As a new employee in the bargaining unit, United Food and Commercial Workers Union Local 1500 represents you, congratulations! If you’re like many employees, this may be the first time you have been represented by a Union and you should have lots of questions as to what this means to you.
Union representation means that United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW) Local 1500, with your active participation, negotiates and administers a legally binding contract on your behalf.
This contract is also known as a Collective Bargaining Agreement, or CBA for short. It sets forth your wages, benefits, hours, and nearly all of your working conditions. Because all employees negotiate together through the Union, Union members receive higher wages and better benefits than non-Union workers in similar jobs. Strength in numbers makes this possible. Together, we’re one union, with one voice.
Who And What Is The UFCW
Local 1500 is part of the United Food and Commercial Workers International Union. There are more than 900 affiliated UFCW Locals representing 1.3 million workers in both America and Canada.
Just here in New York there is Local 342 (Butchers), Local 338, Local 888, Local 1 (Upstate New York).
The elected president of UFCW Local 1500 is Rob Newell, giving New York workers a voice on International issues within the UFCW. The elected president of the 1.3 million member UFCW International Union is Marc Perrone.
Union Representatives
A Union Representative, assigned by the president, administers your contract. Representatives visit stores on a regular basis and have designated days in the office, usually Wednesdays. Your Union Representative can be reached at any time by calling (800-522-0456) or emailing our office. Union Reps check their messages regularly, so there is no “bad” time to reach out for any issue at all!
Many of you also have a Union ”steward” at your place of work. A steward, selected by your Union Representative, is a fellow employee who is both an activist of the Union and a conduit of general information between members and the Union.
Meetings
Local 1500 conducts general membership meetings on a quarterly basis. These meetings are important and, as a member, you are encouraged to attend and participate in the events of your Union. These meetings are held at our union office, 425 Merrick Avenue, Westbury, NY 11590.. Meeting notices are posted in each issue of Local 1500’s magazine, The Register, and on our Activities / Events calendar. They usually take place every three months on the second Wednesday.
All members are welcome and strongly encouraged to come to General Membership meetings, ask questions, learn and get involved with their union.
Get Social
Follow your union and stay up to date on news and events, check out photos and videos and contact us on facebook at facebook.com/ufcw1500
Also follow us on twitter @ufcw1500 where we post relevant news stories, photos and valuable information for all members.
Without a legally binding contract the law allows employers greater latitude with regard to determining and applying job standards. These conditions all too often leave the individual with little to no recourse when faced with problems. Your Union contract provides a legally binding agreement that is enforceable.