uncharted.ca

Overall, the UFCW, which represents 1.3 million workers, has 68 separate contracts representing more than 220,000 workers up for renewal in 2011. “We need to work with employers on health care and pensions,” he said. “It's hard to paint a rosy picture, but we have solid companies and good independents.”

Challenging Wal-Mart Published: July 27, 2011

To the Editor:

Re “Big Retailers Make Pledge of Stores for ‘Food Deserts’ ” (news article, July 21):

The White House’s decision to pay tribute to Wal-Mart for agreeing to open or expand stores in areas designated as “food deserts” was misguided.

Wal-Mart has a history of destroying good jobs in the communities it enters and creating jobs that perpetuate the cycle of poverty — leaving more workers unable to buy healthy food for their families.

Instead of honoring Wal-Mart, the White House should laud employers who are creating good jobs with benefits that can support a family and challenge Wal-Mart to do the same.

JOSEPH T. HANSEN
President, United Food and Commercial Workers International Union
Washington, July 22, 2011

Hansen's conclusion: "Instead of honoring Wal-Mart, the White House should laud employers who are creating good jobs with benefits that can support a family and challenge Wal-Mart to do the same."

WASHINGTON — Several retailers committed last week to open or expand 1,500 stores in underserved communities across the U.S. and to make affordable, healthier food options more accessible.

Those commitments — contained in memorandums of understanding from Wal-Mart Stores, Supervalu and Walgreen Co. — were announced by First Lady Michelle Obama as part of her Partnership for a Healthier America initiative aimed at eliminating food deserts in the U.S. within seven years.

WASHINGTON — The United Food and Commercial Workers Union and its umbrella group, Change to Win, called the agreement reached between Congress and the White House to raise the nation's debt ceiling "a bad deal for workers."

"Congress has failed to offer leadership toward job creation," said Joseph Hansen, chairman of Change to Win and the UFCW. "This legislation threatens the social safety net that seniors, children and the unemployed rely on. Even worse, leadership has capitulated to extreme demands that will further threaten the economic security of regular working people."

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
August 02, 2011
CONTACT:

STATEMENT ON THE DEBT AGREEMENT BY PRESIDENT JOE HANSEN

NO JOBS, JUST CUTS

STATEMENT BY CHANGE TO WIN CHAIR AND UNITED FOOD AND COMMERCIAL WORKERS INTERNATIONAL UNION PRESIDENT JOSEPH HANSEN ON THE DEBT LIMIT DEAL

(Washington, D.C.) – The following is a statement issued by Change to Win Chair and United Food and Commercial Workers International Union President Joseph Hansen:

"The deal reached by Congress and the Administration to raise the U.S. debt ceiling is a bad deal for workers. Congress has failed to offer leadership toward job creation. This legislation threatens the social safety net that seniors, children and the unemployed rely on. Even worse, leadership has capitulated to extreme demands that will further threaten the economic security of regular working people.

"Americans are working hard to rebuild the middle class – they are working multiple jobs, putting in long hours, and making personal sacrifices to help their communities stay strong. Workers deserve better from elected leaders with a serious commitment to job creation, not simply cuts to the budget. Economic recovery demands a shared sacrifice from Wall Street and the wealthy to match what is asked of regular Americans."

###

The United Food and Commercial Workers International Union (UFCW) represents more than 1.3 million workers, primarily in the retail and meatpacking, food processing and poultry industries. The UFCW protects the rights of workers and strengthens America’s middle class by fighting for health care reform, immigration reform, living wages, retirement security, safe working conditions and the right to unionize so that working men and women and their families can realize the American Dream. For more information about the UFCW’s effort to protect workers’ rights and strengthen America’s middle class, visit

www.ufcw.org

###
About Change to Win Change to Win is a 5 million member partnership of four unions founded in 2005 to represent workers in the industries and occupations of the 21st century economy. Change to Win is committed to restoring the American Dream for a new generation of workers – wages that can support a family, affordable health care, a secure retirement, and the opportunity for the future. The affiliated unions are: Service Employees International Union, United Food and Commercial Workers International Union, International Brotherhood of Teamsters, and United Farm Workers of America.