Posts Categorized: Resources

The International’s Communications Department is gearing up for another successful year of working with locals to communicate the value of belonging to our union family. The department is using key value campaign programs as a platform for strengthening and improving the ability of locals to engage members and potential members regarding the benefits that come with belonging to the UFCW, as well as what our union does to feed the hungry, fight cancer and improve and strengthen communities across the country.

The Communications Department is creating materials, including op-ed and letter to the editor templates, graphics and social media posts, to promote the following:

• Semester start dates for the UFCW’s Free College initiative, which will occur on Jan. 14 (spring 2019 start) and March 19 (spring II 2019 start); May 28 (summer 2019 start); and August 19  (fall 2019) and October 14 (fall II 2019);
• National Third Shift Workers Day on May 8, which pays tribute to members who work the graveyard shift;
• Stamp Out Hunger on May 11, which is the largest single-day food drive in our country;
• Labor Against Cancer in September, which raises money to help find a cure for blood cancers; and
• We Make the Holidays Happen in November, which pays tribute to our members in UFCW-represented industries during the holiday season.

All locals are encouraged to work with the International’s Communications Department to make these initiatives a resounding success.

“Our local doesn’t have a communications person and having the International’s Communication Department at our disposal has been a game changer for us,” said Jake Bailey, who is the service director at UFCW Local 1473. “The Communications Department has helped us place multiple op-eds on cancer awareness, dark store tax breaks and political actions. We couldn’t have finished a difficult negotiation without the Communications Department crafting the messaging to our members and members of the community, which forced the company to bargain with the local.”

“The International provides many services and tools that are available for locals to use,” said Mike Thompson, who is the communications director and union representative at UFCW Local 152. “One of the best tools that locals should use is the content and resources that the International’s Communication Department provides for all UFCW locals.

“From my experience visiting the Communications Department and participating in the local communicator calls, whether it’s the UFCW Free College program, Stamp Out Hunger, or just the ability to collaborate and bounce ideas off someone, the International’s communications team is a great resource for us at Local 152,” Thompson continued. “If your local is looking for any help or insight on the various initiatives that we do, the International’s Communication Department is there for your local, too.”

The Communications Department will also work with locals to place op-eds and letters to the editor around these key initiatives in local media outlets. If your local has any suggestions regarding materials for these initiatives, please contact Erin Ward at eward@ufcw.org.

The UFCW’s Strategic Resources Department has collected hundreds of bargaining agreements that are available through the UFCW Contracts on the Web database so that locals can access new and improved contract language and negotiate stronger and better contracts for members of our union family. To date, dozens of locals have used this text-searchable database to review U.S. contracts for specific language in UFCW-represented industries in preparation for first contracts or to strengthen language in existing provisions.

This database is updated regularly by the Strategic Resources Department, with oversight from the UFCW’s National Bargaining Department, and allows locals to access entire contracts or specific provisions and language by clicking the site’s “Contract Directory” button. The “Contract Directory” section also includes suggested contract language from the UFCW’s Legal Department, which addresses over 50 contract clauses ranging from access to discrimination to technological changes in the workplace, to help locals start the negotiating process with favorable, pro-member language.

During negotiations, locals improve contract language and raise standards across the country. The language submitted to the International in the contract directory is truly a collective and mutually beneficial effort. To that end, locals are encouraged to use the UFCW Contracts on the Web database regularly and fill out the contract reporting form electronically so that other locals have access to new language and provisions.

“Region 6 is proud to have contributed so many contracts to this database and we encourage locals in other regions to do so,” said Director of Region 6 Tish Ramirez. “By sharing information and best practices, we can continue to negotiate the better contracts our members have earned and deserve.”

This database is available to staff members only and requires an assigned username and password. If you do not have a username and password combination, click the “Register as a New User” link under the login section.