janderson, Author at For Local Unions

UFCW members stood together to negotiate strong contracts this year, and many new members celebrated the benefits of having a first union contract.

Paul Garrison, a member of UFCW Local 400 who works as a mechanic at the nation’s only Lipton Tea plant in Suffolk, Virginia, voted with his colleagues to approve a first union contract in July.

The ratification represented the first time in the history of the plant when workers were given the opportunity to vote on the terms and conditions of their employment. The four-year contract includes significant improvements to working conditions and health care benefits, and places strict limits on when management can require employees to work overtime. The contract also provides workers with four days per year to opt out of mandatory overtime, in addition to two weekends off each month in which they can’t be forced to work overtime.

“For the last 10 years, we saw so many of our benefits taken away,” said Garrison. “But now that we have a union, we’re getting them back again.”

Evan Adams-Hanson, a member of UFCW Local 653 who works as a front end floor coordinator at Linden Hills Co-op workers in Minneapolis joined his colleagues in ratifying a first union contract in September. The three-year agreement includes raises for all employees and paid time off.

“By standing together and voting to approve this contract, we’ve improved our lives and jobs. We chose to do this because we’re committed to strengthening our co-op and community because no one deserves to be left behind or struggle alone,” said Adams-Hanson.

Gilbert Grigsby, a food service workers for the Bon Appétit Management Company in St. Louis was one of 300 members of UFCW Local 655 who ratified a first union contract in November. The workers serve the students of Washington University, and negotiated a three-year contract that includes wage increases, additional vacation days, more funeral leave, improvements to overtime rules, and guaranteed “show up” pay. The contract also gives workers access to the union’s health care and retirement packages.

“This is why we voted to form a union,” said Grigsby. “We wanted better pay and working conditions that we’ve worked hard for, and this contract is the result of a lot of hard work. I’m thrilled to be joining this union with this new contract.”

Here’s a list of the negotiating victories that appeared in OnPoint this year:

Local 152 ShopRite Workers Ratify New Contract

Bon Appétit Food Service Workers Ratify First Contract

Local 7 Gino Morena Beauticians Ratify First Contract

Local 222 Seaboard Triumph Foods Workers Ratify First Union Contract

Local 400 Kroger Workers Ratify New Contract

New Contract Ratified by Food 4 Less Workers in Southern California

Local 21 Planned Parenthood Workers Ratify New Contract

Local 1473 WPS Workers Ratify New Contract

Local 653 Linden Hills Co-op Workers Ratify First Union Contract

RWDSU/UFCW Local 1102 Saks Contract Has National Impact

Local 400 Shoppers Food & Pharmacy Workers Ratify New Contract

Local 1000 Kroger Workers Ratify New Contract

Local 7 Safeway Pharmacy Technicians Ratify First Union Contract

RWDSU/UFCW Local 875 Sodexo Workers Ratify New Contract

CVS Workers in Southern California Ratify New Contract

Local 152 Bradley Beach Workers Ratify New Contract

Local 152 Beef International Workers Ratify New Contract

New Local 9 QPP Contract Increases Wages and Benefits

Local 21 Doctors Clinic Workers Ratify New Contract

New Local 400 Peapod Contract Increases Wages and Improves Workplace Conditions

Local 400 Lipton Tea Workers Ratify First Union Contract

Guitar Center Workers Ratify First Contract with RWDSU/UFCW

Local 1059 Members at Meijer and General Mills Ratify New Contracts

Local 152 Wilson’s Market Workers Ratify New Contract

Local 700 Tyson Foods Workers Ratify New Contract

Local 1445 UMass Memorial Medical Center Workers Ratify New Contract

RWDSU/UFCW Local 513 Coca-Cola Workers Ratify New Contract

Local 371 Foxwoods Resort Casino Workers Ratify New Contract

Local 21 Valley Medical Center Pharmacy Workers Ratify New Contract

Local 27 Moran Manor Workers Ratify First Contract

Local 919 Vernon Cafeteria Workers Ratify New Contract

Local 152 Johanna Foods Workers Ratify New Contract

RWDSU/UFCW Local 262 Chetak Workers Ratify First Union Contract

RWDSU/UFCW Local 3 Bloomingdale’s Workers Ratify Historic Contract

RWDSU/UFCW Local 17 Del Monte Foods Workers Ratify New Contract

Local 431 Logistic Services Workers Ratify New Contract

Local 655 Holten Meat Workers Ratify New Contract

RWDSU/UFCW Local 108 Gateway Shuttle Bus Drivers Ratify First Union Contract

RWDSU/UFCW Local 108 Pavilion Building Tower Workers Ratify First Union Contract

Local 876 Kroger Workers Ratify New Contract

Local 21 Olympic Medical Center Home Health Workers Ratify New Contract

RWDSU/UFCW Babeland Workers Ratify First Contract

Local 21 Grays Harbor Community Hospital Workers Ratify New Contract

Local 152 Bristol Glen Communities Workers Ratify First Contract

RWDSU/UFCW Union City Parking Authority Workers Ratify New Contract

Local 1189 Minnesota Medical Solutions Cannabis Workers Ratify New Contract

RWDSU/UFCW Local 1102 Modell’s Workers Ratify New Contract

Local 1776 Cargill Workers Ratify New Contract

Local 1189 Gordy’s Market Workers Ratify First Contract

Local 21 Capital Medical Center RNs Ratify New Contract

In 2017, workers from around the country who work in a variety of industries ranging from food and non-food retail to health care stood together for a better life by joining our union family.

Seward Co-op members stood together and voted to join UFCW Local 653 in June.

Max Storey, who works a Seward Community Co-op store on Franklin Ave. in south Minneapolis joined his colleagues at two other Seward Co-op stores in the area and voted to join UFCW Local 653 in June. Earlier in June, the workers at the three stores, including the Creamery Café, the Seward Franklin store on Franklin Ave., and the Seward Friendship store at 38th St. and Clinton Ave., held a rally for a voice in the workplace after submitting cards authorizing representation by UFCW Local 653 to the National Labor Relations Board.

“Workers have come together to say yes to UFCW 653, yes to fair wages, yes to negotiating better benefits, and yes to respect and dignity in the workplace,” said Storey.

Certified Nursing Assistants at Delmar Nursing and Rehabilitation Center voted to join UFCW Local 27 in September.

Tierra Griffith, a Certified Nursing Assistants at Delmar Nursing and Rehabilitation Center Delmar, Delaware, voted to join UFCW Local 27 in September along with 89 of her coworkers.

Griffith and her colleagues were concerned about not receiving any raises over the last several years, unfair treatment by management, not having a voice on the job, understaffing, and questionable PTO calculations. Even though the company hired union busters and tried to intimidate some workers using fear tactics, the workers stood strong and formed a powerful organizing committee.

“It feels awesome to have Local 27 be our representatives. We all feel like it will make a positive difference here at work. We’re now ready for the next step, which is to get a contract that we’re happy with,” said Griffith.

Here’s a list of the organizing victories that appeared in OnPoint this year:

More Rocky Mountain High Workers Join Local 7

Bob’s Discount Furniture and Century 21 Workers Join Local 888

800 Seaboard Triumph Foods Workers Join Our Union Family

Rocky Mountain High Cannabis Workers Join Local 7

Delmar Nursing and Rehabilitation Center Workers Join Local 27

Kaiser Permanente Ergonomics Coordinators Join Local 7

Albertsons Deli Workers Join Local 368A

Safeway Pharmacy Technicians in Colorado and Wyoming Join Local 7

Albertsons Customer Service Workers Join Local 368-A

SBM Management Services Workers Join ICWUC/UFCW Local 94C

QFC ClickList Workers Join Local 21