As you read this column, our Union is deeply involved in separate but concurrent contract negotiations with the major supermarket employers in Northern and Central California.
This can be a tense time for those members who remember the challenges of past negotiations with certain employers. They understand what’s at stake and the possibility those same employers will try again to resist our requests for fair wages, good benefits and strong protections at the workplace.
To these members, I would like to offer some assurances.
The bargaining team at UFCW 8-Golden State includes some of the most experienced and expert negotiators in the country. We will not relent in our efforts to reach good agreements our members will be proud to ratify.
Our record speaks for itself, having achieved agreements which are among the best in the nation.
Of course, the negotiators can’t take all of the credit, for our efforts at the bargaining table are supported by a membership renowned for its solidarity and Union pride.
If you are a supermarket employee, you can help by speaking out clearly in support of UFCW 8-Golden State to your co-workers and management. And, as long as it doesn’t interfere with your work, you can speak about your Union to your customers as well.
This is important because managers report to their higher-ups on the mood in their stores. Strong and vocal support for the Union will make company negotiators less likely to test our resolve with outrageous demands at the bargaining table.
Sometimes, management might try to undermine our members’ solidarity by distributing anti-Union and pro-corporate propaganda. If this happens at your store, toss it in the trash.
Always remember the company’s prime responsibility lies with maximizing profits. Only your Union exists for the specific purpose of serving your interests and only your interests.
In the stores and at the bargaining table, our Union grows strong by adhering to our guiding principle:
Solidarity works!
