Posts Tagged: UFCW Local 17A

Over 100 UFCW members traveled to Columbus to lobby their state legislators against possible right to work legislation.

More than 100 members from UFCW Locals 17A, 75, 1059, and RWDSU traveled to Columbus last Wednesday to lobby their state legislators against possible right to work legislation.

“I’m here because I’m afraid that they’re going to pass right to work and take so much away from working people,” said Anne Bauer, a seven-year UFCW member from Local 75 who works at the Anderson Township Kroger. “The lower wages, the lack of safety, having no voice on the job – it’s horrible. I have to be here to fight for my coworkers, my friends, and my family.”

Many members spoke about the importance of ensuring the people they elected followed through on campaign promises.

“We have to be here to hold politicians accountable,” said Terry Payne, a Local 1059 member who has been at Kroger for 10 years. “We elect them and by being here we’re able to ensure that they’re supporting us. The legislators I’ve talked with have been very receptive. I was encouraged.”

One of the most important reasons for members to lobby is to share their personal stories with legislators which always make a more lasting impact. Roberta Greaver, a UFCW Local 75 member who has worked at Kroger for 35 years, told the legislators she spoke with about her experience visiting one of the company’s stores in the right to work state of Tennessee.

“These legislators don’t fully understand right to work and I’m happy to be here explaining it to them. I’ve seen what this law has done in Tennessee – there is a tremendous difference between their stores and ours here in Ohio. Their benefits are about half and their pay scale is less. After visiting Tennessee, I was so happy to be in Ohio. The Ohio legislature has to understand how much right to work will hurt workers.”

David Becker, a UFCW Local 1059 member who has worked at Meijer in Toledo for five years, said the lobby day motivated him to become more involved in his union and politics.

“When it comes to right to work, everyone should be here. We’re squeezed enough trying to buy food and pay our rent – legislators have to understand that right to work will only make that more difficult. I plan on coming to lobby days as often as I can.”

The UFCW hosted an IUF meeting in Pittsburgh, Penn., bringing together union representatives and members that represent Heinz workers from around the world, including those from UFCW International, UFCW Canada, UFCW locals 17a, 75, and 431, and the RWDSU. The delegation joined together to make plans to work in solidarity on a global effort to protect all union Heinz workers and their jobs as Heinz seeks to reduce costs and increase profits at the expense of workers through wage cuts, layoffs, and plant closures.

Despite earning profits, Heinz has decreased their workforce by almost 25 percent in the past ten years, mostly through plant closures and layoffs. The corporate trend of reducing operational costs at the expense of workers continued when 3G Capital and Berkshire Hathaway purchased Heinz last year. Heinz recently closed the plant in Leamington, Canada, leaving nearly 800 full-time employees and members of UFCW Local 459 out of work.

The delegation will continue to work together and campaign to protect workers and their jobs at Heinz.