PEOPLE POWERED POLITICS
UFCW 3000 2024 Legislative Agenda: Our Top Priorities
In addition to continuing to monitor and implement the Safe Staffing Law (SB 5236) and legislation related to the cannabis and health care industries, our top priorities in 2024 include passing protections for grocery workers in advance of any kind of merger or consolidation within the grocery industry, ensuring workers who go on strike are able to file for Unemployment Insurance benefits, and winning funding from the state to help immigrant workers in labor disputes apply for deferred action. In our work to combat organized retail theft, we will also be supporting additional budget resources to provide grants to ensure workplace safety.
Grocery Worker Retention - Protection from Mass Layoffs (SB 6007)
Sponsored by Senator Steve Conway (D-29)
This bill protects the safety of food and medicine sold to Washington State families by preventing sudden and mass layoffs of the skilled and licensed employees who are trained and experienced in food and medicine safety when, for example, publicly traded corporations seek to increase profits through proposed mergers.
SB 6007 requires an incumbent grocery employer to provide a successor grocery employer and any collective bargaining representative certain information for each eligible grocery worker within 15 days after the execution of the transfer document. It requires the successor to maintain a preferential hiring list of eligible grocery workers from the incumbent for a 180 day transition period, during which it would prohibit the discharge of eligible employees retained without cause, and retaliation against workers for enforcing their rights. Large employers that don’t hire or retain workers for the transition period or 180 days from their employment start date must pay the worker severance. Enforcement is by LNI and a PRA. The bill provides exceptions for designated food deserts and when there are less than 300 employees for both the incumbent and successor.
Eight years ago, in the aftermath of the Safeway-Albertsons merger with Haagen, Haggen stores faced financial challenges and ultimately filed for bankruptcy, resulting in store closures and divestitures of most of those stores back to Albertsons. The layoffs, store closures and the confusion and uncertainty that resulted from that merger is top of mind for our members.
Unemployment Benefits for Striking Workers (SB 5777/HB 1893)
Sponsored by Senator Karen Keiser (D-33)/Rep. Beth Doglio (D-22)
Current state law excludes workers who become unemployed due to a labor dispute, such as a strike or lockout (in some cases), from receiving Unemployment Insurance. States around the country do have flexibility under federal unemployment laws to decide how long a labor dispute disqualifies a worker from benefits, whether all labor disputes result in a disqualification for benefits, and which kinds of workers caught up in the labor dispute are disqualified from receiving unemployment benefits. Workers in NY, NJ and Maine allow workers on strike to qualify for benefits. All workers, striking or otherwise, would still have to follow the same requirements as any other worker filing for UI benefits, including being available for work, and for actively seeking work.
Under the bill, workers would still be subject to a one-week waiting period but the disqualification in current law would disappear, and there would no longer be any ambiguity in law about the status of unemployment benefits.
Protecting Immigrant Workers Involved in Labor Disputes
In January 2023, the Department of Homeland Security announced a new deferred action program providing temporary protection to workers involved in labor enforcement. Noncitizen workers can access the deferred action process as victims or witnesses of violations of labor rights during labor disputes. The process can be enacted during organizing campaigns, following violations of labor code and enforcement mechanisms, and when employers commit unfair labor practices onto workers exercising their rights at work. Through this process, workers receive temporary relief, including deferred action, a work permit, and a social security number for up to 24 months.
We support a $3M budget proviso to fund: 1) free legal services to help workers apply for deferred action; 2) training materials to orient workers to the program; 3) increased outreach and education staffing to help organizations connect with immigrant workers across the state.
Protecting Workplaces from Organized Retail Theft
There are several proposals to ensure workplaces are protected from organized retail theft. Workers in retail cannabis and grocery stores have seen a dramatic rise in organized retail theft, which has made workplaces dramatically less safe. We support efforts to mitigate these harms by providing additional investments to communities and stakeholders who are working to combat these kinds of crimes.
UFCW 3000 Political Action Advisory Committee Meetings
Join us for the monthly meeting of the UFCW 3000 Political Action Advisory Committee (PAAC). Participation is open to all UFCW 3000 members who want to help elect pro-worker candidates and pass pro-worker policies. Each month, the PAAC meeting rotates to a different union office. You can also join the meeting online via Zoom. (2024 PAAC Schedule posted soon - contact politics@ufcw3000.org with questions.)
What is People-Powered Politics?
As a non-partisan group (we don't care whether a person is Republican or Democrat, Independent or non-partisan), UFCW 3000 makes sure that working people have a greater say in politics. People-powered politics does the following:
Trains & empowers leaders to lobby their own legislators on issues like breaks, worker rights, health care, and many others.
Interviews and makes focused endorsements of candidates who stand up for working family issues, and makes endorsements of some state and local ballot measures.
Mails and calls members to educate them on candidate/policy proposals. UFCW 3000 doesn't tell anyone how to vote, but believes it's important to let union members know where political candidates stand on issues that affect working families. Then we work to make sure that the voice of working people is heard loud and clear by those elected officials in our communities and in the state capitol, and in Washington DC. (Last election, in addition to 40,000 phone calls to members and 125,000 pieces of mail, we had in person contact with members at our over 800 work sites across the state.)
Registers members to vote. More voters means more power, UFCW 3000 registers as many members sending 18 year-old members a registration form and always working to get more members registered. If you're not registered to vote yet, register now! Register online at the website of Washington's Secretary of State.
Recruits and trains people to run for office
Get involved in people-powered politics!
Contribute to the Active Ballot Club (ABC). At most workplaces, you can automatically donate a small amount from your paycheck ($1 - $4 each week) to the UFCW 3000 ABC Fund. We use these funds to support elected officials who stand up for us.
Register to vote.
Washington Elections FAQ
Voting in Washington State
Q: How do I return my ballot so my vote is counted?
A: Once you’ve marked your ballot, put it in the security sleeve and the envelope, and signed the envelope, you can return it one of two ways:
📮 Mail your ballot. Your ballot requires no postage, it is free to mail. Your ballot envelope must be postmarked by Election Day, so if you are mailing it on Election Day, make sure you check the pickup times or hours at your local post office or mailbox.
🗳️ Drop your ballot in your local ballot dropbox. These dropboxes are placed strategically throughout the state (see the map above). Dropboxes close at 8pm on Election Day.
It’s a good idea to mail your ballot early if you can, so you don’t have to stress about these deadlines.
Q: Where’s my nearest ballot drop box?
A: You can find ballot box locations on your county’s Elections Office website.
Q: I didn’t get my ballot, what can I do?
A: Go to VoteWA.gov to request a new ballot or update your registration.
Q: Can I get a replacement ballot if I lost or messed up my ballot?
A: Yes! You can contact your county elections office or log into VoteWA.gov. Remember, your county will verify your signature and only accept one ballot.
Q: Can I vote in person?
A: Yes! Your county should have a voting center open during business hours during the voting period, which starts 18 days before the election and ends at 8pm on Election Day. Find your nearest voting center by logging into VoteWA.gov or contacting your county elections office.
Q: I missed the Online Voter Registration deadline, can I still register to vote?
A: Yes! You can register in person all the way up until Election Day. Here is a list of Election Offices statewide, by County.
Q: How does the elections department process my mail-in ballot? How do I know it’s secure?
A: The Washington Secretary of State explains it in the graphic below and like this: “It is essential to the integrity of an election that ballot processing be accurate and transparent, while maintaining your right to a secret ballot. After you return your voted ballot, your county elections department follows this ballot counting process: Your signature on the outer return envelope is checked against the signature on file in your voter registration record to make sure they match. You are credited for voting in that election. This ensures that only one ballot from each voter is counted. The outer return envelope, which identifies you, is then separated from the inner security envelope, which contains your voted ballot. Your ballot cannot be traced back to you, ensuring the secrecy of your vote. All ballots are inspected to make sure the tabulating machine will be able to read all votes. Tabulation equipment is tested before every election to make sure it is working accurately.”
Q: Is my voting record public?
A: Who you vote for is completely secret, but whether you vote is public information, and organizations can follow up with you after the election about your voting record. Lots of people take pride in having a good voting record, and we want UFCW 3000 members to vote in every election so we can always make our voice heard!
Q: Will my ballot count if I choose not to vote on certain issues or candidates?
A: Yes, it will count. You can choose to skip any measures or offices you don't wish to vote in and all the votes you do cast will be counted. But we recommend you look into who’s on your ballot so you can help decide who we send to our City and County Councils, to the State Capitol, to Congress, and to the White House. As union members, we understand the power of voting and having a voice.
Q: What should I do if I’m not able to vote, but I still care about politics?
A: There are lots of ways to be involved in the political process through your union, from local issues to national races. Email us at politics@ufcw3000.org for more information.
Registering to Vote and Checking or Updating Your Voter Registration
Q: When is the next election?
A: Future election dates can be found at the Secretary of State’s Elections website. In Washington State, we vote by mail, so if you are registered to vote, your local elections office will mail your ballot out to the address they have on file for you at least 18 days before each election.
Q: How do I know if I’m registered to vote and will get my ballot at the right address?
A: It’s easy to check on your registration! Just go to VoteWA.gov. If the address listed there is not correct, you should update your registration. You can do that online, as long as you have a current Washington State driver's license, permit or ID card. If you don’t have one of those, you can still update your registration by printing and mailing this form, or contact your county elections office for more options.
Q: If I’m not registered, how do I register to vote?
A: You can register online, by mail, or in person. The easiest way for most people is to register online. The deadline to register online is 8 days before Election Day. To register online, you need a current Washington State driver's license, permit or ID card. Otherwise, you can print and mail your registration: find a voter registration form here. To request a form be mailed to you, fill out this form. Mail registrations must be received 8 days before Election Day as well. If you miss the deadline, you can register to vote in person all the way until Election Day by going to your county elections office.
Q: I’m not 18 yet, should I wait until my birthday to register to vote?
A: Actually, in our state 16- and 17-year-olds can pre-register to vote. Click here to pre-register, and you’ll be registered to vote as soon as you turn 18.
Q: I have a felony conviction. Can I vote?
A: Maybe. Go to Restore Your Vote to learn more about your voting rights and whether you can vote in the upcoming election.
Why I’m Voting: UFCW 3000 Members
