I want to tell you about the amazing energy we saw last week from members who turned out across Southern California for our UFCW 770 Area Meetings. Before I do, let me share a moment that’s been replaying in my head this past week. It’ll take just a second.
We closed out each meeting by raffling off a gift card to the members who turned out. A member named Raymond won the raffle at our Pasadena meeting but wasn’t able to accept it. Why? He had to leave the meeting early to go work his second job as a delivery driver. The time has come to fight for our union brothers like Raymond. Let’s make sure one job is enough for hardworking people. Share our petition and get everyone you know to join the fight for Grocery workers like Raymond.
As I’ve said before, the true wisdom of this union isn’t in an office building or headquarters. It’s in your stores, dispensaries, plants, and pharmacies, and it’s in the experiences of you and your hardworking union brothers and sisters. 770 toured Southern California to hear directly from members across our union and discuss your wisdom about where we go from here.
If you weren’t able to join us, we focused each meeting on the values we’re fighting for in our next Grocery contract:
Family-Sustaining Fair Wages
Work should provide wage increases that make ends meet and allow us to provide for and enjoy our families and lives—without having to work multiple jobs.
More, Flexible Hours
Scheduling should provide the hours we need to support our families with one job, the flexibility to enjoy and take care of our families, and accommodate the other priorities of our lives.
Health and Retirement Security
All employees should have benefits that provide security in our health and dignity in our retirement. We fought hard for ours and will fight hard to maintain them.
Job Security in Changing Times
We understand better than management what consumers want and what works on the floor – and by applying that knowledge we can help shape the Grocery jobs of the future.
Democracy in Our Workplace
We are partners in the success of our businesses, not tools to be moved and discarded. Our unity gives us a voice and a vote in both our workplace and our union.
Better Neighborhood Grocery Stores
Grocery stores are part of the shared public space, and we commit ourselves to creating and preserving strong, resilient communities.
As we head into a major fight for a fair Grocery contract, it’s time to take stock and remember who we’re fighting for: each other. That’s why I was proud and encouraged to see so many of our members come out and show our unity through three days of meetings from one end of 770 to the other—from Arroyo Grande to Pasadena to Harbor City. We’re just scratching the surface of showing our true power. To get ahead, though, we need our friends, our family, even our customers to join us in speaking out against corporate greed. One job should be enough, full stop. Share the petition to get your friends and family on board, too.
We got this,
John Grant
President
UFCW 770