Organizers, members and, local union staff from across the U.S. and Canada gathered in Minneapolis for the UFCW International’s Food Processing, Packing and Manufacturing (FPPM) chain meeting, held June 22 – 25.
These chain meetings offer an opportunity for members and leadership from UFCW locals to unite, learn, and coordinate organizing tactics around issues faced by workers from the same industry sector — in this case, meat packing and food processing.
Key topics from this year’s sessions included updates on national and global trends, tips for maximizing signups during new hire orientations, contract costing, and union preparedness around immigration policy changes, and other issues facing members and FPPM industries.
The UFCW’s Occupational Safety and Health Office Director Roy S. McAllister gave a presentation highlighting the potential life-saving benefits of forming safety committees.
“Having an effective committee gives members the opportunity to be involved in the decision-making process that impacts the health and safety of our members and holds the employers accountable for providing a safe, healthy, and hazard free working environment,” he said.
The meeting also included employer-specific breakout sessions for workers at large transnational conglomerates such as Cargill, Smithfield, JBS, Nestlé, ConAgra, Kraft Heinz, Tyson Foods, Mission Foods, and Hormel — giving members and local reps a chance to build solidarity, share knowledge and experience, and coordinate their organizing, bargaining, and servicing efforts.
It was the first chain meeting for Rolex Fayette, who works at Smithfield Tar Heel and is a shop steward with UFCW Local 1208 in North Carolina. He came away from the new hire session with practical skills for how to talk to co-workers about the value of joining the UFCW.
“I learned so many different levels — so many different ways I can talk to an employee when they first come in. Now I understand how to talk to them. I can pull aside the one who’s been rehired, who’s been there before, who’s choosing not to sign up for the union, and talk to them differently than I’d talk to the one who’s fresh, just coming in. I can speak to both on two different levels now.”