President's Report
BRUCE W. BOTH'S COLUMN
June 2010
As I write this article it is mid May. Initial negotiating meetings have been held with the committee members and the company representatives for King Kullen, King Kullen Pharmacists, Stop & Shop and Pathmark.
Meetings are also being held between the Union and the company representatives who are Trustees on the UFCW Local 1500 Pension and Welfare Funds. Monies for the Funds are negotiated by the respective negotiating committees. The level of benefits that the Funds provide and the amount of money required for the benefit level are determined by the Fund Trustees.
We have spoken to the company representatives about the struggle of the average working men and women in America and, specifically, your struggle. Each of you toils everyday to provide for yourself and for many, your families. We have spoken about how hard it is to make ends meet. Many of you have second jobs to meet your obligations.
It is not fair that Wall Street and Bank Executives, the very people that brought this country to its knees, keep million dollar bonuses and we have to fight just to survive. We are fighting for wages, a good and secure pension and healthcare.
We have presented your proposals to your respective companies and they have responded with givebacks, second tier entitlements and benefits for new employees. They speak of employee contributions for healthcare. Their position is totally unacceptable.
You deserve a fair and equitable settlement that maintains healthcare for you and your family. You deserve a pension plan that keeps the promise of a secure retirement. You deserve a fair wage increase to provide for yourself and your family.
The road to a fair settlement will not be easy and there will be obstacles along the way. Together we will face and overcome these obstacles. To achieve our goal we must stand united, "One Union One Voice." We, the Union, will lead the fight but we cannot do it alone. You, the membership, have always supported your Union and I know you will support us again.
I urge you to proudly wear your union button. When update meetings are held, attend these meetings as well as the General Membership meeting on June 9, 2010. Visit our website www.ufcw1500.org. Remember, at the meetings to be held in June, you will be apprised of the progress of contract negotiations and, if necessary, strike authorization votes will be taken.
I pledge to you that we will do everything possible to prevent any work stoppage and achieve a fair settlement, but we must always be prepared for the worst.
When a settlement is reached, it is imperative that everyone votes. You will be notified of the voting times, locations and, as always, you will be advised as to the conditions you will be working under for years to come.
In closing, let me leave you with the words of Martin Luther King, Jr.:
"The labor movement was the principal force that transformed misery and despair into hope and progress. Out of its bold struggles, economic and social reform gave birth to unemployment insurance, old age pensions, government relief for the destitute, and above all, new wage levels that meant not mere survival but a tolerable life. The captains of industry did not lead this transformation."
