United Food and Commercial Workers
The United Food and Commercial Workers International Union is a labor union representing approximately 1.3 million workers in the United States and Canada in many industries, including health care, meatpacking, poultry and food processing, manufacturing, textile and chemical trades, and retail food. Until July 2005, UFCW was affiliated with the AFL-CIO, where it was the second largest union by membership. Along with two other members of the Change to Win Coalition, the UFCW formally disaffiliated with the AFL-CIO on July 29 2005.
History
The UFCW was created through the merger of the Amalgamated Meat Cutters union and Retail Clerks International Union in 1979. The UFCW expanded by merging with several smaller unions between 1980 and 1998.
2003 California grocery strike
On October 11 2003, the UFCW declared a strike on Vons (owned by Safeway Inc.), in Southern California, because of drastic changes in the new proposed labor contract. These changes included cuts in health care and pension benefits, and the creation of a two-tier wage. The grocery chains had demanded steep cuts, citing future competition from Wal-Mart although it has yet to enter the California market in force. Many pundits saw the expected strike/lockout as a chance for the grocery chains to end one of the most union-favoured contracts in all of the US, which would set a precedent for restructuring of labour contracts elsewhere in the companies' favour. The day following the strike, Albertsons and Ralphs (owned by Kroger) locked out their Southern California employees.
In a strong show of sympathy - with other unions also facing cuts to health, wage, and pension benefits - similar strikes, lockouts, and tense negotiations broke out across the country: in northern California, western Washington, Colorado, and Ohio. Although the UFCW seemed well poised to capitalize upon that support and retain much of their benefits, many argue that their potential was sabotaged by the AFL-CIO bosses. The AFL-CIO's primary goal was supporting the Democrats and the Democrats were beneficiaries of campaign contributions from several companies that the UFCW was striking against. The AFL-CIO helped to settle or discourage the sympathy strikes before they escalated, even at the cost of significantly reduced health benefits. Also, the AFL-CIO did not mobilize their national resources to aid the UFCW even though it would have made a difference at crucial points in the campaign. Ending up, the AFL-CIO convinced the UFCW to call off the strike since elections were coming up that year.
The UFCW and the companies reached an agreement on February 26, 2004, at about 5:30pm. Although it contained steep cuts to benefits, essentially meeting all the grocery chains' demands, the UFCW members voted overwhelmingly because many could not afford to continue the strike. As a result of the failed California grocery strike, many UFCW members harboured a deep resentment at the AFL-CIO for "selling them out". This was a major reason for the UFCW leaving the AFL-CIO in 2005.
UFCW and Wal-Mart
The UFCW has accused Wal-Mart, with its non-unionized workforce of treating its workers poorly and of driving down employment standards in the retail sector. To counter this, the union has been trying to organize the chain.
The union's attempt at organizing Wal-Mart has been unsuccessful in the U.S.A. Its only victory, at a meat-cutting department in Texas, was short-lived as the company got rid of that department nationwide soon after.
In Canada, however, UFCW managed to win union recognition at two stores in Quebec. The first, in Jonquière, closed in February 2005 after the company claimed the store was losing money and union demands would have made continued operation untenable; disputing this, union officials have claimed the closure sacrificed the store to make a point to other potential organizers. At the second, in Saint-Hyacinthe, the company is currently appealing a provincial decision to unionize the store.
The union has also applied for recognition at a dozen other Wal-Marts. These applications are pending in various provincial Labour Relation Boards.
UFCW and Meijer
Meijer is a major regional retailer based in Michigan whose workforce are members of the UFCW.
Most Meijer employees are members of the UFCW. In addition to their regular unpaid 30 minute lunch break, they are given a 15 minute break every two hours.
League of Independent Workers of the San Joaquin Valley
In 2003, workers at Foster Farms plants around Livingston, California voted to leave UFCW Local 1288. In 2004, these workers founded the League of Independent Workers of the San Joaquin Valley.
UFCW and Shop Rite
Shop Rite is a major regional retailer based in New Jersey whose workforce are members of the UFCW.
Most Shop Rite employees are members of the UFCW. In addition to their regular unpaid 30 minute lunch break (For employees that work more than 5 hours a day, of which, half of break is paid) they are given a 15 minute break every three hours.
League of Independent Workers of the San Joaquin Valley
In 2003, workers at Foster Farms plants around Livingston, California voted to leave UFCW Local 1288. In 2004, these workers founded the League of Independent Workers of the San Joaquin Valley.