Posts Tagged: UFCW Local 400

UFCW International President Perrone with Sen. Warren and UFCW Local 400 member Paul Rickey for the Schedules That Work Act reintroduction.

On July 15, UFCW International President Marc Perrone attended and spoke at the reintroduction of the Schedules That Work Act. The bill was introduced by Sen. Elizabeth Warren and Rep. Rosa DeLauro.

In his remarks, Perrone described how unfair work schedules put people at a disadvantage.

“Every day, in the interest of maximizing their bottom lines, companies use erratic and last minute scheduling to force people to work harder and longer and be unaware of their shift until the last moment,” Perrone said. “The impact of this is significant. American workers often have no choice but to be a prisoner to their job and this makes it impossible for men and women to adequately plan their lives and prepare for their futures. The Schedules That Work Act takes a meaningful step towards ensuring better work schedules and with it, better lives for workers and their families.”

For proof that providing workers with stable schedules makes a difference, Perrone was joined at the event by UFCW Local 400 member Paul Rickey.

“Thanks to a strong collective bargaining contract throughout the years, Paul has been able to both advance his career and be there for his family when they needed him most,” Perrone remarked. “The Schedules That Work Act will bring that same benefit to all hard-working men and women across America, and I believe it should be a priority for this Congress and our President.”

More than 35 UFCW delegates from UFCW Locals 75, 400, 655, 881, and 1546, along with international staff, attended the Coalition for Black Trade Unionists (CBTU) convention where they were keynote speakers and lead convention panels. The CBTU convention was in Chicago from May 2st – May 24th. The conference was opened by UFCW Civil Rights and Community Action Associate Director Robin Williams and the UFCW Minority Coalition took the opportunity to hold their executive board meeting during the convention. On the second day of the convention, UFCW International President Marc Perrone was the keynote speaker and Mannie Pratt from UFCW Local 881 led the women’s luncheon panel that honored women in the labor movement.

“Looking ahead, the work you all do as part of the CBTU has impacted so many. Through education, community involvement, and political empowerment, you are giving a voice to the otherwise voiceless. Everyday, it is changing lives, and it will help change the UFCW and other unions for the better. By helping African American workers unite, you not only make our union families stronger, you make every member’s family – whether they are African American or not – stronger,” said UFCW International President Perrone.

This year’s CBTU convention focused on how the labor movement can form stronger relationships and work with local communities and young activists. Panel discussions covered low-wage workers, politics, massive incarceration, and education. There were also workshops that focused on leadership, community organizing, representing the new faces of the workforce, and understanding racism. Following the convention, UFCW and CBTU chapter delegates were encouraged take the tools that they received back to their locals and communities in order to better serve current union members and help organize more workers.