WWW.UFCW.ORGAugust 14, 2012 Volume 15, Issue 9

Vitakraft Sunseed Workers Say “Yes” to a Union Voice on the Job with UFCW Local 75Thirty workers at a Vitakraft Sunseed facility in Westin, Ohio voted to join UFCW Local 75 last week. Workers contacted the local union because they wanted a union voice in their workplace and respect on the job.

Two years ago, the facility came under new management, and workers hoped that working conditions would improve. When they did not, the workers came together to take action and began a campaign for respect at the worksite and to make their jobs better.

Workers formed an activist committee; held meetings to talk to their co-workers about what having a union voice on the job would mean for wages, benefi ts, and working conditions; and collected signatures on a petition. On the day of the election, workers showed their solidarity by wearing bandanas to work.

The Vitakraft Sunseed plant produces pet food such as birdseed. The workers at the plant produce and package the food. OP

Workers that produce and package various types of pet food at a Vitakraft Sunseed facility voted to join UFCW Local 75.

UFCW Show Support to Families in Haiti Through Multiple Projects

In 2010, UFCW local unions from around the country pledged generous funds for Haiti to aid in the healing of the destruction and suffering that took place in the devastating earthquake.

The UFCW Charity Foundation is distributing more than $450,000 to help bring educational opportunities, food, water, and technology to the local children and families in Haiti.

Through the organiza-tion Hope for Haiti, the UFCW is building a new school with computer labs and a library at the St. Francois de Sales Primary and Second-ary Schools in Riviere Froide, Carrefour, Haiti. Construction is under-way and the project is on target to be completed in early 2013. Furnishings for the labs and library will either be produced locally or bought by Haitian vendors to maxi-mize UFCW’s donation and encourage reinvest-ment in Haiti’s growing economy. A video of the construction progress can be viewed at http://bit.ly/PevHjS.

Construction is underway for the com-puter labs and library funded by the Hope for Haiti project.

Members from the village committee work with the company that will build the water system in Chardonnette, Haiti.

WWW.UFCW.ORGAugust 14, 2012 Volume 15, Issue 9

The UFCW is also partnering with Reviving Haiti to support a water project for the town of Chardonette. The town is home to 8,000 people who currently use an unfi ltered spring as their water source. The project will create a new water system that will pump and fi lter water to a series of reservoirs so the local families can have access to clean water. Eventually the water system can be extended and used to pipe clean water to neighboring towns.

Through the organization High Hopes for Haiti (the Mortel Fam-ily Foundation) the UFCW is building computer labs and a library at the James Stine College in St. Marc, Haiti. UFCW is also working with UFCW Local 1625 member Jean Myril to bring hot meals to children and families in Bitho, Leogane, Haiti through an organization called God to Haiti. OP

Workers Rally After Formal Complaint is Filed Against Walmart Supply Chain

Workers representing three links in Walmart’s global supply chain – food production, processing and warehousing – have fi led a for-mal ethics complaint with Walmart’s corporate executives in Los Angeles. The complaint outlines systemic violations of Walmart’s own Statement of Ethics and Standards for Suppliers.

At a rally in Los Angeles on August 9, workers and supporters de-scribed working conditions that include injury, hazardous equip-ment, retaliatory fi rings, and chemical exposure in the production, transport and sale of Walmart merchandise.

“So many of my coworkers are living in pain because of the pressure to work fast or lose our jobs,” said Limber Herrera, a warehouse worker in Riverside, Calif.

Warehouse workers who move Walmart goods in southern California are part of an increasing number of workers step-ping out of the shadows and calling attention to improper treatment of workers employed by Walmart and illegal prac-tices by its contractors.

Through OUR Walmart, store associates are also fi ghting for and winning changes at Walmart to help workers, who are struggling to support their families.

“Even though Walmart is the biggest company in the country, the company is not above the law. When we stand together and hold Walmart accountable, we are winning protections for workers, our community, and our economy,” said Greg Fletcher, a six-year Walmart associate in Duarte, Calif. and a member of OUR Walmart. OP

Workers from UFCW Local 1 Feed the Hungry in New YorkMembers from UFCW Local 1 participated in the latest Feeding the Hungry event on August 10 in Watkins Glen, N.Y. Members teamed up with Smithfi eld and Tops Markets to donate over 30,000 pounds of protein to the Food Bank of the Southern Tier. The Food Bank of the Southern Tier distributes food and food-related products to people in need through a network of more than 160 hunger-relief member agencies including food pantries, soup kitchens, shelters, and other non-profi t organizations. OP

UFCW Local 1 workers participate in the Feeding the Hungry event in Watkins Glen, New York.

OUR Walmart workers joined a rally in Los Angeles after a formal ethics complaint was fi led.