hold captive audience meetings at the plants. Despite these obstacles and intimidation tactics, these workers persevered and unionized because they wanted a voice in the workplace and the same benefits as some of their unionized colleagues, who are represented by the United Steelworkers.

“In spite of the company’s anti-union tactics, these workers stood together for a better life,” said ICWUC/UFCW President Lance Heasley. “We look forward to working with the Teamsters and having the support of the Steelworkers as we begin to negotiate a strong, first contract for these workers.”

Last week, the UFCW joined millions of American workers across the country in mourning the death of AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka. For more than a decade, Trumka led the AFL-CIO, which is a federation of 56 national and international labor unions — including the UFCW — and represents 12.5 million working men and women.

“We are shocked and profoundly saddened by the untimely loss of AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka,” said UFCW International President Marc Perrone in a statement. “President Trumka was a powerful champion for workers his entire life, and a giant in the labor movement who always led the calls for justice, equality, and fairness across America.

“President Trumka was a defining example of how one can lead a life that inspires the souls and spirits of others, no matter the struggles they have faced,” Perrone added. “Above all, President Trumka was a friend and a stalwart ally to me, our countless local union presidents, and the 1.3 million members of the UFCW, and was always there to help better the lives of our members and their families. It is difficult to put into words what his loss has left across the labor movement. We only wish that his family and loved ones can find comfort and peace in the fact that he left an indelible mark on our nation and he will be remembered forever.”