The UFCW 3000 Climate Justice Advisory Board

Climate Justice Advisory Board Statement of Purpose:

Our core purpose is to build power for UFCW 3000 members and our communities so that we have safe workplaces, good jobs, and strong, resilient communities.  We also want to ensure that the natural world that we all depend on for our lives, our health, our food, and our well-being, is protected. We will identify key policies and practices that best engage our membership and move our employers, and our elected officials at the local, state and federal levels to forward changes that both respect the voices of working people and ensure that climate policies reflect our principles as adopted by the Climate Justice Advisory Board.

For decades UFCW 3000, and our preceding local unions, have been involved in working on issues that directly impact our workplaces, and go beyond those workplaces. These have ranged from positions against the Apartheid regime in South Africa in the 1980s, demonstrating against the Iraq war in the 1990s, and fighting to protect voting rights that were increasingly under attack in the late 2010’s. It has become increasingly clear that climate change is not only a threat to our planet's health and all the natural systems that support life on earth, but that workers, and in particular workers of lower and middle incomes and Black, Indigenous, People of Color (BIPOC) communities are disproportionately impacted by the various side effects of climate change as well. These impacts include extreme temperatures, wildfires, increasing air pollution, rising sea levels and flooding, crop failures, the hazards of extraction and processing of fossil fuels, and on and on.

In 2015 UFCW 3000 helped found the Alliance for Jobs and Clean Energy with many leading environmental protection, BIPOC Climate Justice, labor, faith, public health, and many other organizations. We helped develop the Climate Initiative I-1631, gathered signatures, and eventually helped get it on the ballot in the fall of 2018 with the support of over 75 organizations statewide. Unfortunately, after a record-setting $30 million anti campaign of lies funded by Big Oil, the initiative was defeated. But the process for how that initiative was developed, and the policy content itself are both still recognized as ground-breaking models.

After a series of problems within the Alliance and a breakdown of trust and violation of the Guiding Principles (see below), in 2021 UFCW 3000 realized our members’ interests would be best served by leaving the Alliance and partnering more directly with BIPOC Climate justice groups. At the same time, throughout 2021 our Executive Board began discussions on how to best work on this critical issue within the union. After significant conversation and deliberation, the Executive Board decided in January of 2022 to launch the UFCW 3000 Climate Justice Advisory Board – a member-led effort to help guide our organization’s work in this area as well as to develop ways to best engage the membership of our union.

Principles of the UFCW 3000 Climate Justice Advisory Board

These are intended as a package of principles that stay connected with each other as a united set of values. They were reviewed, edited and approved by the Advisory Board at our inaugural 5/9/22 meeting.

• Passing policies and making investments that effectively and deeply reduce climate pollution;

• Ensuring that communities hardest hit by pollution and climate change have equitable representation at the decision-making table, receive an equitable share of investments and benefits, and see a tangible reduction of carbon emissions in their communities;

• Ensuring that policies to reduce pollution do not increase costs for people with lower incomes and providing financial assistance and options to families with lower incomes to make low-carbon options available and accessible to all;

• Ensuring a truly just transition for workers and impacted communities during the transition to a clean energy economy, including through the creation of family sustaining jobs;

• Keeping energy intensive and trade exposed industries in our state, rather than driving their business and pollution offshore;

• Making sure every community – urban and rural – has a stake in the benefits of a clean energy future;

• Recognizing tribal sovereignty and abiding by the law of free, prior, and informed consent for projects impacting tribal lands; and,

• Advocating for changes in our workplaces, by our employers and in our communities to pursue actions for individual members, our employers, industries and communities.

  How the Climate Justice Advisory Board works: During our first two years – 2022 and 2023.

The work of the Climate Justice Advisory Board is evolving as the nature of member-led leadership models require involvement, deliberation, and time. We had our 1st meeting in May of 2022. We set a goal at that time to create an understanding for our work in this area, develop a core leadership team of members to drive the process forward, set up a framework for our efforts, and communicate this basic information out to the membership. In 2023 our goal was to begin the deep work of beginning to take actions to achieve our overall goals.

We meet at least three times a year and send updated information to Advisory Board members in between meetings. Given the Board’s focus on, and belief in the values of equity, and the historic and present-day disproportionate impacts of climate change on BIPOC communities, the participation of BIPOC members in the Board will be prioritized although an expressed effort will be made to assure the Advisory Board is reflective of the membership as a whole.

At meetings of the Climate Justice Advisory Board we aim to:

1. Build trust with each other and build unity around what it means to work for Climate Justice.

2. Deepen our understanding of the breadth of issues covered by Climate Justice and listen to each other as well as our BIPOC community partners and others who we partner with on Climate Justice.

3. Discuss both individual and collective actions we can take to combat climate change and effectively engage members to help build a broader movement for change on this issue.

4. Consider support of certain specific policy proposals, and possibly recommend taking a position in favor of these proposals to the Executive Board.

5. Develop member Leaders for Climate Justice to go out and speak to members in worksites, with elected officials, with partnering organizations, and other entities as we decide makes sense, and as time and resources allow.

“We must build alliances within labor and the community to take on issues of affordable housing, workplace safety, racial and gender discrimination, climate justice, and the future of work.” —Ana Alvarez, Washington Beef; Jeff Smith, Fred Meyer; Patricia Brown, Multicare

While the Climate Justice Advisory Board has a very long way to go and many years of work ahead of us, we wanted to let you, as a member of our union, know that this Board is up and running and beginning to do the important work necessary to make an impact. Since the Advisory Board was created, we have accomplished much including: member trainings on how to incorporate these ideas into our collective bargaining; developed and helped pass resolutions at the 2023 UFCW International Convention on these topics; and, partnered more deeply with some of our closest community partners who are leaders on climate justice work.

Getting More Members Involved

We are confident that among the more than 50,000 members of our union – from Bellingham to northeast Oregon, from Aberdeen to northern Idaho – in hundreds of workplaces, there are additional members, maybe you, who would like to find out more and maybe get involved yourselves.

We need more members to join the dozens of other members who have already become involved in this Advisory Board. You don’t need to be an expert to participate, just be interested in the issues, committed to being a thoughtful and respectful partner with others, and willing to dedicate an hour or so a month to the effort. Meetings are held usually about every two to three months and are made to be as accessible as possible for members.  

If you’d be interested in finding out more about getting involved, email: ClimateJustice@UFCW3000.org.

Stop the Merger Telephone Town Hall Call Thursday!

Attention all UFCW 3000 Grocery Store Members. You are invited to join our live Telephone Town Hall on Thursday, February 1 at 4pm to hear updates on our efforts to oppose the Kroger and Albertsons’ proposed merger, and a live Question and Answer session with members on this important topic. We will be joined by our union’s top officers, experts, and also our partners from Teamsters 38.

When your phone rings Thursday at 4pm, just answer and you will join the call. If for some reason you do not get a call or you get disconnected, you can also join us by dialing 1-888-652-0383 and entering meeting ID 7803 during the time of the call.

National Press Conference on Opposition to Kroger and Albertsons’ Proposed Mega-Merger

For Immediate Release – Wednesday January 24th, 2024

PRESS ADVISORY for Friday, January 26th, 2024 (9AM PST, 12 noon EST)

Virtual Press Conference. Register HERE in advance

Grocery Store Workers and their UFCW Local Unions Hold National Press Conference on Ongoing Efforts to Oppose Kroger and Albertsons’ Proposed Mega-Merger

What: A national press conference to update media and expose many of the troubling details underlying the proposed merger as well as debunking the claims being made by the companies about themselves, the reasons for the proposed merger in the 1st place, the troubling picture of C&S as the proposed divestiture company, and more. Short informational session will be followed by a Q and A session for the media.

Who: 

• Faye Guenther, President, UFCW 3000 (WA)

• Tom Olson, Grocery store worker and UFCW 7 member (CO)

• John Marshall, CFA, Capital Strategies Director, UFCW 324 (CA) and UFCW 3000 (WA)

Upon request, post event interviews can be arranged for media with local grocery store workers in Washington State. And interviews with grocery store members at UFCW locals in CA, WA, CO and the Washington DC/surrounding states areas can also be arranged.

When: Friday January 26, 2024: 9 AM PST, 12 Noon EST

Where: Pre-register here in advance of the press conference HERE >>

Contact: Tom Geiger, UFCW 3000, 206-604-3421

WA Attorney General files lawsuit to block Kroger-Albertsons mega merger

We have been clear and strong in our opposition to the proposed Kroger and Albertsons merger from day one. Attorney General Ferguson has been a leader in the effort to protect workers and consumers and he led the effort last year to try to stop Albertsons' $4 billion payout to wealthy shareholders. That was important. The announcement today of his lawsuit to stop the merger itself is welcome news.

 “As a grocery store worker and leader in our union, I feel very supported to have Attorney General Ferguson taking action to protect us from this bad merger proposal. Workers, shoppers and our communities need to prevent this proposed mega-merger from taking place,” - Yasmin Ashur, UFCW 3000 grocery store worker from the Albertsons in Port Orchard, WA.

Update on Proposed Kroger/Albertsons merger

To all of our members and #StopTheMerger coalition partners and allies:

We wanted to share a brief update with you on where things stand with the proposed Kroger/Albertsons merger and our collective efforts to stop this harmful deal.
 
First off, we want to clarify where things stand right now. Despiterecent news reports to the contrary,the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) does not need to make a decision this week.
 
The bottom line is this: based on the information we have now, we expect the FTC to make a decision on the proposed merger early in the new year. This is consistent both with our understanding of the process and with public statements made by FTC chair Lina Khan.
 
Once the FTC has completed its investigation of the merger deal, there are three possible outcomes:

1. The FTC can seek to stop the transaction by filing a preliminary injunction in federal court and the case will go to administrative trial. We believe our campaign has in part made this the most likely outcome and the trial will take many months to conclude.
   or

2. The FTC can enter into a negotiated consent agreement with the companies and allow the deal to go forward under certain conditions, e.g.divestitures. This is how past mergers of this kind have been treated under previous administrations, but we believe it is unlikely in this case under the Biden administration.
   or

3. The FTC closes its investigation and allows the deal to move forward unchallenged. We believe this is the least likely scenario.

Secondly, we’d like to draw your attention to some recent activities and developments:

• A new report was issued by economist MarshallSteinbaum from the University of Utah demonstrating how the deal could dampen labor power and thus lead to devastating outcomes for workers. You can download the report and view our press release highlighting it, which was picked up in a few media stories.

• This week, our union siblings at the Teamsters International union have come out against the companies’ plans to divest hundreds of stores to C&S. You can read their press release here.

• Last month, our friends at American Economic Liberties Project hosted a great virtual event on the “disaster in the making” that is this merger, featuring workers, independent grocers, farmers, and consumers that the proposed merger would directly impact. Check out the video on YouTube.

• Today, UFCW members in Southern California will meet with California Attorney General Rob Bonta and shared their stories about previous mergers in the grocery industry and their concerns with the proposed merger between Kroger and Albertsons.

Lastly, we’d like tothank all of you for being a part of this effort to protect workers and our communities from the devastating impacts of this proposed mega-merger.As always, please do not hesitate to reach out to us if you have any questions or suggestions.
 
In solidarity,
#StopTheMergerCoalition
www.nogrocerymerger.com

Congratulations 2023 Essential Workers Organizing Academy Graduates!

In April 2023, we began our first Essential Workers Organizing Academy (EWOA) cohort, hiring eight full-time and one-half time “apprentice organizers.” Candidates were drawn from UFCW 3000 members in healthcare and grocery, as well as from external organizing campaigns and a general applicant pool.​

The program was broken up into three distinct phases: training, internal organizing, and external organizing/preparing for strikes. ​Training included exercises and readings about how to conduct organizing conversations and campaigns, learning about the history of unionization and organizing workers, presentations from guest speakers, and visits to both union and non-union worksites. Apprentice organizers supported on campaigns that included Macy’s, Bartell Drugs, Fred Meyer(s), PCC, Providence-Everett, as well as political and community projects. ​

Congratulations to the EWOA class of 2023!

Post-EWOA, our goal is to help every apprentice organizer who wants to continue in the labor movement to find a job either with this union or another movement organization. 

Your Rights During Flooding and Extreme Weather Events

Once again UFCW 3000 members and communities are facing some extreme fall and winter weather, including recent flooding. It is important to remember that if you, your family, or your coworkers have been affected by extreme weather, you have rights at work, resources through your union, and the support of your community.

Important rights and resources for UFCW 3000 members if your workplace, home, or transportation routes are flooded or evacuated:

1. Just cause protections at work: With a union contract, you have “just cause” protection, meaning you should not be disciplined at work for reasonably having to deal with a circumstance outside of your control like a flood that affects your home, work, or commute to work

   • Be clear in communicating with your employer if you are unable to report to work on time or at all due to flooding or other extreme weather

   • Make sure to invoke your right to union representation if you are called into a meeting that could lead to discipline (we call these “Weingarten Rights,” read more here)

2. The right to a safe workplace: If you feel unsafe at work, report any safety concerns to your worksite safety committee & management right away, and get support from your Shop Steward and/or Union Rep if your concerns are not addressed

3. Union resources: If your home or work is affected by flooding or extreme weather and financial assistance would help, speak with your Union Rep about the UFCW 3000 Membership Assistance Fund

4. Mutual aid: As union members, we know standing together and supporting each other is how we really make a difference. If you have ideas for ways to connect with or support fellow UFCW 3000 members in need, talk to a Shop Steward and/or your Union Rep for help with organizing

Extreme weather is dangerous in our workplaces and our communities, which is why UFCW 3000 members, including our Climate Justice Advisory Board, work for climate policies that will help protect us and our future health.

PRESS RELEASE: UFCW Locals 5, 7, 324, 400, 770 and 3000

Economist Report Goes Deep into Economic Analysis of Proposed Mega Grocery Store Merger and the Harms to Working Communities

A new report issued by economist Marshall Steinbaum from the University of Utah delves into the proposed mega-merger of Kroger and Albertsons in ways that have not been fully looked at over the past year. This is important information for any people involved in researching, reporting upon, or assessing the potential impacts that such a mega-merger could have.

• Marshall Steinbaum’s new research paper, utilizing a large database of posted job offers, demonstrates that the Kroger-Albertsons merger would reduce individual worker’s bargaining power as well as their union’s power.

• The paper shows that increased employer concentration has negative effects on both earnings and work hours.

• Importantly, the paper shows that union workers receive higher pay when there are two bargaining counterparties in a given labor market as opposed to when there’s only one.

The Presidents from UFCW Locals 5, 7, 324, 400, 770, and 3000 who have been leaders in the efforts to oppose the proposed merger since it was announced over a year ago provided support for the report:

“Our ability to raise wages and standards in general depends on our ability to pit these companies against one another at the bargaining table—threaten to strike one while directing customers to the other,” the presidents called out. “If these two companies were to become just one company, that power would go away and that harms workers as well as customers.”

The full report, entitled: Evaluating the Competitive Effect of the Proposed Kroger-Albertsons Merger in Labor Markets, can be found here:  https://marshallsteinbaum.org/assets/kroger_albertsons_labor.pdf

Workers across the country have experienced the impacts described in the report:

“In our most recent contract negotiations we were able to leverage one company’s fear of losing market share to their competitor and we used that to get improvements in our contract that they wouldn’t have agreed to otherwise. That helped us get historic raises that would never happen if there were just one company,” says Rachel Fournier, a Los Angeles, CA Ralphs employee.  

“I feel this merger would only bring a negative impact on the workers. Staffing, safety, and our seat at the bargaining table would all come under threat while the corporations reap the benefits from our hardship,” echoed Rena Zagala-Fondren, a Safeway worker from Los Gatos, CA.

A Seattle area worker had an additional response. “For years we have been facing reduced staffing levels in our stores – during and after COVID. Our experience is that this would only get worse if the mega merger were allowed. We need to increase staffing, improve our schedules, and increase our leverage as unionized grocery store workers, not go the other way,” said Sam Dancy, a Front-End Manager at Kroger-owned QFC store in West Seattle, WA.

Jill Young, a just-retired grocery store worker from Grand Junction, CO stated, “I started in ’86, was on strike in ’93 and ’96. Over the years I have been injured more than a couple times and had to take off six months or more to get better. The company tried to cut the leave time to one month. Having a union that was organized, and willing and able to strike was part of what kept that benefit in place. There are young workers just starting out who deserve a future with a union workplace and the leverage I have had. This proposed merger threatens that future.”

Judy Wood, a cake decorator for Albertsons in Orange, CA raised several of her concerns, “The power we have when we bargain collectively leads to improvements in stores for both workers and customers. Workers have higher wages and stores are safer now because we have the power to fix hazards that we won through our last contract bargaining session. If this merger goes through, we will lose some of that power, putting the public in a worse position.”

Benjamin Blum, a night crew employee at Thousand Oaks, CA Ralphs added his thoughts: “Our unionized workplaces have competitive wages and benefits because workers have fought for and won them. If the proposed megamerger were approved, workers will lose leverage and be more vulnerable to a single massive employer that would bully and retaliate against workers.”

#-#-#

PRESS RELEASE: Providence Everett Nurses with UFCW 3000 to Strike November 14

Providence Everett Nurses at their press conference announcing the strike

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: November 6, 2023

Find a livestream video of the press conference here >>

Everett, WA – After bargaining with management at Providence Regional Medical Center Everett since April, UFCW 3000 nurses publicly announced an unfair labor practice strike at the hospital starting at 6:00 a.m. on November 14 and continuing until 6:00 a.m. November 19.

At a press conference this morning, nurses, union leadership, and community leaders spoke out about the need for a fair union contract for nurses in order to address chronic staffing shortages at the hospital.

“We are distressed that it has come to this step,” said Juan Stout, emergency department nurse at Providence Everett, union bargaining team member, and executive board member of UFCW 3000. “Nurses take our job of caring for this community extremely seriously. We see you and your families through some of the most difficult moments of your lives. But while we don’t take the idea of a strike lightly, at some point our responsibility to patients means more than just the medicine and care we can give on a single shift… We have to take a stand for our patients.”

Talks with Providence ended this past Friday night (11/3) without reaching a resolution. The union has given a 10-day strike notice to the hospital and reiterated a desire to come to a contract agreement, but only if Providence can cease committing unfair labor practices, come to the table, and in good faith consider practical long-term solutions to the serious safety issues nurses are raising.

“Providence has not considered our proposals in good faith throughout this process, they’ve rejected proposals we previously agreed on, and they’ve obstructed and undermined our bargaining process, stopping us from finding a resolution,” said Kristen Crowder, labor and delivery nurse at Providence Everett and a union bargaining team member. “I hope that our strike is a wake-up call to Providence executives, and we look forward to returning to the bargaining table when they are ready and willing to come to the table and bargain in good faith to help us resolve our staffing issues.”

“If nurses have to be on the outside rather than at the bedside, then you know something’s wrong, and we have to fix this for the long-term,” said Faye Guenther, UFCW 3000 president. “All it takes is a fair contract, and we can only achieve that if Providence acts in good faith... They have the resources to invest in this community, and they certainly have a responsibility to do so.”

Nurses were joined by local community leaders who made clear that the community supports its nurses and joins the call for Providence to bargain fairly.

“Everett’s firefighters stand with the nurses of UFCW 3000 in their fight for safe staffing at Providence Medical Center,” said Don Huffman, Everett firefighter and president of IAFF Local 46. He outlined the impact of Providence’s staffing crisis on first responders, who may wait hours for the patients they transport to the hospital to be admitted and receive care. “When Everett firefighters are tied up at the hospital, fire engines and paramedic units are pulled into the city from the surrounding areas to respond to calls, leaving the communities that they serve with reduced fire protection. The staffing emergency at Providence hospital is an emergency to all of us.”

“The Sisters of Providence who started the first permanent hospital in this state did so out of their faith-based values of compassion and charity, and the nurses of Providence continue this noble tradition in their work to care for the sick and the injured,” said Pastor Carol Jensen with Faith Action Network. “The Faith Action Network is proud to stand with the Providence nurses of UFCW Local 3000 today as they commit to strike, so that Providence will negotiate in good faith to improve the conditions of those who care for the most vulnerable in our communities. The commitment of these nurses is to make this a healthier, safer community for all of us.”

PRESS ADVISORY: Nurses at Providence Everett Announce Unfair Labor Practice Strike, Set Strike Dates – Press Conference Monday 11/6

Contact: Anna Minard, aminard@ufcw3000.org, (206) 436-6587

PRESS CONFERENCE:

WHO: Providence nurses, union leaders, community allies

WHAT: Announcement of impending nurses strike at Providence Regional Medical Center Everett

WHEN: Monday, November 6, 11:00 AM

WHERE: UFCW 3000 Strike Headquarters – Everett Labor Temple, 2810 Lombard Ave, Everett, WA 98201

Everett, WA – Over 1,300 nurses at Providence Regional Medical Center Everett are set to walk out on an unfair labor practice strike at the hospital, where chronic understaffing continues to threaten the safety and wellbeing of patients and their nurses. 

Nurses will hold a press conference at 11 a.m. on Monday (11/6) to announce strike dates and discuss the issues behind the strike. Speakers will include nurses, UFCW 3000 union leadership, and community allies supporting the nurses. 

The UFCW 3000 union bargaining team and Providence management finished a final bargaining session today (Friday 11/3) at 5 p.m. without reaching a deal to address nurses’ core issue of patient safety, which is continually undermined by inadequate staffing levels at the hospital and the inability to recruit or retain qualified nurses. 

Nurses at the hospital voted on October 19 to authorize a strike; the strike vote carried with 97% approval. 

BACKGROUND: 

After many months of bargaining over a new union contract, Providence management has refused to address the staffing issues plaguing the busy hospital. Hundreds of nurses have left in a mass exodus in recent years; those remaining are demanding accountability from the hospital’s management to create a safer environment for nurses and patients. 

Nurses primary demand is that hospital management engage in good-faith bargaining and come to mutual agreement on a contract that includes provisions to ensure safer staffing levels as well as transparency and accountability measures meant to renew community trust in the local hospital. 

While striking is a last resort, dedicated nurses have been left with no other choice to address the unfair labor practices during bargaining and ongoing safety issues. Providence Everett nurses have been raising understaffing and safety concerns for years, and were instrumental in advocating for new statewide hospital staffing standards that were passed by the legislature in 2023. 

Providence management has conceded that nurses’ wages are not competitive, meaning that staff continue to leave for better staffing levels and higher wages at other area hospitals, continuing the vicious cycle of low staffing. 

The hospital is currently being sued for wrongful death after a patient became unresponsive in the ER lobby and died after allegedly waiting over 4 hours for medical attention.

Newly elected Executive Board members are sworn in!

UFCW 3000 is a union that runs on democracy. Our Executive Board of over 40 members like you, and our union's top three officers (President, Secretary Treasurer, and Recorder), are all elected by the membership. Similarly, each member gets the opportunity to vote on their contract, which governs their wages, benefits, and working conditions.
 
On Tuesday, October 24, the top officers, President Faye Guenther, Secretary Treasurer Joe Mizrahi and Recorder Maria Milliron, and the rest of the Executive Board were sworn in to a new term. Under their leadership, our union is helping to lead the way in partnering with many other locals, community organizations, elected officials, and others to advance our rights and benefits and improve and enforce laws at the local, state, and federal levels. We are also excited and looking forward to pursuing the goals in our UFCW 3000 Strategic Plan for building a stronger union. 

Kim Cordova, President of UFCW Local 7 was our special guest to help with the swearing-in process. Local 7 and Local 3000 have been staunch allies through many fights and we thank Kim for helping us out! 

Get to know our elected Executive Board members >>

UFCW Stands in Solidarity with Striking PeaceHealth Workers!

Workers striking at PeaceHealth Hospital in Vancouver WA are the latest healthcare workers whose employers have left them no choice but to strike as they fight for a fair contract. Their top issue is safe staffing—just like UFCW 3000 nurses at Providence Everett, Kaiser Healthcare workers across the country and at SEIU 1199 NW in Washington State, and many others. Healthcare workers and workers in general have reached a breaking point with corporate, executive, and investor greed that has put our families and communities in crisis. UFCW 3000 stands in Solidarity with the Oregon Federation of Nurses and Health Professionals AFT Local 5017, their members, and anyone engaged in this fight!

To find out more The Columbian has a good article about this strike.

UFCW 3000 Members overwhelmingly approve dues restructure

UFCW 3000 Members attending summer general membership meetings August 28 – 31, 2023 overwhelmingly approved, through casting of secret ballot, changes to UFCW 3000’s dues structure at meetings held in:  

Washington: Aberdeen. Bellevue, Bellingham, Centralia, Chelan, Clarkston, Colville, Des Moines, Ellensburg, Everett, Forks, Grand Coulee, Richland, Lynnwood, Moses Lake, Mount Vernon, Newport, Oak Harbor, Olympia, Okanogan, Port Angeles, Port Townsend, Seattle, Silverdale, Spokane, Tacoma, Toppenish, Walla Walla, Wenatchee, Yakima. Oregon: Baker City, Hermiston, Island City, Pendleton. Idaho: Coeur d’Alene. 

APPROVED DUES STRUCTURE CHANGES  

Effective October 1, 2023 Dues (Except as otherwise noted or as soon as administratively possible.)  

1. Initiation fees, New Member meeting credits, Direct Bill Administrative fee, and any other items not addressed below shall remain unchanged.   

2. Minimum Dues rates for all industries and job classifications shall be the Constitutional minimum.  

3. Transfer fee (This is an administrative fee for an incoming member with a withdrawal from another non UFCW union in lieu of an initiation fee.) shall be $60.  

4. ALL JOB CLASSIFICATIONS ON PERCENT OF SALARY DUES RATES  

Dues shall remain at 1.55% of monthly gross income, except that no member shall have a dues rate above $80. Effective January 1, 2024, dues shall remain at 1.55% of monthly gross income, except that no member shall have a dues rate above $85. Effective October 1, 2024, Dues shall remain at 1.55% of monthly gross income, except that no member shall have a dues rate above $90. 

There are a small number of employers that are unable to process a percent of salary dues rate. For these employers, dues are calculated based on the 1.55% of monthly gross income and charged as a fixed dues rate. These dues will mimic the dues rate schedule listed above. 

5. ALL JOB CLASSIFICATIONS ON FIXED DUES RATES 

The over 70 dues rates in our current structure shall be simplified to 6 fixed dues rates. This shall provide administrative ease, clarity, and fairness so that members in the same classifications have the same dues rates.   

This consolidation of dues rates shall result in some members receiving a dues decrease, some shall remain the same, and some will have a modest increase. 

FOR FORMER 1439 GROCERY MEMBERS AND PCC MEMBERS:  The effective date of the updated dues structure shall be upon contract ratification or at the latest October 1, 2024.  

Below is the updated dues rate table of job classifications with a fixed dues rate. Any job classification not listed on the dues rate table shall be moved to the closest dues code to their current classification and/or current dues rate. 

Codes	EMPLOYERS/JOB CLASSIFICATION/APPENDIX	New Rate
1	BASE- Helper Clerk/ Courtesy Clerk/ Garment/ Laundry/Retail/ Drug Store	Constitutional Minimum*
2	Grocery Appendix B/C/Barista/ClickList/Fulfillment/Floral/Service Center Clerk/HBC/Video/Photo/ Grocery Office (NON All-Purpose Clerk) / Seafood Service Counter/Cannabis/Meat and Seafood Processing/ Oversea Casing	$37.50
3	Grocery Appendix A/ Meat Wrapper/ CCK/ Meat Warehouse/ Seafood Manager/ All-Purpose Clerk/ Grocery Pharmacy Tech A/ Twin City Foods	$53.50
4	Meat Cutter/ Meat Manager/ Meat Utility/ Independent Owner Operators	$60.50
5	Fred Meyer General Merchandise/ QFC Broadway Market Home	$35.00
6	Reduced Dues Rate: Seasonal/Part Time/ High School/ Special Needs	$24.00
	* The current Constitutional Minimum is at $32.08

Email dues@ufcw3000.org with any questions on the dues structure or questions on where you specifically fall within the structure. 

Virginia Mason Franciscan Health - 2022 overpayment settlement

Find your contract and learn more about the settlement!

St. Anne: https://ufcw3000.org/find-your-contract/2015/2/11/highline-medical-center-contract

St. Joseph (Pharmacy): https://ufcw3000.org/find-your-contract/2015/2/11/st-joseph-hospital-contract

St. Joseph (Technical): https://ufcw3000.org/find-your-contract/2021/6/7/conifer-st-joseph-medical-center

St. Michael (Nurses): https://ufcw3000.org/find-your-contract/2015/2/11/harrison-medical-center-rn-contract

St. Michael (ProTech): https://ufcw3000.org/find-your-contract/2015/2/11/harrison-medical-center-pro-tech-contract

St. Michael (Service/Dietary): https://ufcw3000.org/find-your-contract/2015/2/11/harrison-medical-center-service-dietary-contract

Virtual Health: https://ufcw3000.org/find-your-contract/2018/12/13/virtual-health-contract
 
In October and November 2022, Virginia Mason Franciscan Health (VMFH) experienced a cyberattack and as a result shutdown Kronos (timekeeping software). To ensure that employees were paid on time, VMFH estimated the amount of pay based on employees’ FTE and estimated employee’s premium payments based on the amount of premium payments on the October 7, 2022 paycheck. 

On the November 4, 2022 paycheck, VMFH paid every affected employee the total of regular hours and premium pay earned for both the October 2-15, 2022 pay period and the October 16-29, 2022 pay period. Given this, many employees were overpaid and VMFH sought repayment from employees. 

Although VMFH can recoup the overpayment, they needed to negotiate with our union prior to implementing a repayment plan. Since they didn’t do so our union filed an unfair labor practice with the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) and grievances for all bargaining units. Additionally, a demand to bargain over the repayment process. 

After months, we were able to settle the matter. Employees who were overpaid less than $2000 will repay the amount in four equal installments and employees who were overpaid more than $2000 will repay the amount in six equal installments. If you do not agree with the amount due, you can submit a written notice within ten business days of receiving the “repayment request” from VMFH. This request was sent on or around September 8 to your work email. 

If you have need help navigating through the process, please feel free to reach out to our union representative or the Member Resource Center (866) 210-3000. 

Stopping the merger update

Since the day the proposed merger of Kroger and Albertsons was announced, our local unions and members have been taking action to protect our stores, our jobs, and our customers. Keeping you all informed during this process has been a priority. Thousands of you joined our Telephone Town Hall Update in May with members from the West Coast, the East Coast, and many states in between. Since May , members, community and allies across the country have been working hard as part of the “Stop the Merger Coalition" to convince the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) that this merger is a bad deal for everyone.

Here's a brief snapshot of what we've been doing to oppose the devastating proposed merger between Kroger and Albertsons:

• Getting the Word Out: spreading the word through social media, press releases, and community events. Members have been letting everyone know why this merger is a major problem, including a threat to jobs, competition, higher prices, and how it will hurt our local communities.

• Talking to Decision-Makers: advocating with policymakers in the federal government and state Attorneys General in California, Washington, Idaho, Colorado, Washington, DC, and many more to ensure they understand our concerns. UFCW Members are testifying, sharing stories, and making sure your voices are heard where it counts. The news coverage has been massive and important in getting our stories out to the public.

• Making Our Case: UFCW members are leading the fight to show federal and state policymakers that prioritizing the impact on grocery store workers is paramount to a thriving network of grocery stores in our local communities. Without workers’ lives being a primary consideration, the ones who benefit will be the Kroger and Albertsons executives. Albertsons owners already took nearly $4 billion out of the company and now are looking to cash in with a $146 million golden parachute.

• Taking It to the Streets: promoting rallies, petitions, and meetings. We're making sure our communities know what's at stake and getting them involved. We've joined forces with other groups like farmers, community allies, and consumer advocates who are also worried about this merger. The more people we have on our side, the stronger our message becomes.

Our fight isn't over. Your involvement is crucial to our success. For example, by adding your stories of harm from past mergers, we are forcing the FTC to take notice that the people who are hurt most by these mega-mergers are the workers and the communities they serve.

Take Action

The FTC has the power to block this merger. Take action now by sending a message to the FTC to let them know we stand united in opposition to the Kroger/Albertsons merger.
 
We'll keep you posted as the fight continues. In the meantime, talk to your Union Rep or Steward to learn how you can be more involved.

Unsafe work requirements: Questions & Answers

UNSAFE WORK ASSIGNMENT Q & A

During the COVID-19 crisis workers have been encountering situations that may be considered unsafe work assignments. In the normal day-to-day operations at work, workers are generally required to comply with management orders and directives. Complying with management directives is considered part of your job duties and not doing so can lead to discipline. Employees covered under a Union contract should usually "obey now, and grieve later." But situations might be different when you are being asked to do something unsafe. 

The following Q & A addresses a specific exception to the general rule that employees must obey orders and grieve them later.

If you are being asked to do something unsafe at work, you should call your Union Rep (call 1-800-732-1188 to be connected) or the Member Resource Center (1-866-210-3000). Due to the high volume of calls we are receiving you may be directed to voicemail, but someone will reach out to you as soon as they can. You can also email safety concerns to safetyreport@ufcw3000.org

*If you are not a member of UFCW 3000 and need support, contact us!

Q:  I've been asked to perform a work assignment that I feel will threaten my personal safety and expose me to serious bodily harm.  Does my Union contract provide any protections for me?

A:  Because you are covered by a Union contract the answer is yes.  Your Union contract includes a just cause provision.  In this situation, just cause means you should not be disciplined for refusing to obey an unreasonable order.  An order to perform a work assignment that is likely to cause serious bodily harm to an employee is not reasonable.  To be covered by this exception, your fear of bodily harm must be objectively reasonable and not speculative.

Q:  Are there any specific laws that offer protection to workers who are asked to perform unsafe work assignments?

A:  Yes, there are state and federal laws that provide additional or separate protections.  One example is OSHA (click here to read an OSHA summary).

Q:  What should I say to my employer if asked to perform a work assignment that is likely to cause me serious bodily harm?

A:  It is always best to try to work with management to solve the problem.  For example, you should explain to management why you feel the work assignment is unsafe or dangerous so that your employer has an opportunity to problem solve.  You can also tell your supervisor you would be happy to accept the work assignment if it can be made safe to perform i.e., by providing you with adequate equipment or protective devices, adequate supplies, protective clothing, additional staffing, etc.     

Q:  Should I leave work if my employer insists that I perform the unsafe work assignment?

A:  No, under most circumstances, you should stay on site and remain available to work safe assignments.  If management sends you home, asks to meet with you to investigate the situation, or issues you any discipline, you should contact your union rep or the rep of the day immediately.

Albertsons Workers React to Quarterly Fiscal Report

Contact: Tom Geiger, UFCW 3000, 206-604-3421
For Immediate Release: July 26, 2023

UFCW 5, UFCW 7, UFCW 324, UFCW 367, UFCW 400, UFCW 770, UFCW 3000, UFCW 1564, UFCW 1889

Albertsons Workers React to Quarterly Fiscal Report and Executive Golden Parachute of Tens of Millions of Dollars

Today, essential workers from Albertsons-owned grocery stores reacted to the company's first quarter fiscal results, as well as the outlandish payouts planned for corporate executives in the event the company’s proposed merger with Kroger were approved. The workers are members of local unions within the United Food and Commercial Workers Union, the largest union of grocery store and food production workers in the country.  

“My work, and my coworkers' work, is helping Albertsons to produce billions of extra dollars. We are hardworking people, we respect our jobs, and we just ask that respect back in the form of equal pay for equal service,” says Gerald Gates, an employee at an Albertsons-owned Pavilions in the LA area and UFCW 770 member. “During the pandemic food prices went up and consumers continued shopping at the stores. After all that money is out there, one wonders why they entertain a megamerger of $25 billion and potentially divest hundreds of stores across the country, especially in Southern California?”

Gerald’s concerns were echoed by another Albertsons worker in the Pacific Northwest. “We have been working hard for years to serve our customers and scrape by enough for ourselves and our families. Our work, and our customers’ purchases are what have made the profits of these companies. It should be illegal for these CEOs who already make tens of millions of dollars each year, to stuff their pockets full of millions more through this proposed merger," stated Yasmin Ashur, an Albertsons grocery store worker and UFCW 3000 Member in Washington State.

“I’ve worked hard day in and day out to make Albertsons a place customers want to come back to and shop for their special occasions,” said Judy Wood, a cake decorator at Albertsons in Orange, CA and member of UFCW 324. “That customer loyalty is what has made Albertsons’ billions in dollars of profits over the years. When I hear that those profits will be used to pad shareholders’ and executives’ pockets if they leave the company, it’s disheartening. Those profits should be going to fixing stores, lowering prices and paying workers more so they’re not homeless and food insecure.”

Similar concerns were made by Christina Duran, a General Merchandise Head Clerk at a Safeway store in Sunnyvale, CA and member of UFCW 5. “I’m worried about stores closing and people losing their jobs. The impact of the merger could leave people jobless who have invested years into the company." Safeway was bought by Albertsons in 2015.

BACKGROUND:

More than nine months ago, Kroger and Albertsons announced their proposed plans to merge and create the largest traditional grocery store chain in America. Immediately, calls of concerns were aired across the US from labor, community, legal, food justice and many other organizations.

Today, Albertsons released their financial results for the 1st quarter of their fiscal year. In a statement released by Albertsons in advance of the results, the company stated, “In light of the Company’s entry into an Agreement and Plan of Merger with The Kroger Co., Albertsons Companies will not be hosting a conference call or providing financial guidance in conjunction with its first quarter of fiscal year 2023 results.”

Earlier in the month, financial news reported the massive amount of money that the CEOs of both companies would make if the merger were approved. And just this past weekend, the two CEOs of both companies did an exclusive interview with The Denver Post in response to the growing criticism facing the proposed deal.

Also, it is important to note that earlier in the year, Albertsons made a $4 billion payment to wealthy shareholders that had been proposed as a part of the proposed merger deal last fall.  That fleecing of the company’s assets was strongly opposed by many local unions, several states attorneys general and was challenged by many US Senators in a hearing in November.

2023 Scholarship Recipients

Congratulations to our 2023 Scholarship Recipients!

Four-Year Scholarship of $4,000/year for 4 years
Cassy La
of Bornstein Seafoods

Health Care Scholarship: $3,000
Jesse Brinson-Wagner
of Providence Sacred Heart Medical Center

Health Care Profession Scholarship: $3,000
Ada Gutierrez
of Ashley House

Health Care Profession Scholarship: $3,000
Jack Larson
of MultiCare

Full-time Student Scholarship: $2,000
Linzi Geiger
of St. Michael Medical Center

Full-time Student Scholarship: $2,000
Emily Wills
of Kaiser Permanente

Full-time Student Scholarship: $2,000
Kaitlynn Butler
of Safeway

Full-time Student Scholarship: $2,000
Savannah Bruno
of MultiCare

Full-time Student Scholarship: $2,000
Levi Holms
of Providence Sacred Heart Medical Center

Full-time Student Scholarship: $2,000
Gie Coulibaly

Full-time Student Scholarship: $2,000
Allison Gumiran
of Bartell Drugs

Full-time Student Scholarship: $2,000
Rosemary Mitchell
of EvergreenHealth Monroe

First in Family Scholarship: $2,000
Amil Ocham
of Safeway

$2,000 Full-Time Scholarship award
Natalie Fawcett-Long
of PCC

UFCW 3000 2023 Officer Election Results

2023 Officer Election Results

The UFCW 3000 Officer Elections are completed.  As all positions were elected through acclamation there will not be a ballot election process.

The following members have been elected for the 2023-2026 term:

President:

• Faye Guenther, UFCW 3000

Secretary Treasurer:

• Joe Mizrahi, UFCW 3000

Recorder:

• Maria Milliron, UFCW 3000

Vice Presidents (48 positions)

Retail Grocery Division (20 positions)

• Retail Grocery / At Large Position 1 - Amy Dayley Angell, QFC

• Retail Grocery / At Large Position 2 - Enrique Romero, Fred Meyer

• Retail Grocery / At Large Position 3 - James Perez, Safeway

• Retail Grocery / At Large Position 4 - Bryan Gilderoy, Fred Meyer

• Retail Grocery / At Large Position 5 - Jeff Terpening, Safeway

• Retail Grocery / At Large Position 6 - Roger Yanez, QFC

• Retail Grocery / At Large Position 7 - Sam Dancy, QFC

• Retail Grocery / At Large Position 8 - Atsuko Koseki, PCC

• Retail Grocery / At Large Position 9 – No Candidate

• Retail Grocery / At Large Position 10 - Judy Wick, Safeway

• Retail Grocery / At Large Position 11 - J’Nee Delancey, Town & Country

• Retail Grocery / At Large Position 12 - No Candidate

• Retail Grocery / Central Region* Position 1 - Kyong Barry, Albertsons

• Retail Grocery / Central Region* Position 2 -Trent Wu, Metropolitan Market

• Retail Grocery / Central Region* Position 3 - Maggie Breshears, Fred Meyer

• Retail Grocery / Eastern Region** Position 1 - Robert Allen, Safeway

• Retail Grocery / Eastern Region** Position 2 - Vanessa Roessner, Rosauers

• Retail Grocery / Eastern Region** Position 3 - Kim Bristlin, Safeway

• Retail Grocery / North Region*** Position 1 - Cliff Powers, Safeway

• Retail Grocery / Peninsula Region**** Position 1 - Yasmin Ashur, Albertsons

Retail General Merchandise Division (4 positions)

• Retail General Merchandise / At Large Position 1 - Todd Heuer, Fred Meyer

• Retail General Merchandise / At Large Position 2 - Emily Hunter, Macy’s

• Retail General Merchandise / At Large Position 3 - Melissa Lozano, Fred Meyer

• Retail General Merchandise / At Large Position 4 - Jeff Smith, Fred Meyer

Retail Meat Division (4 positions)

• Retail Meat / At Large Position 1 - Greg Brooks, PCC

• Retail Meat / At Large Position 2 - Scott Shiflett, PCC

• Retail Meat / At Large Position 3 - Kevin Flynn, Albertsons

• Retail Meat / Eastern Region** Position 1 - Josh Frans, Safeway

Healthcare Division (9 positions)

• Health Care / At Large Position 1 - Bryana Kolppa, Kaiser Permanente

• Health Care / At Large Position 2 - Monica Meloy, Central WA Hospital

• Health Care / At Large Position 3 - Patricia Brown, MultiCare

• Health Care / At Large Position 4 - Kaye Balk, Providence Sacred Heart

• Health Care / Central Region* Position 1 - Gregg Barney, MultiCare

• Health Care / Central Region* Position 2 - Monalisa Bauman, Planned Parenthood

• Health Care / Eastern Region** Position 1 - Derek Roybal, Providence Sacred Heart

• Health Care / North Region*** Position 1 - Ashley Price, Skagit Valley Hospital

• Health Care / Peninsula/South Region**** Position 1 - Rob Shauger, St. Michael Medical Center

RN Division (4 positions)

• RN / At Large Position 1 - Cindy Franck, St. Michael Medical Center

• RN / Central*/Eastern** Region Position 1 - Tami Ottenbreit, Trios

• RN / North Region*** Position 1 - Juan Stout, Providence Regional Medical Center

• RN / Peninsula/South Region**** Position 1 - Mike Nord, St. Michael Medical Center

Cannabis Division (1 position)

• Cannabis / At Large Position 1 - Zion Grae-El, Have-A-Heart

Food Processing Division (2 positions)

• Food Processing / At Large Position 1 - Carmen Velasquez, Twin City Foods

• Food Processing / At Large Position 2 - Ana Alvarez, Washington Beef

Miscellaneous Division (2 positions)

• Miscellaneous / At Large Position 1 - Mohamed Muhidin, Hudson News

• Miscellaneous / At Large Position 2 - Sia Tinoisamoa, Aramark

Membership-At-Large (2 positions)

• Membership at Large / At Large Position 1 - Mike McDonald, Providence Sacred Heart

• Membership at Large / At Large Position 2 - Kinzie Michael, United Way of Spokane

UFCW 3000 Press Release: Essential Workers Organizing Academy

UFCW 3000 Launches Essential Workers Organizing Academy:

Inaugural Class Already Enrolled

Des Moines, WA -- At large corporations like Starbucks and Amazon and smaller companies like Crossroads Trading Co. and Storyville Coffee, a new labor movement is being born in front of our eyes, frequently led by young workers and people of color. Its inclusive vision has space for all essential workers—anyone with the courage to stand up and say: “I am essential.” 

To meet this historic organizing moment, UFCW 3000 is excited to announce the creation of the Essential Workers Organizing Academy, a new initiative to develop the next generation of worker-leaders in our communities. UFCW 3000 will dedicate resources to train new worker-organizers, assist in organizing their workplaces, and collaboratively develop innovative new organizing campaigns that blaze a trail for essential workers everywhere. 

“Participating in the Essential Workers Organizing Academy has already been a transformative experience for me,” says Louis Garcia, a former barista at Storyville. “I am gaining invaluable insights into the power behind organized labor and collective action.”

For too long, the labor movement has not adequately invested in successful strategies to organize workers who want a union but do not yet have one. Record lows are being set for national union membership, yet Gallup polling shows 71 percent of Americans approve of unions, the highest approval numbers since 1965. The labor movement on a national level has an existential choice at hand: either make a massive investment in the working class to build a new movement or remain stagnant and watch this historical moment pass us by. UFCW 3000 and the Essential Workers Organizing Academy are firmly on the side of investing in the working class to rebuild the labor movement into a force for economic and political democracy. 

“I never learned about unions or the labor movement in school, so working with UFCW 3000 has been eye-opening,” says Chloe Galer, a former retail worker who now attends the Essential Worker Organizing Academy. “The brilliant and passionate workers and organizers I’ve met through this experience and their unique stories have made it that much more impactful."  

Participants of the Essential Workers Organizing Academy will adopt an apprenticeship-style learning model and collaborate regularly with workplace leaders and veterans of organizing campaigns. The program will combine formal training, readings, and instruction with hands-on organizing experience to help build the next generation of the labor movement. 

"As an elected member of our Executive Board, and as an essential grocery store worker for many years, I believe it is both crucial and compassionate to invest in new worker organizing. And the only way we'll get that done is to train more people to be organizers at places like the Essential Workers Organizing Academy," said Kyong Barry, a long-time grocery store worker at Albertsons and workplace leader of UFCW 3000.

UFCW 3000 calls on all unions and workers’ organizations to rise up and meet this moment with every resource at their disposal. That is why we are proud to launch the Essential Workers Organizing Academy. We hope you will join us.