Uncategorized

2008 Scholarship Winners Announced!

superuser — Tue, 01 Jul 2008 12:08:28 -0400

UFCW LOCAL 1459 ANNOUNCE THE 2008 SCHOLARSHIP WINNERS

Our congratulations go to the following for being selected as the 2008 UFCW Local 1459 Scholarship Fund Recipients. They have been awarded grants from among hundreds of students who applied for this scholarship.

They should be very proud to have won this most prestigious Union honor since recipients of this scholarship must exemplify academic excellence, scholastic achievement and pride in the UFCW Local 1459.

Test

superuser — Wed, 09 Jan 2008 14:37:33 -0500

Nothing hre

Print an Authorization Card

superuser — Sun, 02 Dec 2007 15:21:14 -0500

Interested
in joining a Union?

Call us toll free:
1-800-332-9699 ext. 14

When you and your coworkers sign authorization cards,
you are expressing your desire to become a member of UFCW Local 1459.
It's important to understand that when you sign an authorization card,
you are not joining the UFCW. You are only expressing your desire
to join the UFCW. You will not become a member of the UFCW until a) the
company decides to recognize the union or b) a majority of the workers
vote to join the UFCW in a secret ballot election.

Desiring to enjoy the rights and benefits of collective bargaining, I
hereby authorize the United Food & Commercial Workers International
Union, AFL-CIO-CLC, or its chartered Local Union(s) to represent me for
the purpose of collective bargaining.

Print Name	Date	Signature
Home Phone	Home Address	City, State, Zip
Employer's Name	Employer's Address	Your Hire Date
Type of Work Performed	Department	Hourly Rate
E-mail address	I work: List your days off: ( ) Day Shift ( ) Night Shift ( ) Part-time ( ) Full-time	Would you participate in an organizing committee? ( ) Yes ( ) No

Mail this authorization form to UFCW Local
1459 at:

UFCW Local 1459, AFL-CIO
33 Eastland Street
Springfield, Massachusetts 01109

Attention all current UFCW Local 1459 members

superuser — Sun, 02 Dec 2007 15:19:21 -0500

Developing Organizing Leads

We need every member to pitch in and help us organize. You owe
it to your job and your union to talk to non-union workers about
the benefits of being a member of Local 1459. If you know of a group
of workers who are interested in bringing a Union to their workplace,
please contact us.

We encourage you to serve as a volunteer to help protect your jobs
and your contract from non-union competitors. To become involved
and receive more information about what you can do to help, please
call the Organizing Department at 1-800-332-9699 or E-mail us at
UFCW1459@aol.com.

Your legal right to organize and join a union

superuser — Sun, 02 Dec 2007 15:17:04 -0500

Your legal right
to organize and join a union

It is your right to support, form and/or advocate a union at your
workplace. Your rights to organize

Interested
in joining a Union?

Call us toll free:
1-800-332-9699 ext. 14

are set forth in Section 7 of
the National Labor Relations Act: "Employees shall have the
right to self-organization, to form, join, or assist labor organizations,
to bargain collectively through representatives of their own choosing,
and to engage in other concerted activities for the purpose of collective
bargaining or other mutual aid or protection . . ."

This means that you have the legal right to help organize, to join,
and to support a Union of your own choosing. This includes but is
not limited to such activities as:

• filling out an Authorization
Card

• getting others to fill out cards

• attending Union meetings

• wearing Union buttons

• passing out Union literature

• talking about the Union to other employees.

Guide to Organizing a Union

superuser — Sun, 02 Dec 2007 15:14:52 -0500

Step 1: Initial
Process

Meeting
with a Union Representative, learning about your rights and how
to go about forming your Union in your workplace is the first step.
Then, you need a sufficient number of employees to sign Authorization
Cards. The NLRB requires that at least 30% of the affected employees
sign cards before they will conduct an election. A fair minded employer
may voluntarily recognize a Union as the employees' bargaining representative
if a majority of the affected employees have signed Authorization
Cards. THEREFORE, THE FIRST STEP IS TO SIGN A MAJORITY AS
SOON AS POSSIBLE.

Step 2: Request
Recognition

Once a majority status
has been reached, your Union will request voluntary recognition.
If your employer agrees, a mutually selected impartial person will
verify the cards against the payroll listing. Most employers WILL
NOT voluntarily recognize your Union. If not, we will then petition
the NLRB for a secret ballot election.

Step 3: NLRB
Petition

Interested
in joining a Union?

Call us toll
free:
1-800-332-9699 ext. 14

Once a petition has been filed, the NLRB will schedule
a "unit hearing" to determine the eligible voters. At
this time your employer will begin the anti-union campaign in an
effort to convince you that you don't need a Union. Look for raises
and other promises of benefit increases. Look for leaflets at work
and letters sent to your home; anything in an effort to convince
you to vote against your Union.

Step 4: Hold
Election

Once the NLRB has determined
the proper voting unit, they will schedule a SECRET BALLOT ELECTION.
Your employer is not allowed in the polling area during the election.
The election is actually conducted by an agent of the NLRB.

Step 5: Contract
Negotiations

When you have won your
election or secured voluntary recognition, the Union will conduct
a contract proposal meeting(s) to assist you in putting together
your contract proposals. At this time, you will also elect from
among your coworkers an employee negotiating committee to assist
and attend the actual contract negotiations along with the Union
Representatives.

When the committee feels that they have reached a final contract
offer, a ratification meeting will be held. At this meeting we will
explain the entire contract, discuss it and then vote to accept
or reject the contract. Only if a majority of the employees vote
to accept the contract does it go into effect. Only then will you
become a Union Member.

Organizing: It Pays!

superuser — Sun, 02 Dec 2007 15:12:35 -0500

Interested in joining a Union?

Call us toll free:
1-800-332-9699 ext. 14

By organizing a union workers can attain significant improvements in the terms and conditions of their employment. Union workers enjoy much stronger legal protection on the job as well as better wages and benefits. Here's some recent statistics that prove it:

	Better Wages
Reports show that Union workers generally make 35% more in wages and benefits than non-union workers. MEDIAN WEEKLY EARNINGS OF FULL-TIME WAGE AND SALARY WORKERS, 1999 Source: U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Earnings, January 2000. Prepared by the AFL-CIO
	Better Benefits
Many Local 1459 contracts have affordable health insurance. The employer pays all or most of the expense.
	Pension Plans
Local 1459 can negotiate a pension plan to make your retirement easier.
UNION WORKERS ARE MORE LIKELY TO HAVE HEALTH AND PENSION BENEFITS, 1997 Note: Defined-benefit pensions are a subset of all pensions. Disability refers to short-term disability benefits. Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employee Benefits in Medium and Large Private Establishments, 1997, Bulletin 2517, September 1999. Prepared by the AFL-CIO.
	Job Security
All Local 1459 contracts contain language that prevents employers from unjustly and arbitrarily terminating, suspending and/or reprimanding you without having just cause for their action. UNION WORKERS AND JOB STABILITY Percentage of Workers with the Same Employer for 10 Years or More, 1998 Source: AFL-CIO analysis of the Current Population Survey, Supplement on Displaced Workers, Job Tenure and Occupational Mobility, February 1998. Prepared by the AFL-CIO.
	Due Process
All Local 1459 contracts contain a formal grievance and arbitration system to help provide you with due process at the shop floor level. All violations of your contract are settled through this procedure. So if you have any problems with management that you feel violates your Union contract, this procedure will help solve them.